Manual of Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery

Review by M BANNISTER

This is the second edition of a book discussing endoscopic surgery in the nose, paranasal sinuses and the anterior skull base, over 23 chapters. Over half of the book discusses surgical management of chronic rhinosinusitis, with and without nasal polyps. The later chapters discuss the extended applications of endoscopic sinus surgery. Despite the title, the book is not limited to endoscopic sinus surgery, but covers other areas of rhinology.

This book is extremely in-depth and based on the best available evidence on the topics covered, as well as the personal experiences of the authors. The latter provides information to the reader that has rarely been published before and is of particular use to surgeons in training. The content of chapters is varied, including interventional radiology, pre-operative checklists, instruments and peri-operative care. Complication management and the ‘hints and tips’ are amongst the most useful. The role of and requirements for pre-operative and emergency embolisation are important for those dealing with complex cases. The uses of surgical instruments that are less commonly encountered are discussed too, allowing the reader to reconsider their surgical techniques for a variety of operations. As well as covering surgical techniques, the pathophysiology and clinical features of the diseases treated are discussed too, which provides additional context for readers.

The most striking aspect, personally, is the clear discussion provided regarding check-listing and complication prevention. The authors make it clear that simple steps save a good deal of time and morbidity in endoscopic sinus surgery. The senior authors’ experience in this aspect translates unambiguously in the text, and the book makes for worthwhile reading just for these pages. Their message is straightforward, but provides insight into aspects of complication prevention that are not always fully considered, including computed tomography scan review and re-review, along with nose preparation before and during surgery. A good section revising the myriad presentations of all causes of facial pain with the use of diagrams (covering location and descriptive phrases used by patients) demonstrates how the manual is not limited to sinus surgery; this section will certainly inform the practice of any doctor managing patients with this sometimes-challenging presentation.

The knowledge base covered in the book is encouraging, and is aided by full-colour photography with matching three-dimensional cartoons. The graduated layout of the text and index makes it accessible to readers of any grade or level, which is typical of textbooks produced by Thieme. I would certainly recommend this manual as the single rhinology textbook required by higher surgical trainees and as a text for those developing an extended endoscopic service in their departments.

Amazon Link: Manual of Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery
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