Neurotrauma and Critical Care of the Brain

Jallo Jack and Lotus Christopher M. Neurotrauma and Critical Care of the Brain. Second edition. New York: Thieme Medical Publishers; 2018 (432 pages). ISBN: 978-1-62-623336-2. EUR ca 210.99 (e-book: eISBN: 978-1-62-623340-9)

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been a mainstay of activity and interest for neurosurgeons for decades. In contrast, interest from neurologists, both adult and pediatric, has waxed and waned over time; but there has been a long-overdue resurgence in medical aspects of TBI in the last few years. The recognition of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a tauopathy with important parallels with Alzheimer, has rekindled interest in particularly recurrent mild TBI as experienced by players of contact sport. Modern structural and functional imaging techniques, and particularly newer network neuroscience (“connectomic”) theoretical frameworks for their interpretation, have proven particularly useful in TBI.

This book is one of a pair (the other discussing spinal cord injury) edited by two neurosurgeons. The focus is predominantly adult, and predominantly acute neurocritical care. As such, its direct relevance to pediatric neurologists may be limited (there is only one specifically pediatric chapter) although it does have considerable merit as a “primer” for interested pediatric neurologists trying to get up to speed with recent developments in the field. Chapters start at an introductory level and are very clearly laid out and accessible with a fairly informal tone. There are helpful illustrations (both photographs and line illustrations, although some of the latter seem rather crudely drawn as if prepared by authors rather than medical illustrators).

The content is very up to date with all important recent developments (such as the rapidly moving CTE story, controversies around decompressive craniectomy, decision rules to focus computed tomography use in emergency department triage) well covered, and extensive bibliographies in each chapter citing literature right up to the point at which the book presumably went to press. There are also large numbers of Web site URLs in the bibliographies. Both these factors make me wonder how well the book will age however. Recent epidemiological trends are very thoroughly and usefully reviewed. Another less welcome indication of the book's currency is the extensive discussion of combat-related TBI reflecting lessons learned in military medicine over the last decade. Although, thankfully, penetrating TBI is very rare in children, and in Europe, we will occasionally have the need to draw on this experience.

Overall, a very lucid introduction for the neurologist seeking to understand the perspectives, concerns, and controversies for their pediatric intensivist and neurosurgical colleagues, but perhaps one for the departmental, rather than the personal, bookshelf.