Acute-Care Books

I am about to end my chief year in general surgery residency - my copy of the first edition shows the wear of half a dozen total read throughs and probably hundreds of referencings. Newest edition is equally good. For the last 3 years I have given this book to our interns if they finish their surgical internship. And I've paid for this myself - if you know how little residents get paid you will know how important I think it is. If you are in surgical training DO NOT WAIT ANOTHER DAY BEFORE YOU BUY THIS BOOK. I do agree with another reviewer who thought a bit of cool surgical technique would have been good too. But, all in all, best, most useful little book on surgery ever. Nuff said.

Donald Dupuis, MD
Lahey Clinic

this is a fine book in the tradition of "guides to being on call" - or maybe the "guide to the perplexed". I like the straightforward get to the point style, and the directness of the book makes this a useful book to have handy when confronted with some of the emergency surgery problems. I would only say it could have had a bit more on surgical technique, and one or two references would have been useful (instead there was almost a militant insistence on as few as possible). But I would recommend it for any resident who is on call, and I find it useful as a staff sugeon as well.

Chet Morrison
Assistent Professor of Surgery
Director of Surgical Critical Care
Michigan State University

The best general surgery book on my bookshelf. Must-to-read book for all general surgeons and residents.

This is one of the most useful and interesting surgical book in my library. It exposes simply and clearly the situations that a surgeon must face daily and gives precious and updated hints on diagnosis and management of abdominal emergencies.You will read it in two hours with pleasure and interest and remember forever.If you enjoy it, the author publshed previously other surgical books with the same characteristics that you will appreciate.In two words, buy it!

I enjoyed this book so much that I decided to translate it to Spanish(Editorial Mediterraneo,360 pags.,Santiago,2001). I wish to quote from the recent book review in the World Journal of Surgery (January 2002).

"Since Henry Mondor's text in the 1940s there has been no another book written with such ease and wit about emergency abdominal surgery, an attractive battlefield for so many surgical recruits. Dr. Moshe Schein, a general surgeon with broad experience in New York, has presented a compact handbook useful even in the smallest rural hospital. The book is divided into three sections: Before the Operation, The Operation, After the Operation. This partitioning allows convenient access to pertinent information about the diagnostic and operative hitches frequently encountered in daily practice. In its turn each section of the book is divided into chapters devoted to acute abdominal diseases as well known as perforated peptic ulcer and as rare as Curtis-Fitz-Hugh syndrome. In spite of its semi-belletristic style, the monograph addresses each question with competence; even such a complicated subject as the pathophysiology of urgent surgical situations is very clear and understandable. The features of operative techniques for the different emergency surgical procedures and the management of the postoperative period are thoroughly elucidated.

I was unable to tear myself away from Moshe Schein's book, and I have learned much from it, in spite of my surgical maturity. This manual deserves to be readily available in every emergency service and operating room. Undoubtedly it will come to be highly useful for surgeons at every level, and not only for surgical "teenagers."

I complete my review with one of the aphorisms from the book: "It is more difficult to decide when not to operate than when to operate and what operation to perform." This sentence reflects exactly the substance of the book.

Boris D. Savchuk, M.D.

Department of Surgery, Central Clinical Hospital, Moscow, Russia"

My five year old nephew has Guillain-Barre. It's very difficult to find material that deals with children and Guillain-Barre. There is a little bit in this book. I think it would be a great book to read for an adult with GB or adult caregiver.

Both my mother and I really like the fact that this book covers a lot of aspects of GB. There are some points where the medical detail was over my head but I was able to get the gist of it. It was nice to know that picking the leg up at the ankle is a common issue and usually one of the last things to come back. He will start learning to walk again in January which seemed strange to me because he can not pick up his feet on his own but now I know that's somewhat normal.

Excellent facts and representation of experience - since I personally experienced this disorder, and recovered 99%, I am confident in my assessment of book's content. It's good that the information is out there - so few people are even aware of the nature of this disorder!

Gillian-Barre Syndrome is a rare disease, so acurate, up to date resource materials about this are sore lacking. This book helps to fill the void.
Because this disease is rare, there is not a lot of research, and most doctors only rarely encounter a case in their medical career. Medical schools are still teaching out-dated information. Therefore, it is up to the patient and caregiver to stay informed. GBS patients should buy a copy for themselves, and one for their doctor.

Until I was told I had GBS (Nov 2007), I had never heard of it. Once I read this book cover to cover, I gained an understanding of GBS, which I had been looking for and was unable to find in others. I felt as if someone had been following me around, writing down everything that happened the weeks before and the first two weeks I was in the hospital.

This book should be required reading for all PCP and ICU nurses that are caring for GBS patients. I believe it would give them the compassion they need along with the knowledge, as to what to do for their patients and how to handle situations with their GBS patients that may/will come up.

I have to thank those involved in writing this book, for giving me the information which I had been looking for, in layman terms and was unable to find. And for giving me the ability to look forward, for now I know, it will get better in time, given time.

I know that there is still much I must overcome to gain as much of a recovery as I can, however now I have the tools to make it through.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a condition in which the body's immune system attacks part of the nervous system, resulting in symptoms ranging from tingling and weakness to paralysis. GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME: FROM DIAGNOSIS TO RECOVERY is co-authored by a survivor of the condition and covers everything from early symptoms and treatment options to diagnostic methods and prognosis. From rehabilitation to acute care and coming home again, GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME is a 'must' for any serious health library.

easy to read with a lot of exemple and cincal case this book it's very up to date. a book for guys very fond off abt the "art" of ECG interpretation, a issue not always enphatized in the modern cardiology. Of note the easy to understand ECGrgafic pattern and correlation with the culpirit lesion in coronar vessels, difficoult of interpretation of some pattern of lateral STEMI end a lot of many others of trik and pearls.
my preferred txtbook of ECG is tc chou (anyboody know something abt new Suravitz edt after the one of 2001 edt ? )and I think this book of S W SMITH are able in maintaining the philosophy of the surface ECG interpretation.

This text is an incredibly useful reference appropriate for students, nurses, and physicians at all levels of training or expertise. I skimmed the book while in residency and have reviewed it much more thoroughly since completing my training.

The utility of this reference is basically three-fold...

In the acute setting, it is perhaps the only reference that provides more than 200 case-based examples of both 'classic' and more subtle ECG findings to assist in ECG interpretation. High-yield and 'do not miss' facts and examples of both normal and abnormal findings secondary to ischemia or structural abnormalities are highlighted for quick reference. I have not found a more useful resource that can so quickly provide such valuable information.

The text also includes concise review of basic principles imperative to understanding (not just memorizing) ECG interpretation including brief reviews of anatomy, vector analysis, structural defects, and how these factors affect ECG findings. It also illustrates the dynamic nature of the ECG in the setting of ischemia by showing serial ECGs and ECG findings at varying stages of myocardial injury and recovery.

Included in each chapter is an annotated bibliography which acts as a very helpful guide to recent literature. This provides a more focused summary of relavent studies related to each chapter, which allows you to select those suitable for more in-depth review.


The only negative feedback I've heard from friends/colleagues is mild discontent with the rather 'bulleted' text presentation. Personally, I find this to be a strength of the reference as it facilitates rapid review without sacrificing content.

The bottom line is that this text is high-yield, absolutely worth $50, and is the only resource I've found that is focuses on utility in the urgent/emergent setting. I've bought many books, but I actually use this book.

This is a very comprehensive, evidence-based book which will improve your ability to interpret what that ECG is telling you about your patient. I particularly like the extensive use of actual patient cases. Definitely worth the $50.

This book is a great tool to bring your interpretation of ECG in the setting of MI to the next level. If you are a medical student who wants to become competent at reading ECGs you need this book. It not only serves as a tutor, but also as a reference. It's so packed with relevant information that I can't imagine how other medical students can go without it, especially anyone considering a career in Emergency Medicine. If you understand the addage: "the more you know the more you learn," then you'll understand exactly why you need this book early in your career. This book will make you a better doctor.

The ECG in Acute MI provides a quick reference text for use in critical clinical situations in which accurate ECG interpretation will lead to more rapid recognition of appropriate candidates for reperfusion therapy, as well as a text for more detailed study of electrocardiogram interpretation. This manual is intended for all clinicians that may have to recognize and treat an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Thus, this book is for emergency department physicians, cardiologists, critical care physicians, hospitalists, internists, family practitioners, physician assistants, cardiac care nurses, residents and medical students. The text assumes a basic clinical understanding of electrocardiograms and common terminology, and focuses on outlining the essentials of ECG interpretation and how they may be used to accurately diagnose AMI, as well as to facilitate appropriate and timely reperfusion therapy. In this manual, reperfusion therapy includes the use of thrombolytics and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), including angioplasty and stent placement.
The authors utilize a well-organized format of concisely written text with key points highlighted and numerous clinical and electrocardiographic demonstrations included in every chapter in order to illustrate core concepts, and allow for quick reference. The text is divided into six sections for rapid review and easy access: General Issues of ECG Morphologies and the Diagnosis of AMI; the ECG Morphologies of AMI broken down by anatomic distribution (i.e. anterior MI, Inferior MI, etc.); Conditions that can obscure the diagnosis of AMI, including ECG pseudo-infarction patterns and AMI look-alikes; Other issues including atypical presentations, biomarkers and echocardiography as used in the reperfusion decision; and the management of AMI.
The ECG in Acute MI includes more than 300 12-lead ECGs, over 200 of which have accompanying case histories to help the reader understand the ECG in a clinical context. Many of the case examples include angiographic findings that serve to cement the reader's understanding of the ECG manifestations of anatomical disease. The chapters and representative example cases are cross-referenced extraordinarily well, facilitating review and comparison in an emergency setting. In addition, each chapter contains an extensive annotated bibliography outlining the pertinent studies previously published, including interpreted methods, findings and comments. The value of including a detailed description of the evidence based literature on which assertions in the text are made, cannot be overstated. Overall, there are more than 500 cited references for the text.
The ECG in Acute MI is well organized, thorough and an easy to use manual, both for the seasoned physician and the clinician in training. Although a manual focusing only on ECG interpretation seems a bit daunting at over 300 pages, the concise format of the text makes reading or reviewing chapters either to refresh prior knowledge or verify findings of an acute ECG in the clinical setting to confirm an interpretation entirely possible. While the reviewer had been comfortable with her ability to interpret ECG's in the acute setting, she was pleasantly surprised at just how much she learned from this manual. The authors set out to review and highlight the key aspects of ECG interpretation in order to more accurately diagnose acute MI and facilitate appropriate and timely therapy. The authors focus on educating the reader on the more sophisticated interpretation of subtle, non-diagnostic and atypical electrocardiographic findings of infarction, beyond the much more easily recognized "tombstoning" pattern of AMI. Additionally, the case based discussion utilizing serial ECG's emphasizes the dynamic nature of the electrocardiogram in acute myocardial infarction. This has led the reviewer to be much more suspicious of subtle hints on an initial ECG and the value of repeated examination in the acute clinical setting. The drawback of a text focused on subtle and atypical ECG findings is that the manual is occasionally tedious in its' detail and tiresome in its' description of differentiating characteristics of subtleties.
Although there are several excellent manuals for ECG interpretation available in the medical literature, the ECG in Acute MI is superior in its utilization of clinical correlation and evidenced based theory. The ECG in acute MI would be an excellent addition to any emergency department library, and would easily lend itself to the development of an advanced ECG interpretation module for residency curriculum. The authors have added a unique and tremendously valuable resource to the reference texts available to practicing clinicians.

This nifty paperback covers many common problems encountered in the pediatric emergency department. Each case starts with a clinical vignette including rich color photos demonstrating visual diagnostic findings. Turn the page and...voila!...there is the diagnosis with a brief review of salient features that aid in arriving at the correct diagnosis. I heartily recommend this book to medical students, house officers, fellows, and clinicians preparing for board certification.

Be led on rounds by Drs. Fleisher and Ludwig! I honed my skills more with this book than I did on weeks of my pediatrics rotation. The authors include both common and uncommon conditions that one could expect to see in the community. "Common things are common" was reflected in that there were several examples of common conditions such as chicken pox, herpes, impetigo, etc. You will definitely feel more confident with pediatric diagnosis after reading this book.

An excellent review of pediatrics. Case based examples with crisp, clear photos. Clinical vingettes help with evaluation of the photographed child. An EXCELLENT tool for board and test review, as well as general learning purposes.

most practical and huge boost for pediatricians at all levels who seek better clinical skills and knowledge.
Highly inspirational and 'Seeing is believing!'

with intelligent yet approachable style, dr. mcclintock greenberg gives a compassionate voice for both patient and healthcare professional navigating their way through the labyrinth of modern medicine. not only does she provide a realistic view of the issues the modern healthcare professional faces in today's world, she offers viable, accessible solutions for these obstacles.

a comfortable read, i found this book to be insightful and helpful in my study of traditional chinese medicine. this will be a book i reference often when helping patients who are dealing with serious illness. dr. mcclintock greenberg is helping to create a clear path between patient and doctor in this newly developing world of healthcare.

this isn't just a book for physicians, it also helps patients understand the relationships they have with their doctors. i strongly recommend buying this book for yourself, your loved ones battling with illness and your colleagues in the healthcare field.

Dr. Greenberg's book is an excellent, easily accessible resource for physicians, psychotherapists and patients alike. Its handbook size and straight-forward writing style provides clear direction, illuminating case studies, quick-reference medication charts, and a great sensitivity toward bridging the chronically wide gap between the physician's provision of medical care and the patient's experience of receiving it. She skillfully addresses the importance of psychology as a tool that is vital to proper diagnosis and treatment of patients -- especially in the face of the growing science of Mind-Body Medicine.

Giving voice to unseen symptoms of the chronically ill which make themselves best known through the emotional voice of the patient (or the seemingly unrelated narratives of their lives), Dr. Greenberg provides a how-to manual which teaches physicians to recognize this voice as a diagnostic tool. She is keenly respectful of the challenging and complex task of being a physician and the hierarchical infrastructure of Medicine that can put unfair expectations on doctors to deliver a cure. She is also adept at representing the position of the disempowered patient in ways that reveal the patient's potential to be a teammate instead of an adversary around the expectation of healing. And her deep insight into the challenges of being both the doctor who may not be able to cure the incurable and the patient who cannot be cured closes the gap between the two. The result further provides a powerful education for the psychotherapist who is often caught in the middle and responsible for "healing." The ease with which Dr. Greenberg leads all three -- doctors, patients and therapists --guides and inspires the reader to connect more dots in the medical landscape, so that all involved can "get better."

Dr. McClintock Greenberg successfully continues the effort to bridge the gap between physicians and their patients. By addressing the emotional and mental components of illness, she provides an opportunity for physicians to better understand, and ultimately help their patients. As she explains, the stress of illness can bring about a number of tumultuous responses, which only impede treatment. Insight is given on the underlying psychological meaning of these responses, as well as concrete ways to address and ease these often distancing psychological states. The book is complete with an assessment of modern medicine, and the effect it has on the doctor patient relationship; how to diagnosis emotional responses to illness; discussion of the impact on family members and caregivers; working with difficult patients and communication barriers. As a mental health practioner, I continually see the relieving and healing effect information and education has on patients grappling with illness of all kinds, so the contribution of this book in my practice is tremendous. Although it is intended for physicians, I feel that it would be helpful to anyone struggling with the impact of illness.

This guide was invaluable to me in my preparation for the exam.The review questions mirrored the exam questions very closely.I would recommend this book to anyone preparing for the ACNP exam.

this book is very excellent and i am glad i made the decision to purchase it.

An amazingly concise book packed with wealth of basic and logical skills and info required to understand the critically ill patient. This book gives you the presice management steps for calls. Will give you the confidence to be a better resident.

BOOK IS A GREAT COMPANION ON THOSE CALL NIGHTS WHEN YOU ARE FORCED TO FUNCTION ON YOUR OWN AND THE WORLD SEEMS TO BE ON YOUR SHOULDERS. THE BOOK HELPS YOU MAKE LIFE SAVING DECISIONS!!

This book is concise and thorough from the leaders in trauma surgery. I would highly recommend it.

The manual is updated, easy to reference and full of immediate use material. The diagrams and tables are superb and easy to navigate. The explanations are perfect for the "new" and the experienced for the immedidate reference "with benefits" of deeper understanding.
Dr. Craig Jacobus

Excellent resources for graduate students and practicing ACNPs

As we enter an era of diminishing need for textbooks, this book stands out as essential reading to help carers provide outstanding care to cancer sufferers. This textbook provides excellent evidence based medicine as well as new and innovative approaches to the cancer patient.
I highly recommend this book.