BOOK REVIEWS
Dysphagia in Rare Conditions. An Encyclopedia
Harrison N. Jones and John C. Rosenbek. Hard cover,
illustrated, indexed, 900 pages, 2010. Plural Publishing, San
Diego, Calif, $295.
Jones and Rosenbek have collaborated with 83 authors to
produce an excellent resource for dysphagia in rare conditions,
each with a dedicated chapter, listed alphabetically in the front
of the book. Each chapter is formatted with a medical overview
of the condition and its corresponding swallowing disorder,
including additional subcategories. This format creates a user-
friendly text and an excellent, well-organized reference for the
clinician. The included rare conditions are extremely relevant to
anyone working in this field.
It was a pleasure reviewing this book, as it is very applicable
to the field of speech-language pathology — especially in the
medical setting. Not only was I fascinated by the rare conditions
discussed, but I found myself utilizing the book in conjunction
with this review, as I came across several of the rare conditions
among patients I was treating. I found no weaknesses in this book,
but would love to see a DVD with sample videofluoroscopic
swallowing studies in relation to the rare conditions, and per­
haps in the future a “part 2” including additional rare conditions
— perhaps selected by fellow tertiary-care speech-language
pathologists.
This book was primarily written for the speech-language
pathologist; however, it could hold utility for otolaryngologists
who are well educated in dysphagia and work with complex
medical conditions. Medical residents in otolaryngology–head
and neck surgery could definitely benefit from this book, as long
as they have a basic education in dysphagia. I highly recommend
this book to any speech-language pathologist working in a
medical setting.
GINA L. PALMA, MS
Bronx, New York
Otologic Surgery
Derald E. Brackmann, Clough Shelton, and Moises A. Arri­
aga. Third edition. Hard cover, illustrated, indexed, 864 pag-
es, 2010. Saunders-Elsevier, Philadelphia, Pa, $239.
The third edition of Otologic Surgery is the latest publication
of this essential surgical reference. Drs Brackmann, Shelton, and
Arriaga, along with more than 100 contributors, have revised
established chapters and added new topics that reflect the latest
developments in the fields of otology and neurotology. The re-
sult is a comprehensive work equipped with 66 chapters, numer-
ous illustrations, and 34 online videos that can be accessed free
of charge via www.expertconsult.com. The web site also offers
the entire text online. There are seven chapters unique to this
edition: 1) Cartilage Tympanoplasty, 2) Canal Wall Reconstruc-
tion Tympanomastoidectomy, 3) Superior Semicircular Canal
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Dehiscence Syndrome, 4) Endoscopic Endonasal Approaches
to the Skull Base and Paranasal Sinuses, 5) Extreme Lateral In-
frajugular Transcondylar Approach for Resection of Skull Base
Tumors, 6) Stereotactic Radiosurgery of Skull Base Tumors,
and 7) Vascular Considerations in Neurotologic Surgery.
Revised text, new contributors, and updated topics are im-
provements to this already invaluable surgical reference for
oto­rhinolaryngology residents, as well as practicing otologists
and neurotologists. The instructional videos and online access
to the text demonstrate the authors’ commitment to changing
technology and make the book versatile, portable, and easy to
use. Although medical students may find this book to be too
technical to use as a general reference, it should be included in
every otorhinolaryngology academic library.
Esther X. Vivas, MD
Bronx, New York
Otolaryngology Cases: The University of Cincinnati
Clinical Portfolio
Myles L. Pensak, editor. Soft cover, illustrated, indexed, 460
pages, 2010. Thieme Medical Publishers, New York, NY,
$89.95.
Otolaryngology Cases: The University of Cincinnati Clini-
cal Portfolio presents a comprehensive selection of cases rep-
resenting every major otolaryngology subspecialty. Dr Pensak
and his University of Cincinnati colleagues break down the con-
tent into 16 topics, each containing 2 to 11 case presentations.
Each chapter begins with a case presentation and then guides
the reader through the differential diagnosis, workup and test
interpretation, diagnosis, medical and surgical management, re-
habilitation, and follow-up in a well-organized, easy-to-follow
manner. Each chapter concludes with several multiple-choice
questions, allowing the reader to gauge comprehension, as well
as reinforcing the key points.
Written primarily for residents, the book presents many of the
most common otolaryngology problems seen in clinical prac-
tice and systematically instructs the reader through the cases.
The uniform format used throughout is easy to follow, as well
as user-friendly. The use of both photographic and radiologic
images augments the clinical scenarios, and serves to provide
a well-rounded and complete case presentation. After reading
through one of these cases, it seems as if one has participated
in the case first-hand. Although details on the relevant anatomy
and pathophysiology are limited, the book provides a high-yield
learning tool for the training otolaryngologist. It would also be
a versatile, enjoyable resource for the practicing otolaryngolo-
gist.
Bianca SIEGEL, MD
John Bent, MD
Bronx, New York