Synopsis
Written by an expert renowned for his lucid, well-illustrated explanations of complex pain syndromes, Low Back Disorders: A Medical Enigma provides a clear understanding of the mechanisms underlying functional impairment of the spine. Using 100 new original drawings, Dr. Cailliet demonstrates the functional anatomy and biomechanics of the spine and explains how impaired biomechanics cause symptoms. The book describes in detail the discogenic pathology that is the predominant factor in impairment and clarifies current concepts on the causes of spinal instability. Dr. Cailliet thoroughly reviews treatment options and their physiological basis and offers recommendations on nonsurgical treatment of low back symptoms.
Doody Review Services
Reviewer:Edward Abraham, MD(University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine)
Description:This book deals with adult low back disorders and their treatment.
Purpose:The purpose is to review the current international literature and present the author's extensive clinical experience on the subject. Rene Cailliet, MD, Professor Emeritus, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, has dedicated his medical career to better understanding and treating patients with low back disorders, for which he is internationally known.
Audience:The audience is mainly physicians caring for patients with low back pain problems. Professionals in allied medical areas such as physical therapy and chiropractic can make excellent use of this work.
Features:The book first covers the current understanding of back disorders. The role of each anatomical structure such as the vertebra disc, facet joint, muscles, and other soft tissue is discussed in separate sections. Treatment programs for the different disorders are effectively covered in the last chapter. The illustrations, drawn by the author, are accurate but they give the book an amateur look. The references are current and appropriate.
Assessment:The author uses this work to write about his vast knowledge on the subject. The cause of common low back pain remains the biggest unanswered question. He wisely sees the importance of lower back and abdominal exercises as a way for the patient with nonspecific low back pain to take charge of his or her problem. The author also discusses the role chemical factors in back disorders. It is hoped that such conditions as disc herniation can be treated by medicine rather than surgery which is designed to relieve the mechanical causation of the pain such as sciatica. The author, in an unassuming way, has presented a very objective approach to a better understanding of low back disorders and their treatment. I very highly recommend this work to all medical professionals caring for patients with low back disorders.