Until recently, endocrinology and critical care medicine were two specialties in medicine that were rather uncomfortable with each other and hence quite i- lated. Fortunately, these two 'alien' disciplines have joined forces in successful attempts to perform high quality research in order to clarify the unknown. By integrating endocrinology in critical care medicine, or vice-versa depending on the specialty of the observer, new experimental and clinical data on the complex endocrine and metabolic derangements accompanying non-endocrine severe i- nesses came available which generated important novel insights with relevant clinical implications. In addition, the state of the art diagnosis and management of primary endocrine diseases that represent life-threatening situations leading to ICU admission has been updated. This issue of Contemporary Endocrinology aims at compiling the new ?ndings. The book indeed covers both areas of 'Acute Endocrinology' that are often taking care of at very distant sites within hospitals. The ?rst part deals with the classical life-threatening illnesses caused by primary endocrine diseases such as thyrotoxicosis, hypothyroidism, acute adrenal crisis, acute calcium disorders, pheochromocytoma, severe hyper- and hypoglycemia . The second part looks at endocrinology from the ICU side, starting with a g- eral overview of the dynamic neuroendocrine and metabolic stress responses in the condition of intensive care-dependent, non-endocrine critical illness.

Monitoring of Cerebral and Spinal Haemodynamics During Neurosurgery is a comprehensive description of subdural monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) during neurosurgery. It offers thorough analysis of a comprehensive database consisting of measurements of ICP, cerebral perfusion pressure and other relevant physiological data from more than 1,800 patients subjected to intracranial surgery at Aarhus University Hospital. Features of anaesthesia, both inhalation and total intravenous, are discussed, and measures to reduce ICP are described. A majority of the patients had supratentorial tumours, but the database also includes patients with infratentorial tumours and patients with no intracranial space-occupying lesions. A chapter is reserved for discussion of the special features of children with cerebral tumours.

Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, with great pleasure I like to welcome you in the cityofGroningen and hope that you will have an enriching and enlighten ing discussion on the conference theme on risk management in blood trans fusion. The organisation of this symposium aims at scientific networking by discussing in an international forum the most important themes of current interest in relation to the state of the art in transfusion medicine. Dr. Cees Smit Sibinga took the initiative in 1976 to start organising the blood bank symposia as they were named in the beginning. Without doubt these symposia have contributed considerably to the development of transfusion medicine. To illustrate the fact that these symposia came to my attention I recollect that I have attended the symposium in 1978, chaired by Dr. Leo Vroman, in my capacity in those days of alderman deputy mayor of the city. So, it has been a long time since. After having been away from Groningen for 18 years I have been inaugurated last week as a mayor and it is a plcasure to be again in your midst. The scries of annual symposia on blood transfusion have contributed to mark the city of Groningen on the map of the international scientific world. A great number of prestigious institutes all over the world involved in the development of transfusion medicine have linked to Groningen and we are proud of that."

Cardiovascular diseases are the most important causes of death in the world today. In adults, the most frequent heart disease is acute myocardial infarction, which can lead to sudden death. To prevent these diseases we need to fight against their main risk factors, which include smoking, lipid disorders, hypertension, diabetes and a sedentary life-style, among others. It has been demonstrated that physical exercise or sports at any age provide notable benefits and can help to decrease other risk factors and reduce the incidence of cardio vascular diseases. Exercise can be simply walking or cycling. Aerobic exercise con tributes to weight loss and also helps to control blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. It therefore plays an important role in prevention of heart diseases. Sports for young people are of great value and advisable not only because they con tribute to physical fitness but also because they help in psychological well-being. Young people should be encouraged to include general exercise, and particularly sports, into their daily activities. The following points however, should be kept in mind: I. Although winning at a sport is important, this is only so if it is achieved in natural physical conditions and with the correct training. Therefore, it is advisable to keep well away from any type of activity which artificially increases physical performance, that is, drug taking."

Sepsis is a very important public health problem. It is widely acknowledged that the severe inflammatory response syndrome/severe sepsis paradigm fails to stratify sepsis patients adequately. This book reviews in detail how sepsis should be managed on the basis of a novel approach to staging. The PIRO (predisposing factors, infection, response, organ dysfunction) model was first proposed at the start of the decade on a theoretical basis and has now been translated into a practical approach for use at the bedside. It is loosely based on the TNM staging system for cancers, with points being allocated to each of the four aforementioned key characteristics of the septic process. The proposed PIRO framework facilitates evaluation of factors that are important in the pathogenesis of severe sepsis and in the development of treatment strategies. This book clearly explains the advantages of the PIRO approach in different settings and will be of value to all practitioners concerned with the management of sepsis.

Re-EngineeringoftheDamagedBrainandSpinalCord isdedicatedtoTetsuoKanno, M. D. ProfessorofNeurosurgery Bypresenting theoriginal papers thatmakeupthis thefeaturesofthelocalmedicallandscapeinthe- third supplement we wish to make a further contri- gionswheretheyareenacted. Whatismore, progr- bution to the issue of functional rehabilitation, this sivenew?ndingsmustbealsosubjectedtoafrequent soimportantandfascinatingmodernareaofresearch revision. Ontopofthis, itshouldnotbeforgottenthat inthe?eldofneurosciences. Thecongresspaperswe even when committal therapy guidelines are c- haveselectedconstituteagoodre?ectionofthetrans- sistentlyapplied, thereareconsiderablevariationsin disciplinary objectives. The literature references are therangeofpotentialcomplicationsandintheo- designedasaguidetoleadtheinterestedreadertoa comeofprospectivecontrolledmulti-centreandmul- deeperandmoredetailedunderstandingoftheindi- nationalstudiesontheissueofqualitymanagement. vidualissues. Functionalrehabilitationhasbeenanoriginaltask The demand for ''evidence-based medicine'' is well ofneurosurgeryfromtheveryoutset. The1990shave justi?ed; however, it rapidly comes up against the enteredtheannalsofbrainresearchasthe''Decadeof limitsoffeasibility, especiallywherecontrolledthe- theBrain''. Sincethentherehasbeenaneverstronger peuticstudiesareconcerned. TheCochrancollection growthofneuroscienti?cinterestworldwide, accom- of high-quality evidence-based healthcare databases paniedbysubstantial?nancialengagement. Thishas hasthusfarbeenofnohelptousindrawingupthe- primarily resulted in advances in basic neuro- peutic recommendations for the re-engineering of biologicalandneurophysiologicalresearchandalsoin brain and spinal-cord lesions. Today as ever, the thegrowthofneuroscienti?cknowledgeaboutbasic opinion of experts and empirically based medical mechanismsformotor control, paincontrol, aware- treatment and posttraumatic neurorehabilitation ness, cognition, learning and memory. The conse- continuetooccupyanindispensablepositionforthe quencemustbetoensurethattheadvancesmadeinthe everydayclinicalpracticeofneurosurgicalandneu- neuroscienti?cresearchareaareadequatelyexpanded traumatological therapies. Promising adjunct - intopracticalneurosurgicalcareandre-engineeringof proachesincludeneuropharmacology, forcascadesof brainandspinalcordlesionsandtoensureuponnew molecular interactions are known to be underlying approaches. Following this a fundamental path will activity-dependent plasticity and skills learning, as resultinanimprovedandmoree cientpreventionin many of these processes involve the major tra- thefuture, themeasuresthatstandrightatthefore- mitters. Furthermore, biologicalinterventionsby- front of all rehabilitation principles, meaning that ingendogenousneuronsandgliaaswellasexogenous conventionalconceptsmustbemodi?edtokeeppace stemcells, bone-marrowcells, macrophages, andother withthemoretask-speci?c, intensive, andprogressive types may promote the regeneration of nerve cells, demands. In this connection a series of guidelines, tissue, and neural circuitry. Class one studies have recommendations, and expert opinions and also beenmade, andnowclasstwostudieshavebeeni- algorithms have been elaborated by national and tiated, for example in connection with acute spinal international expert panels and multidisciplinary as- cord injury (SCI). The clinical application of fu- sociationsfortheacutemedicalcareofpatients."

This book fills the void to provide a comprehensive review of the theoretical knowledge and scope of opioid pharmacotherapy in pain medicine. While the information provided is obtainable in other major texts already in print, the present format style plus the illustrations will make easy reading and fast accessibility of information on opioids available. Information provided is based on clinical practice rather than pure experimental for use in daily practice.

86 short papers originating from the 13th International Symposium on Intracranial Pressure and Brain Monitoring held in July 2007 in San Francisco present experimental as well as clinical research data on invasive and non-invasive intracranial pressure and brain biochemistry monitoring. The papers have undergone a peer-reviewing and are organized in eight sections: brain injury: ICP management and cerebral physiology; hydrocephalus and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics; advanced neuromonitoring; biomedical informatics; imaging; ICP: brain compliance, biophysics, and biomechanics; stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intracerebral hematoma; and experimental studies and models. The papers address the increasing use of decompressive craniectomy for the treatment of brain edema as well after brain injury and the rapidly expanding field of advanced neuromonitoring and neuroimaging.

Emergencies in Urology is a comprehensive textbook covering one of the few remaining white spots on the map of urological literature. To date only a small number of publications have been dedicated to the topic of urgent and emergent problems in urology important as these are in our daily clinical life.Therefore the editors, both of them internationally recognized urological experts, have taken the effort to present an in-depth study into virtually every possible urgent urological situation with which a urologist may be confronted today. Consequently, the book includes chapters on topics such as urological trauma, urosepsis, urinary obstruction, oncological emergencies, intra- and postoperative complications, acute problems in children, and many more.To obtain the best possible expertise in such a wide field, renowned expert authors have contributed their experience to this book. They did so not only by writing the regular book chapters but also by delivering short stories about urgent situations they encountered in their own professional life. These vignettes are one of the rare opportunities where experience can be relayed without restriction from one urological generation to the next.Much work has gone into the illustrations for the book. Foremost in this respect is the art of Stephan Spitzer, one of the leading medical illustrators of today.The result is a comprehensive, well-organized text, in which state-of-the-art know-how, didactic algorithms, personal experience and detailed illustrations are combined into a unique guide of how to manage urological emergencies."

Trauma Surgery provides an illustrative, instructive, and comprehensive review that depicts the rationale of basic operative principles essential to surgical therapy in the trauma patient. The chapters provide pertinent, and concise, summaries of how to deal with the trauma patient, from initial evaluation to a closer look at the various organ systems that may need oeprated on. Thermal injury is also addressed. Stages of operative approaches with relevant technical considerations are outlined in a straigtforward manner, and complications are reviewed when appropriate for the organ system and problem. The text is illustrated throughout by line drawings and photographs that depict anatomic or technical principles. A concise, handbook-sized reference work, this book is a valuable resource for all general surgeons and residents in training.

Crib death (SIDS) is the most frequent cause of death for infants during the first year. A systematic study of the autonomic nervous system and cardiac system has been performed on a large number of infants and fetuses who died suddenly and unexpectedly, as well as in age-matched control cases. The neurological and cardiac findings are described here, and the relationship between SIDS and unexplained fetal death is discussed.

Critical Care Surgery provides an illustrative, instructive, and comprehensive review that depicts the rationale of basic operative principles essential to surgical therapy in the critically ill patient.The chapters provide pertinent and concise, summaries of how to deal with various types of critical illness, including acute renal failure, coma and altered mental status, multiple organ dysfunction and hepatic failure. Stages of operative approaches with relevant technical considerations are outlined in a straightforward manner, and complications are reviewed when appropriate for the organ system and problem. The text is illustrated throughout by line drawings and photographs that depict anatomic or technical principles.A concise, handbook-sized reference work, this book is a valuable resource for all general surgeons and residents in training.

This is an essential portable handbook on bioterrorism and disaster medicine. Its practical and comprehensive text features chapters pertinent to bioterrorism, infectious disease, microbiology, virology, public health, epidemiology, and disaster medicine. It will serve as a practical guide for situation-specific disasters; recognize what injuries or illnesses to expect; provide proactive guidelines to define specific diseases; and give a guide of appropriate personnel protective equipment during these large-scale emergencies. It is an essential companion to those either interested or currently working in any of the aforementioned fields.

Medical Management of Heart Failure brings together the current knowledge on the medical management of heart failure into one cohesive volume. It includes copious illustrations and photographic material that will explain the techniques and medical management of patients with heart failure in an effective modern format.

All aspects of ophthalmic trauma from the lid to the optic nerve of both mechanical and nonmechanical trauma are covered in this unique book. The focus is on practical issues and incorporates cutting-edge approaches, such as temporary keratosprosthesis, artificial iris diaphragm, and prophylactic retinectomy.

This book explains and answers not simply the when, the what, and the how, but also the why questions. The information is based on epidemiologic and clinical data from evaluation to management.

All chapters are written using the standardized ocular traumatology terminology. The user-friendly format, including many tables, flowcharts and illustrations, allows the reader to quickly find the information they are looking for.

Written by a well-known expert in the field, this concise pocketbook provides clinically useful information that will be of great help to the attending ophthalmologists and emergency room physicians in the decision-making process. The book has practical recommendations for all who see patients with eye injuries."

This book provides detailed guidelines to any physician treating patients with emergency vascular disorders. These might include ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms, acute limb ischemia, vascular trauma, iatrogenic vascular injuries and complications to vascular surgery. The book provides an introduction to vascular surgical operations and focuses on how to manage patients. Numerous figures illustrate the particular points in vascular techniques and diagnostic problems in the emergency situation. This is an indispensable guide for all surgeons dealing with vascular emergencies.

88 short papers originating from the 12th International Symposium on Intracranial Pressure and Brain Monitoring held in August 2004 in Hong Kong present experimental as well as clinical research data on invasive and non-invasive intracranial pressure and brain biochemistry monitoring. The papers have undergone a peer-reviewing and are organized in nine sections: ICP management in head injury, neurochemical monitoring, intracranial hypertension, neuroimaging, hydrocephalus, clinical trails, experimental studies, brain compliance and biophysics.

"Antiepileptic Drugs, Pharmacopoeia" provides a concise guide to the properties and clinical applications of all antiepileptic drugs (AED) currently used in the prophylactic treatment of epileptic seizures. The presentation of each AED follows a clinically orientated template. This is in accordance with the FDA Package insert and the EMA Summary of Product Characteristics, supplemented with recent published reports and expert clinical advice. This pocket-sized, user-friendly guide will be a valuable resource for all those involved in the care of patients with epileptic seizures.

Since it was first published, Accident and Emergency Radiology: A Survival Guide has become the classic in-my-pocket-reference and an indispensable aid to all those who work in the Emergency Department. The core and substantial value lies in the step-by-step analytical approaches which help you to answer this question: "These images look normal to me, but . . . how can I be sure that I am not missing a subtle but important abnormality?" "This book will provide essential reading and support to A&E trainees, medical students, radiology trainees, reporting radiographers and clinical nurse specialists, all of whom may be faced with trauma cases requiring accurate diagnosis and treatment." Reviewed by: RAD Magazine Feb 2015 "... Very nearly flawless...contains just the right amount of information to accommodate readers from trainees through to consultant or attending level." Reviewed by African Journal of Emergency Medicine , Jun 2015 Ensure accuracy in reading and interpretation of any given image. Common sources of error and diagnostic difficulty are highlighted. Prevent mistakes. Pitfalls and associated abnormalities are emphasized throughout. Avoid misdiagnoses. Normal anatomy is outlined alongside schemes for detecting variants of the norm. Each chapter concludes with a summary of key points. Will provide a useful overview of the most important features in diagnosis and interpretation. Easily grasp difficult anatomical concepts. Radiographs accompanied by clear, explanatory line-drawings. Spend less time searching with an improved layout and design with succinct, easy-to-follow text. A templated chapter approach helps you access key information quickly. Each chapter includes key points summary, basic radiographs, normal anatomy, guidance on analyzing the radiographs, common injuries, rare but important injuries, pitfalls, regularly overlooked injuries, examples, and references. Grasp the nuances of key diagnostic details. Updated and expanded information, new radiographs, and new explanatory line drawings reinforce the book's aim of providing clear, practical advice in diagnosis. Avoid pitfalls in the detection of abnormalities that are most commonly overlooked or misinterpreted. Access the complete contents and illustrations online at Expert Consult-fully searchable!

Effective drug administration is a crucial skill for any practitioner working in the critical care unit. This book, in providing a concise account of the fundamental principles of pharmacology and pharmacokinetics, equips the critical care physician for such a task. In addition to the principles of pharmacology and pharmacokinetics, this volume alerts the reader to factors that affect drug action such as disease, pregnancy and age, and advises on how to adjust drug dosages accordingly. The specialist therapeutics covered comprise drugs targeting the gastro-intestinal tract, sedation, non-opioid analgesia and opiates. A quick and easy reference, this volume will prove a valuable asset for both trainees and fully qualified practitioners in critical care.

Are you looking for the essentials you need to learn the basics of echography for anesthesiology, intensive care and emergency medicine? This is what this book offers you! These few pages condense the essential knowledge to make getting started with echography in emergency situations easier. Ultrasounds are presented in great detail in order to facilitate and optimize the medical diagnosis process. As a doctor, you will first be placed in front of the machine in order to take the pictures that will serve to answer the questions asked. Just as the author did, you will realize that, when facing the patient with the machine, the best echographic examination is worth nothing without a good clinical examination. As a "beginner's guide", this book also offers self-training procedure that lays the foundations of the "FAST" learning method. This FAST Program of Echography allows you to learn the process by watching, feeling and talking. This training course is based on an ancient methodology that centers on the learning of a manual gesture: 'practice makes perfect'. This book will show you that you can quickly master this Program of Echography, and will in turn increase your self-confidence when taking care of your patients. Have a nice trip through the fascinating world of ultrasounds!

Promoting Resilience offers a fresh perspective that views resilience through a sociological lens, emphasizing the significance of loss issues and highlighting a range of practice implications across a wide range of fields. Drawing on the expertise of a wide range of contributors, the book provides a solid foundation for developing a fuller and more holistic picture of the many challenges associated with promoting resilience. Chapters present a range of sociological perspectives that cast light on trauma and vulnerability. Combining theoretical richness with practical insights, chapter authors bring a sociological lens to enrich understanding of loss and adversity. This volume offers a bedrock of understanding for students, clinicians, and researchers who want to extend and deepen their knowledge of the sociological aspects of overcoming life challenges.

Talking to patients and their families about end-of-life issues can be difficult and stressful. This book looks at ways different cultures view death and then further explores how health care providers around the world communicate about such sensitive issues as withholding or withdrawing life support and discussing options when the outcome is uncertain. By offering a better understanding of cultural differences in attitudes about death and methods of communications about end-of-life issues, the coverage in this important book helps prepare healthcare practitioners to be better communicators - both within and outside of their own cultures.

This workbook addresses the vital questions helpers, responders, and organizations have about self-care and its relationship to resilience and sustained effectiveness in the midst of daily exposure to trauma victims and or situations. Packed with activities, worksheets, and interactive learning tools, the text provides neuro-based and trauma-sensitive recommendations for improving the ways clinicians care for themselves. Each 'session' helps clinicians identify their personal self-care needs and arrive at an effective self-care plan that promotes resilience in the face of daily exposure to trauma-inducing situations and reduces the effects of compassion fatigue and burnout. Reducing Compassion Fatigue, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Burnout is an essential workbook for any helper or organization looking to enhance compassionate care.

O ObivoV brac ?vV, eJ de teJcnh makrhv Life is short, the] art long -Hippocrates Pediatric Interviewing: A Practical, Relationship Based Approach by James Binder is filled with a unique blend of wisdom, experience, and evidence, which will serve as a guide and as a reminder that what comes first in the care of the patient is the language and the silences that are shared between patient and physician. The medical interview quickly establishes the type of caring relati- ship the two will share. In this age of electronic medical records, pay-forperformance, and evidence-based medicine it is easy to lose sight that medicine is fundamentally about one person who has knowledge and experience providing care for another individual who is asking for help. How the physician organizes his or her interactions has an important impact on the experience and o- comes for both the physician and for the patient. Dr. Binder presents a conceptual framework with which to approach interviewing and illustrates this framework with pr- tical examples from years of teaching and practice. Physicia- intraining will find this book filled with wisdom and much needed recommendations about how to approach the medical interview. For those of us who have been in practice a number of years, Dr. Binder's book can serve as a refreshing opportunity to reflect in detail about something many of us take for granted - the c- plexity of the medical interview."