The fifth volume in the series Orthopaedic Knowledge Update. Home Study Syllabus maintains the high standards and comprehensive nature of the previous volumes. It should be read with the older volumes available, as it contains additional information. Initially, each new volume was supposed to replace an earlier one, but it appears that the two latest volumes are part of a continuum providing a more comprehensive review of the topics.
Each chapter presents data based on a review of the literature, which is cited in the annotated bibliography at the end of that chapter. The only problem that I have with the text is that, whenever percentages are given in terms of prevalence and frequency of occurrence and results, the basis for the percentages is not provided. For example, the section on thoracic disc herniation begins: "The true incidence of thoracic disc herniations is unknown. An approximate incidence of 11 per cent to 15 per cent has been proposed." It would be helpful for the reader to know the n value used to derive these percentages. Again, comments such as the one stating that thoracic discectomies "account for 0.2 per cent to 2 per cent of all discectomy operations" have little relevance without the n value. In this day and age, when everything is a numbers-crunching game, it is important to keep things in perspective and to maintain an exemplary standard of completeness and accuracy.
This book will definitely be of value to the general orthopaedic surgeon. It should be used as an update rather than as the only source of information on a particular topic. The text includes brief overviews of the current concepts on the topics that are covered.
Leela Rangaswamy, M.D.