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Show Journal of Neuro- Ophthalmology 21( 1): 69- 71, 2001. © 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc., Philadelphia Book Reviews Headache, by Egilius L. H. Spierings, MD, PhD. But-terworth- Heinemann, Woburn, MA, 1998. Type of book: This is an introductory level soft- cover handbook designed to serve as an overview of the basic diagnostic and treatment modalities of a common patient complaint- headache. It is part of a series titled " The most common complaints." The focus of the text is on enabling the reader to more accurately and quickly ascertain the cause of the patient's symptom and to facilitate more timely and appropriate care. A case- based format is used to successfully reach this goal. Scope of book: This text is developed as an efficient guide, generating an appropriate differential diagnosis. Headaches are first categorized based on longevity of symptoms. The author organizes our thinking by characterizing headaches as acute, subacute, or chronic. In each section, further subcategorization proceeds to allow the clinician to differentiate among headaches resulting from inflammation, bleeding, or more systemic processes. For each variety of headache, the text offers an overview and clinical approach. Management options are then discussed with varying amounts of detail; chronic entities ( migraine and cluster headaches) receive substantially more attention. Contents: The book encompasses 26 concise chapters. Chapters are subdivided into three sections; each section contains an overview before covering specific disease entities. The acute headache section includes chapters surveying meningitis, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and hypertensive encephalopathy. The subacute headache section covers cerebral tumors, pseudotumor cerebri, ophthalmic zoster, temporal arteritis, and subdural hematoma. The chronic headache section contains 13 chapters thoroughly detailing migraines, cluster, and tension headaches, including separate chapters on abortive and preventative treatments. Strengths: This text provides a practical, concise overview of common causes of headaches in a pleasant easy-to- read manner. I particularly enjoyed the coverage of migraine aura, feeling that the author labored to cover various manifestations diligently. Tables that add to the text and nicely summarize relevant clinical data are included. Each chapter is followed by a short bibliography of historical interest and timely update. Deficiencies: The author presents treatment modalities based largely on his extensive experience. Whereas this focus may mostly be one and the same, it is a limited perspective. Much of the recommendations is problematic and not within the mainstream of what the practicing neuro- ophthalmic community might accept. For example, the author lists repeated lumbar puncture as " the treatment of pseudotumor cerebri," with the next step being a lumboperitoneal shunt. Acetazolamide seems listed as an afterthought. There were also instances where more thorough discussion is warranted. The section on ophthalmic zoster minimizes the ophthalmic sequelae of herpes zoster virus ( HZV) ophthalmicus. The illustrations are dated and the approach from the perspective of a neurologist rather than an ophthalmologist or neuro- ophthalmologist. It can easily fit in the pocket of a short white coat, but it will not be used by those professionals whose coats are longer. Recommended audience: This text could serve as a useful starting point in the development of a solid knowledge base concerning this entity for medical students and junior residents in ophthalmology, neurology, internal medicine, and family practice. It will not be part of any neuro- ophthalmic library. Critical appraisal: This work succeeds in its attempt to render the beginning student more adept in developing a thorough, relevant differential diagnosis when faced with this common complaint. Although it may be lacking in its coverage of treatment modalities, it does an excellent job in what we feel is its goal of introducing physicians in training to this disease group. It is headache 101, and an overview, at that. Mohammed Kairy Barazi, MD The George Washington University Medical Center Department of Ophthalmology Washington, DC Neurofibromatosis: Phenotype, Natural History and Pathogenesis, 3rd Edition, edited by J. M. Friedman, MD, PhD, David H. Gutmann, MD, PhD, Mia Mac- Collin, MD, and Vincent M. Riccardi, MD. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, 1999. Type of book: This title is a multiauthored third edition of a text that began as a monograph in the late 1980s. It is partially driven by the National Neurofibromatosis Foundation, though dictated chiefly by the experience of the senior authors. It is packaged as a ready reference for the two separate neurofibromatoses we now recognize, NF1 and NF2. New contributors, including neurologists, geneticists, pediatricians, and pathologists, have been added since the second edition. Disappointedly, ophthalmologists are not among them. 70 BOOK REVIEWS Scope of book: The book is an overview of NF1 and NF2, with historical backgrounds, clinical and pathologic features, some molecular biology, and associated tumor- related conditions. In truth, it is 80% NF1 and 20% NF2. It is a book that is directed to the patient, as well as to the caregiver, and so it will be of some interest to families of patients, social workers, and pediatricians. Contents: The book is divided into an introductory section that speaks to the historical background of NF1 and NF2. The sections on NF1 include epidemiologic features, evaluation of the patient, clinical genetics, structure and function of the NF1 gene, tumors associated with NF1, cognitive anomalies of such patients, abnormalities of the central nervous system, tumors of the visual pathways, other malignancies, skeletal system involvement, and vascular and endothelial abnormalities. There are many black and white photographs, some schematic diagrams, and occasional tables of interest and relevance. The section on NF2 is remarkably short, compassing three chapters and perhaps 60 pages. This section addresses clinical aspects of NF2, associated tumors, and molecular biology thereof. The book is characterized by an appendix of resources for patients and their families, with e- mail addresses, telephone numbers, and some lay references. Strengths: The text is a casual summary of two diseases, but it is not directed toward the neuro-ophthalmologic community. The strengths of the text are its helicopter perspective, up- to- date molecular biology, simple discussions of structure and function, the genetic basis of these diseases, and a useful bibliography accompanies each chapter. Deficiencies: The chapter on tumors of the optic pathway is cursory and lacks much of the subtlety that the neuro- ophthalmic community is used to seeing- description of discs, fields, scans, and subtleties of clinical declarations. Many of the drawings are poorly reproduced and the bibliographies strikingly overlook the ophthalmology literature. Recommended audience: This product is a book designed for those persons interested in the neurofibromatoses, yet not expert therein. It is a good reference for patients and family, social workers, pediatricians, and family practice doctors. It is not an encyclopedic reference text, nor will it be one that the neuro- ophthalmol-ogic community refers to more than once. Critical appraisal: The book is a simple package of NF1 and NF2, their differences and similarities. It is simply written, simply presented, and timely in its information. It contributes to a topic that has changed more in the last 10 years than the previous 100 years. It will be of interest to medical students and the ophthalmology and neurology resident, and it continues the tradition of the previous two editions. Barrett Katz, MD, MBA The George Washington University Medical Center Departments of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery Washington, DC The University of Miami Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Atlas of Ophthalmology, edited by Richard K. Parrish II. Butterworth- Heinemann, Woburn, MA, 2000. Type of book: This title is a multiauthored atlas of ophthalmology contributed to by the faculty of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami, and their friends and former fellows from throughout the world. Scope of book: The volume is an atlas first and foremost but serves as more than a picture book. It is intended to be a collection of clinical presentations centered on photographs, cartoons, line drawings, charts, graphs, and schematics. It is an overview of the basics of ophthalmology, presented as a series of wonderfully illustrated lectures. It is conceptualized as a framework on which the reader can build and add. Contents: This book is organized into 15 sections, ranging from diagnostic examination and testing to sections encompassing all the subspecialty areas. Each section contains an average of seven chapters. The chapters begin with brief introductory summaries, followed by a wealth of images with detailed keys. There is an introductory text for each section, with virtually no free-flowing text thereafter; almost all narration is tied to the images. The flow is meant to simulate attendance at a lecture, where an image is projected and the speaker then uses that image as the foundation for the discussion. This concept is a novel and creative idea that succeeds well. Strengths: The layout and flow, along with the extraordinary quality and volume of color reproductions, combined with the authors' insights and well- chosen words are this book's main strengths. Ophthalmology is a visual science in which images are worth more than words. A straight atlas, however, can sometimes leave the reader wanting more; this atlas is anything but that. The format of this text keeps the reader interested. Another strength lies in the relative comprehensiveness of the text; it is notable that a chapter on ocular surface reconstruction is included, detailing a topic such as amniotic membrane transplantation for limbal deficiency. From the neuro- ophthalmologist's perspective, the chapters on orbital disease are exceptional. Also commendable is the inclusion of extensive reference lists at the end of each chapter. Weaknesses: There are no critical weaknesses to this book. In the chapter on medical therapy for glaucoma, the text lacked sufficient discussion of the varying opinions regarding which medications should be used first line and why, versus second line, etc. The sizes of the photographs were adequate. However, some of the fundus photographs in the vitreo- retinal section are smaller than one might like. Recommended audience: This volume can serve as a useful reference for medical students and ophthalmology residents in training. It can serve as a wonderful lecture series for students overseas. Because of its broad scope and wealth of information, it could also / Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 21, No. 1, 2001 BOOK REVIEWS 71 serve well as a general reference text for comprehensive ophthalmologists. Critical appraisal: This title is an informative, interesting, and clinically relevant general atlas. It is an excellent introductory, yet fairly comprehensive, source for residents or practitioners who want a broad overview or a place to use as a starting point for answers to a wide range of clinical questions. This book does for the 21st century what Vaughan's ophthalmology book of the Lange series did for past generations. It will have an important place in the library of the beginning ophthalmologist. Andrew J. Epstein, MD The George Washington University Medical Center Department of Ophthalmology Washington, DC J Neuro- Ophthalmol, Vol. 21, No. 1, 2001 |