toag.11.4.294a.27537

Differential Diagnosis inObstetrics and Gynaecology:an A–Z

Editor Tony Hollingworth

This 373-page book covers a broad range of topics inboth obstetrics and gynaecology. The chapters are inalphabetical order and include both common andunusual conditions such as headache, pubic painand urinary retention in pregnancy, postoperativekeloids and hypertrophic scars. The contributingauthors are well known experts in their respectivefields and come from several countries, includingAustralia, India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and theUK. The text is easy to understand and provideshelpful boxes of summarised information for quickreference. The high quality of the diagrams andillustrations deserves special mention. There is anappendix at the end, which contains commondefinitions and lists tumour staging.

The book takes the reader beyond the realms ofgeneral obstetrics and gynaecology and allows awider understanding of various subjects, such aschest pain, haematemesis in pregnancy anddifferential diagnoses of abdominal pain. This is arefreshing change from the standard textbooks ofobstetrics and gynaecology. It takes the reader backto the days of medical school and early clinical yearswhen a patient was considered an individual and

not compartmentalised, with an expert to deal witheach compartment.

My only criticism of the book is the alphabeticalorder of topics. This may be useful for readyreference, but the reader has to keep mentallyjumping chapters from obstetrics to gynaecology orthe reverse, which can sometimes obstruct the flowof reading.

Nevertheless, this publication is a very valuableaddition to the medical bookshelf. It will be usefulto every grade of healthcare professional, includinggeneral practitioners, junior doctors and seniormedical staff. It can be used as a reference book, aquick revision guide before exams or simply toboost the reader’s existing knowledge, which canthen be shown off in multidisciplinary meetings.The text is well referenced and lists helpfulresources and websites for further reading andinformation. I would certainly recommend it toanyone with a specialised interest in obstetrics andgynaecology.

Reviewer Kalpana Upadhyay MRCOG

Consultant in Obstetrics and GynaecologyWrexham Maelor Hospital, Wrexham, UK

Hodder Arnold, 2008ISBN 9780340928257 Paperback, 373 pages, £34.9910.1576/toag.11.4.294.27537

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Book reviews The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist

© 2009 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

http://onlinetog.org

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