Canadian Journal of Anesthesia 48:939 (2001)
© Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society, 2001
Preoperative Assessment
Jeremy N. Cashmen (Ed.). BMJ Books, London, 2001. 195 pages. ISBN 0-7279-1479-0
Barry Finegan, MD
Edmonton, Alberta
This book forms one of the series entitled, "Fundamentals of Anaesthesia and Acute Medicine" that is being published by the publishing division of the British Medical Journal. Although the authors have made efforts to internationalize the content of this volume by obtaining contributions from India, the United States, and Australia, the authors by at large look at the issues from the British perspective. That said, this slim and eminently readable volume contains much information of value and allows the reader to review issues pertinent to the subject title in an easy and comprehensive fashion. The chapter on "Premedication" is particularly well written and comprehensive as is that entitled, "Preoperative optimisation." The majority of the chapters were appropriately referenced and the attempt to provide information was clinically relevant and current. The North American reader will be surprised by only a passing reference to preoperative assessment clinics and the observation that in the United Kingdom over 90% of patients are visited prior to their operation by the anesthesiologist who provides the subsequent anesthetic services for the surgical procedure. Overall, this is a useful book, which will be enjoyed by residents and staff anesthesiologists interested in perioperative management.
