Respiratory Support (Principles and Practice)

From The Critics

Reviewer: David J. Dries, MD(University of Minnesota Medical School)
Description: This is the first edition of a softbound textbook of respiratory support with emphasis on techniques of mechanical ventilation.
Purpose: The principles behind techniques of mechanical respiratory support are reviewed in this work to facilitate understanding of continuing developments in this complex field. Although the basis of ventilator design and control are delineated, approaches to application receive incomplete coverage.
Audience: This is an introductory text for students, trainees, and practitioners in surgery and anesthesiology. The author is a senior anesthesiologist at the University of Oxford with extensive experience in development of ventilator support strategies.
Features: Ten chapters comprise this work, which is introduced by a summary of conversion factors and abbreviations. The author emphasizes a historical flavor in developing a theoretical basis for respiratory support and the response to application of mechanical ventilation. Later chapters describe ventilator management to minimize lung injury and technical review considering features of ventilators now available. The book concludes with a review of fundamental management of the patient during various types of ventilatory support. Both invasive and noninvasive techniques for respiratory support are discussed, though the latter receives less emphasis. Illustrations include only black-and-white line drawings. These are of good quality, though in some cases the legends are unclear. The table of contents and index are brief but adequate to allow access to the content of this work.
Assessment: This book is attractive for the consistent presentation style and theoretical coherence provided by one senior author. However, discussion of issues such as the relative contribution of pressure and lung volume to injury with mechanical ventilatory support is sometimes confusing and excludes recent work in this area. Heart lung interaction and diaphragm mechanics might also be more thoroughly discussed and essential work cited. Best for the reader are overviews on mechanical ventilator design and the physiologic response to this organ support. Additional reading will necessary for management of difficult cases and the use of nonmechanical means to promote respiration.

David J. Dries

This is the first edition of a softbound textbook of respiratory support with emphasis on techniques of mechanical ventilation. The principles behind techniques of mechanical respiratory support are reviewed in this work to facilitate understanding of continuing developments in this complex field. Although the basis of ventilator design and control are delineated, approaches to application receive incomplete coverage. This is an introductory text for students, trainees, and practitioners in surgery and anesthesiology. The author is a senior anesthesiologist at the University of Oxford with extensive experience in development of ventilator support strategies. Ten chapters comprise this work, which is introduced by a summary of conversion factors and abbreviations. The author emphasizes a historical flavor in developing a theoretical basis for respiratory support and the response to application of mechanical ventilation. Later chapters describe ventilator management to minimize lung injury and technical review considering features of ventilators now available. The book concludes with a review of fundamental management of the patient during various types of ventilatory support. Both invasive and noninvasive techniques for respiratory support are discussed, though the latter receives less emphasis. Illustrations include only black-and-white line drawings. These are of good quality, though in some cases the legends are unclear. The table of contents and index are brief but adequate to allow access to the content of this work. This book is attractive for the consistent presentation style and theoretical coherence provided by one senior author. However, discussion of issues such as therelative contribution of pressure and lung volume to injury with mechanical ventilatory support is sometimes confusing and excludes recent work in this area. Heart lung interaction and diaphragm mechanics might also be more thoroughly discussed and essential work cited. Best for the reader are overviews on mechanical ventilator design and the physiologic response to this organ support. Additional reading will necessary for management of difficult cases and the use of nonmechanical means to promote respiration.

2 Stars from Doody