A practical reference to the medical and surgical treatment of epilepsy
The third edition of The Treatment of Epilepsy has been thoroughly updated. It is a reference work, but has a strong practical bias, and is designed to assist neurologists, neurosurgeons and other clinicians at all levels who are involved in the treatment of patients with epilepsy. It is a definitive source of clinical information to guide clinical practice and rational therapy.
Written and edited by leading experts, many actively involved with the International League Against Epilepsy, this new edition:
Doody Review Services
Reviewer: Jennifer L Hopp, MD (University of Maryland School of Medicine)
Description: This is the second edition of an extremely comprehensive review of the medical and surgical treatments of the epilepsies that includes a detailed review of the literature as well as practical summaries of the current available treatments for the practicing physician. The book is unique in that it provides a review of these treatments using current themes in the treatment of epilepsy and neurologic disease, such as genetic and surgical advances in the field as well as an update on the newer anticonvulsants. The previous edition was published in 1996.
Purpose: The author notes that this book, and specifically the updated edition, has several goals, the clearest of which is to provide a systematic and thorough review of current medical and surgical treatments of the epilepsies using both practical and evidence-based approaches. These objectives are valuable, particularly as the advances in the therapies in the field of epilepsy have changed significantly in the last decade, and the practice of medicine as a whole has shifted to include more of an evidence-based approach. He meets these objectives in a unique way, by weaving four themes of the book through the review of these advances in the treatment of epilepsy. He is able to incorporate the advances in molecular genetics in the review of drug therapy, discuss evidence-based practices in clinical protocols for the use of the newer anticonvulsants, examine investigational advances in epilepsy surgery, and finally, discuss several therapies using a patient-centered approach.
Audience: The editors as well as chapter authors are credible authorities in the specialty of epilepsy as well as in their respective subspecialties in the field. A unique aspect of the book is the international panel of chapter authors, which provides a global perspective on the treatment of epilepsy. The book is written with enough background and detail to provide an update for epileptologists, but is also a comprehensive summary for general neurologists, fellows, or residents. The chapters are organized with easy to read tables and bullet points which facilitate quick reference, as well as enough readable detail for a comprehensive review.
Features: This book provides a comprehensive review of the various epilepsies and general principles in treatment and subsequently embarks on a very detailed review of the medical and surgical treatment of the disease. Dr. Shorvon takes a unique approach, in weaving this information through the themes of molecular genetics, evidence-based clinical protocols, investigational advances in surgery, and treatment of patients using a patient-centered or psychosocial based approach. These themes provide a backdrop for the comprehensive review of the current and investigational treatments in use. The strongest features of the book include the international perspectives provided by the section authors, as well as the updates in investigational methods being employed by major epilepsy centers around the globe. Of note, there also is an interesting historical review of the disease which precedes the review of current treatments which sets the stage for the recent advances in the last century. The review of current anticonvulsant drugs is particularly well done, with intricate detail of drug mechanism, treatment paradigms, and unique sections covering such topics as pharmacoeconomic aspects and quality of life pertinent to comprehensive patient care. There are some new color plates in the section on new physiological and radiological investigations in the presurgical evaluation which provide a valuable resource to readers who may not be familiar with some of the advances in the field.
Assessment: This new edition presents a wonderful overview of the medical and surgical treatment of epilepsy which will provide a comprehensive resource for epileptologists in academic practice, fellows or residents in training, as well as neurologists in private practice. The unique features of the book, including the global perspectives provided by section authors and the focus on new advances such as molecular genetics and investigational approaches in the field, justify this new edition. In addition, the coverage of psychosocial, patient-centered, and economic perspectives is unique compared to other books in the field. There is similarity in this approach to the comprehensive three-volume book by Engel and Pedley, Epilepsy: A Comprehensive Textbook (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 1997), though this book serves a slightly different role in its treatment-centered focus. It will serve as a useful resource as well as a review tool for general neurologists as well as subspecialists.