Yao & Artusio's Anesthesiology: Problem-Oriented Patient Management, 4th Edition. Edited by Fun-Sun F. Yao. Philadelphia, Lippincott-Raven, 1998. Pages: 1,088 with 98 illustrations. Price:$75.00.
Yao and Artusio's 4th edition of Anesthesiology: Problem-Oriented Patient Management represents a unique approach to transferring medical information to the reader. Each chapter starts with a hypothetical surgical case followed by a discussion of the pathophysiology, preoperative evaluation, intraoperative management, and postoperative care of the patient. The format is similar to what is used during the American Board of Anesthesiologists oral examination. The reader has the option of trying to answer the questions without referring to the answers or can read through the questions and answers as if the book were a more conventional text. Although not a primary reference source on anesthesiology, this book will serve admirably for those preparing for their oral board examinations. This reviewer read the book while preparing for his recertification examination and found the concise exposition of common clinical dilemmas in the subspecialties of pain management and obstetrical anesthesiology very useful reviews. This text will also be useful for the practitioner who is confronted with an anesthetic challenge outside of his or her usual range of expertise. In our daily practice, how often are we confronted with a patient with a pheochromocytoma? With thyrotoxicosis? How about an infant with a large cervical mass? Anesthetic considerations for these and 54 additional clinical problems are succinctly addressed in this text.
The most recent edition has been expanded to include case discussions of heart and lung transplantation, ischemic heart disease and noncardiac surgery, cancer pain, cerebral aneurysms, nerve blocks of the lower extremity, airway trauma, and anesthesia for magnetic resonance imaging. References in prior editions have been updated to reflect the most current literature and should be easily accessible to those desiring primary sources for additional information. The illustrations consist mostly of line drawings that efficiently depict the crucial information. With a suggested retail price of $75.00, the reader will get a lot of useful information for their dollar. This book will be a valuable addition to the library of both residents in training and established practitioners.
