Jay R. Lieberman, editor. Rosemont, Illinois: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; 2009. 1647 pages. $249.00. ISBN: 978-0892035984.
Kudos to Jay Lieberman and his cast of thousands—well, actually, about 150 contributors. Under Dr. Lieberman's editorship, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has produced an orthopaedic review book that should be on every practicing orthopaedic surgeon's and resident's bookshelf, or at least in his or her computer.
The AAOS Comprehensive Orthopaedic Review was crafted to assist those studying for the Board Certification Examination of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) or for the AAOS Orthopaedic In-Training Examination. To assist in portability and to prevent injury, the massive tome is divided into three volumes: two review books and a question-and-answer book. The two-volume review is divided into the following twelve sections: Basic Science, General Information, Pediatrics, Orthopaedic Oncology and Systemic Disease, Sports Medicine, Trauma, Spine, Shoulder and Elbow, Hand and Wrist, Total Joint Arthroplasty/Joint Salvage, Knee, and Foot and Ankle.
The material is presented in a clear and concise manner, with use of a short-statement outline format. The print seems larger than that found in most textbooks, and the increased line spacing allows for easier reading as well as room for note-taking. Since the review is meant as a study guide rather than a definitive medical textbook, it does not go into great depth on any single topic. It does, however, provide an excellent synopsis, and it highlights the key points of a vast array of subjects. The extent of the topics covered is impressive.
The illustrations and photographs are well produced and clearly labeled. The accompanying text serves to further educate the reader as well as to provide clarity to the text material. In addition, numerous tables organize the information into practical categories. The illustration legends and the tables are printed on a colored background to differentiate them from the page text.
At the end of each chapter is a colored text box entitled "Top Testing Facts." This section contains a numerical listing of the key points that have been explained in the chapter and are likely to be asked on the examinations. The list provides a handy reference for the reader to evaluate whether the previous material has been mastered.
The general information section is thorough and easy to understand. The material is presented clearly and with excellent illustrations to further enhance the reader's understanding of the subject.
The pediatric section reviews trauma, spine conditions, sports conditions, neuromuscular disorders, deformities, hip infections, and other common pediatric orthopaedic diseases. The topics are covered in appropriate detail, and the information is arranged systematically to allow for quick referencing and memorization.
The chapters on the spine go into appropriate detail regarding the basic science of spinal pathology and degenerative and traumatic conditions of the spine. The natural history of the major disorders is thoroughly reviewed. The only weak point seems to be the limited coverage of the controversy of surgical compared with nonsurgical treatment and the limited success of surgical outcomes.
The sports-medicine and basic-science sections dealing with sports-related pathology provide an excellent review and synopsis of the topics. The only shortcoming is the absence of mention of the reported disease transmission rates for human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis with regard to allograft reconstruction. Also, common names for certain injuries (e.g., meralgia paresthetica for lateral femoral cutaneous nerve injuries) have been omitted.
The chapters on joint arthroplasty and joint salvage cover in excellent detail the key topics in these areas, including common disease entities, surgical approaches, and surgical and nonsurgical treatment. The key points of each topic are concisely listed. The tables and illustrations are particularly helpful, such as those in which the various surgical approaches to the hip are compared, those highlighting the danger zones in acetabular screw placement, and those illustrating acute as compared with chronic joint infections.
The accompanying study-guide volume contains hundreds of review questions that have been organized by topic, with the topics being similar to the section headings in the review book. For each question, there is a clear explanation of the preferred response, a discussion of the topic, and relevant reference citations. Again, the illustrations and radiographs are presented clearly with little ambiguity or distortion.
In summary, I would highly recommend this massive review of orthopaedics not only to individuals who are studying for the AAOS Orthopaedic In-Training Examination and the ABOS Board Certification Examination but to every practicing orthopaedic surgeon and educator. The text provides an excellent review of our current orthopaedic teachings as well as a systematic format that allows for quick referencing. The authors and editors are to be commended for their excellent work. The AAOS should be proud of its commissioned opus.
Note: The author thanks his colleagues at Winthrop Orthopaedic Associates (Nomaan Ashraf, MD, Sam Barzideh, MD, Henry Boateng, MD, Mark Grossman, MD, John Gaffney, DO, Ronald Lewis, MD, and Glenn Teplitz, MD) for their assistance in reviewing the review book.