anesthetic reference library for the dental practitioner administering sedation and/or general anesthesia to a varied patient ... arranged with an outline. The text's ...
BOOK REVIEW
ANESTHESIA AND UNCOMMON DISEASES, 4TH ED. J. L. Benumof (ed.) Philadelphia, 1998 W. B. Saunders Price $95.00 I am often asked what constitutes the essentials of an anesthetic reference library for the dental practitioner administering sedation and/or general anesthesia to a varied patient population. For the last 20 yr, a few of the texts that easily come to mind for such a collection are the three previous editions of Anesthesia and Uncommon Diseases. The goal of this newest revision remains the same as it was for its predecessors: to provide a framework for clinical decisions during the perioperative period in patients with uncommon diseases and congenital anomalies. Toward this end, the editor and contributors have succeeded admirably. In these days of explosive increases in medical information, it is quite a Herculean task to even attempt to distill the knowledge base necessary to examine considerations for patients with uncommon diseases. The success of this edition lies in its structure and logic. Disease states are reviewed in 12 excellent chapters classified by major organ system, while two additional chapters are related to diseases and types of patient. Each chapter is fully referenced and is systematically arranged with an outline. The text's basic approach remains unchanged from that of previous editions; this approach continues to work well and is one of the text's inherent strengths. The pathophysiology of the disease is discussed first, and in many cases a detailed basic scientific understanding of the disease process is present-
ed, which places the next section, on clinical manifestation along with anesthetic considerations and treatment plans, into a proper context. If there is a weakness to this text, it is the one found in most multiauthored books: the quality and revisions of the chapters vary from the outstanding to the pedestrian. This is not a book with which to cozy up in front of the fireplace, and it is not a book that one should expect to find entertaining. It is a quick, comprehensive review of uncommon medical conditions, a text that can be scanned at a moment's notice when the practitioner is faced with the unusual or complex patient and needs concise information. This is possible because of the excellent index and the good chapter divisions. It is late in the day and a patient with a strange-sounding neuromuscular disease arrives needing attention. This text provides a place to turn for your initial consultation. This text provides one with the understanding of the disease process along with a succinct discussion of its anesthetic implications. This is the type of book one finds stashed away in the lockers of many anesthesiologists, who use it to cope with situations that may arise during the course of treating emergency patients with little time to research diseases not usually encountered. I highly recommend this invaluable book to anyone involved in the anesthetic management of patients with uncommon diseases and, in fact, to all practitioners who wish to always be prepared for the unexpected. Morton Rosenberg, DMD Tufts University School of Medicine and Dental Medicine New England Medical Center Boston, Massachusetts
