Broad-brush approach to urology | |
20 common problems in urology. Joel M H Teichman (editor). New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001 (xv + 335 pp). ISBN 0 07 063413 0. |
Problem-oriented texts in specialist fields are not abundant and this approach is especially rare in urology. The reason for this is that all of urology can be reduced to about eight clinical presentations. This book succeeds by including diagnosis as part of the definition of the problems and herein lies its success. The authors arrived at their list of problems by surveying primary care physicians. There are chapters on common childhood issues such as circumcision and nocturnal enuresis; and adult problems including urethritis, geriatric urology, genital skin rash and prostate cancer screening. There is also a chapter on imaging studies.
The authors and contributors are not well known, but the text is informative, clear, well laid out and succinct. The data are up to date and well presented. There are numerous tables, algorithms for management and aides-mémoire that make this a useful text for urology registrars, students and general practitioners. The chapter on prostate cancer presents balanced arguments for and against screening and provides a nice summary of the current results of treatment. Controversial issues are not dodged and emphasis is placed on patient education and concise presentation of data. The section on genital skin lesions is thorough and well presented. Unfortunately, because of printing requirements, colour plates of genital lesions appear halfway through the section on urinary stones — this is somewhat confusing at first glance. Urology is a specialty that is poorly understood, even by urologists. Texts aimed at the non-specialist urologist have tended to be summaries of the major texts. John Blandy’s Lecture notes in urology has, up until now, been the exception. 20 common problems in urology is a text which provides a viable alternative. I enjoyed (and gained from) reading it. Mohamed H Khadra
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