The 11th edition of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine welcomes Anthony Fauci to its editorial staff, in addition to more than 85 new contributors. While the organization of the book is similar to previous editions, major emphasis has been placed on disorders that affect multiple organ systems. Important advances in genetics, immunology, and oncology are emphasized. Many chapters of the book have been rewritten and describe major advances in internal medicine. Subjects that received only a paragraph or two of attention in previous editions are now covered in entire chapters. Among the chapters that have been extensively revised are the chapters on infections in the compromised host, on skin rashes in infections, on many of the viral infections, including cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus, on sexually transmitted diseases, on diabetes mellitus, on disorders of bone and mineral metabolism, and on lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. The major revisions in these chapters and many

Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine

MEDICAL LITERATURE has been deluged during the past few years with books and papers on penicillin; but a book which has been produced under the general editorship of Sir Alexander Fleming himself represents a complete and authoritative summary of penicillin therapy as it stands today.' The book contains a series of independent contributions by \"experienced and eminent men who have worked with penicillin in Great Britain\". Their opinions and practical methods differ slightly, and there is some overlapping; but these are not disadvantageous, comparison and contrast lending interest to the reading. In the first or general section of the book Fleming contributes two chapters, one on the history and development of penicillin, introducing some interesting sidelights in the romance of discovery, the other on the bacteriological control of penicillin therapy. In both chapters the information is set out in meticulous detail and with a clarity and simplicity which can be enjoyed by all readers. Fleming also gives the right perspective to the place of penicillin amongst the antibiotics and lays down the principles of treatment. Both chapters are well illustrated and are the most outstanding in the book. Included in this first section also are chapters on the chemistry and manufacture of penicillin and its pharmacy, pharmacology and methods of administration. The second section of the book is entirely clinical, giving each author's view on the use of penicillin therapy in a disease or an infection of some particular region of the body. The entire range of peniCillin-sensitive conditions is considered in twenty authoritative and clearly written chapters; these contain many references and illustrations. Dental and veterinary diseases are also given fairly full consideration. The final section is a condensed resume of much of the preceding chapters and is written for. the general practttioner. This chapter is superttuous: it does not contain enough detall to be of much practical value. The book as a Whole, however, will undoubtedly be considered a classical contribution to medical literature and is strongly recommended, not only because of the general interest of its topic, but as a reference book on penicillin therapy of hitherto unequalled excellence. The typography, although conforming to war economy standards, is clear and the paper is good. There is an excellent list of references and the index is satisfactory.

Gray's Anatomy

PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients Baseline assessments Morphological features of the PCF Volume of the PCF Pedigree development and assessment of familial aggregation Statistical analyses

http://chiariconnectioninternational.com/docs/ChiariI_Malformation_Redefined_Dr_Milhorat.pdf

Chiari I malformation redefined: clinical and radiographic findings for 364 symptomatic patients.

British authors are the natural heirs to Charles Dickens and Graham Greene.) Nevertheless there are advantages to British readers in a British book especially, for instance, in the chapter on social paediatrics and occasionally as regards therapeutics. The new Forfar and Arneil is, like its predecessors, a good book. There are many new authors and much of it has been completely rewritten. Each chapter has a long list of references, many of them to further reading in books and important 'landmark' papers rather than to very recent original work, and that seems appropriate for a textbook of this nature. It is up to date, including references to topics such as oesophageal pH monitoring in gastrooesophageal reflux, the value of steroids in bacterial meningitis, a full account of the peroxisomal disorders, the significance of dystrophin in muscular dystrophy, the importance of vitamin A in reducing mortality in third world countries, and the use of sumatriptan in migraine and of vigabatrin and lamotrigine in epilepsy. Surprisingly, neither in this nor in Nelson's textbook could I find any reference to Angelman's syndrome. Some topics chosen at random such as Prader-Willi syndrome or haemolytic uraemic syndrome were discussed more fully in the British textbook. There is a surprising omission, however, and that is the chapter on disorders ofear, nose, and throat. Adenoids, glue ear or secretory otitis media, tonsillitis, and tonsillectomy have all been dropped from the index and deafness is dealt with in the chapter on neurology. If you look up 'tonsils' you will be referred to any entry which reads: 'Tonsils: size, presence of infection, exudate, pitting, peritonsillar swelling?'. The index entry 'ear, nose and throat problems' refers to a brief account of such problems in children with cleft palate. It is one of those crazy facts of modern life that the American book costs £60, the British £125. Who will read this new edition? I shall, and I suppose many other consultant paediatricians will also use it as a standard reference book. Undergraduate students will need a more compact text for their basic reading but should use it to look up specific topics, and doctors studying for the MRCP in paediatrics should make a systematic assault on it to provide them with a personal database to be supplemented by journals and monographs. As a textbook of British paediatrics it has no competition and it remains an excellent work of reference which must be available in all paediatric departments in Britain, but the absence of the chapter on ear, nose, and throat disorders must surely be an error and there is clearly a marketing problem for British publishers faced with American competition. If we want British textbooks, and I would not like to think that the time will be forced upon us when we shall have no choice, then it looks as if we must be prepared to pay for the privilege. DOUG ADDY Consultant paediatrician

https://adc.bmj.com/content/archdischild/68/3/435.2.full.pdf

Syndromes of the Head and Neck

Objective: The objective is to formulate clinical practice guidelines for treating Cushing's syndrome. Participants: Participants include an Endocrine Society-appointed Task Force of experts, a methodologist, and a medical writer. The European Society for Endocrinology co-sponsored the guideline. Evidence: The Task Force used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system to describe the strength of recommendations and the quality of evidence. The Task Force commissioned three systematic reviews and used the best available evidence from other published systematic reviews and individual studies. Consensus Process: The Task Force achieved consensus through one group meeting, several conference calls, and numerous e-mail communications. Committees and members of The Endocrine Society and the European Society of Endocrinology reviewed and commented on preliminary drafts of these guidelines. Conclusions: Treatment of Cushing's syndrome is essential to reduce mortality and associ...

/pdf/treatment-of-cushing-s-syndrome-an-endocrine-society-1caxu7uhbn.pdf

Treatment of Cushing's Syndrome: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline.

Our experience with 30 cases of atlanto-axial dislocation, over the period of 3 years and 9 months, is described A modified plate and screw method of fixation of the lateral masses of the atlas and axis was successfully used in these cases The technical aspects and merits of the method, wherein a 100% union rate was achieved, with no morbidity, mortality, or instrument fatigue or failure, are presented The average follow-up period is of 19 months The technique provided immediate rigid segmental internal fixation, permitting early mobilization with minimal external support Onlay and interfacetal bone grafts subsequently produced bony fusion Direct application of screws to the atlas and axis, thus utilizing the firm purchase in their thick and large cortico-cancellous lateral mass, provides a biomechanically strong fixation of the region Occipito-cervical fusion can be achieved in selected cases by a modification of the method It appears that such a method of fixation could be useful at least in some complex congenital or traumatic craniovertebral region instability where the conventional methods have failed or are not suitable

Plate and screw fixation for atlanto-axial subluxation.

Objective We review our experience with the use of the plate and screw method of fixation in the treatment of 160 patients with atlantoaxial instability during a 14-year period at our center We previously described this method of fixation in 1994 Methods Between 1988 and 2001, 160 patients with atlantoaxial instability were treated with the use of a plate and screw method of fixation at the Department of Neurosurgery at King Edward Memorial Hospital in Bombay, India The study group was composed of 91 males and 69 females (mean age, 23 yr; age range, 18 mo-79 yr) Atlantoaxial instability was a result of congenital abnormality in 132 patients (83%) and occurred after trauma in 28 patients (17%) All patients had mobile, completely reducible atlantoaxial dislocation For 3 months postoperatively, a hard cervical collar was used The mean follow-up period was 42 months (range, 4 mo-14 yr) Results Three patients died in the postoperative phase Successful stabilization of the atlantoaxial region was documented with dynamic radiography in the other 157 patients There was no incidence of implant rejection In one patient, one screw was found to be broken 18 months after surgery; however, firm bony fusion was documented in this patient There were no neurological, vascular, or infective complications Conclusion The plate and screw method of fixation with the use of intra-articular bone grafts in patients with atlantoaxial instability yielded a 100% fusion rate with a low incidence of complications

Atlantoaxial fixation using plate and screw method: a report of 160 treated patients.

Object. The author discusses the successful preliminary experience of treating selected cases of basilar invagination by performing atlantoaxial joint distraction, reduction of the basilar invagination, and direct lateral mass atlantoaxial plate/screw fixation. Methods. Twenty-two patients with basilar invagination—in which the odontoid process invaginated into the foramen magnum and the tip of the odontoid process was above the Chamberlain, McRae foramen magnum, and Wackenheim clival lines—were selected to undergo surgery. In all patients fixed atlantoaxial dislocations were documented. The 16 male and six female patients ranged in age from 8 to 50 years. A history of trauma prior to the onset of symptoms was documented in 17 patients. Following surgery, the author observed minimal-to-significant reduction of basilar invagination and alteration in other craniospinal parameters resulting in restoration of alignment of the tip of the odontoid process and the clivus and the entire craniovertebral junction i...

Treatment of basilar invagination by atlantoaxial joint distraction and direct lateral mass fixation

Object. The authors analyzed the cases of 190 patients with basilar invagination that was diagnosed on the basis of criteria laid down in 1939 by Chamberlain to assess the appropriate surgical procedure. Methods. Depending on the association with Chiari malformation, the anomaly of basilar invagination was classified into two groups. Eighty-eight patients who had basilar invagination but no associated Chiari malformation were assigned to Group I; the remainder of the patients, who had both basilar invagination and Chiari malformation, were assigned to Group II. The principal pathological characteristic was observed to be direct brainstem compression due to odontoid process indentation in Group I and a reduction in posterior cranial fossa volume in Group II. Conclusions. Despite the anterior concavity of the brainstem in both groups, transoral surgery was the most suitable procedure for those patients in Group I and decompression of the foramen magnum was found to be appropriate for patients in Group II. A...

Atul Goel

Papers

Plate and screw fixation for atlanto-axial subluxation.

Atlantoaxial fixation using plate and screw method: a report of 160 treated patients.

Treatment of basilar invagination by atlantoaxial joint distraction and direct lateral mass fixation

Basilar invagination: a study based on 190 surgically treated patients

Giant pituitary tumors: a study based on surgical treatment of 118 cases.