Preface
There have been great advances in the diagnosis and eval-
uation of patients with segmental and generalized neuro-
muscular disorders since the first edition of this book. Tests
applied to different types of the disorders are discussed in
the introduction as well as specific chapters.
The management of these diseases have also improved
significantly, particularly in cardiac and pulmonary care,
and in the management of autonomic and peripheral neu-
ropathies, and for this reason these chapters have been ex-
panded. We have also expanded chapters in orthopedic sur-
gery and rehabilitation with the use of robotics to manage
patients with chronic weakness.
Immunotherapy has improved greatly with the use of
new monoclonal antibodies, which increases the armamen-
tarium of clinicians that take care of autoimmune disor-
ders. The basic aspects of immunotherapy are covered in
Chapter 7, but also are detailed chapters dedicated to au-
toimmune neuropathies and myopathies, and disorders of
neuromuscular disorders of neuromuscular junction.
The most important development in neuromuscular dis-
orders has been the discovery of pathogenic genes and im-
proved testing in hereditary conditions, which has allowed
vi
us to diagnose patients even without muscle biopsies, and
this has led to genetic therapies. We have included a new
chapter that introduces the readers to these treatments,
which are also discussed in detail in those chapters dedi-
cated to hereditary myopathies and neuropathies.
Some topics are discussed in various chapters, causing
some repetition, but the intent is that each reader could
consult individual chapters independently.
These have been very difficult times, because of the
COVID-19 pandemic, which affects more severely patients
with weakening neuromuscular disorders. Medical care has
also been complicated by this, and COVID-19 infections are
associated with neuromuscular conditions that are discussed
in different chapters.
The pandemic has also created difficulties in the com-
pletion of this book, and I am most grateful to the Elsevier
personnel and the other collaborators that have helped
overcome these difficulties. I am also very thankful that they
dedicated their time and effort to the completion of this
volume, which I believe will be very useful to those taking
care of patients with neuromuscular disorders.