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Pediatric Anesthesia. Principles & Practice

Bruno Bissonnette, Bernard Dalens. McGraw-Hill Medical Publishing Division Inc., 2002. 1,618 pages. ISBN 0-07-135454-9

Calgary, Alberta

This impressive new text entitled "Pediatric Anesthesia. Principles & Practice" joins the ranks of several other comprehensive works on the subject. So why do we need a new major reference work on pediatric anesthesia? Part of the answer lies in the truly international background of the contributors. The editors, Bruno Bissonnette from Toronto and Bernard Dalens from Clermont-Ferrand, France, have assembled an impressive list of authors, many of whom are leading authorities on pediatric anesthesia and related areas. Of the 145 contributors, 65 are European, 40 are from Canada, 29 are from the United States, and 11 are from other parts of the world. The book is dedicated "to all the children of the world we care for", which seems a highly appropriate sentiment, given the global nature of the authorship.

The 86 chapters are grouped into six sections, namely Developmental Considerations, Pharmacology, Anesthetic Management and Techniques, Special Monitoring and Resuscitation Techniques, Surgical and Anesthetic Considerations of Procedures and Future of Pediatric Anesthesia. This grouping is logical and allows for easy location of specific topics. The section on Procedures is particularly innovative in that each topic is discussed in paired chapters, one describing the surgical or interventional considerations followed by one on the anesthetic considerations. A significant number of contributors are therefore from surgical or other disciplines.

Every chapter reaches a consistently high standard of writing. Illustrations are generally of superb quality and the references appear relevant, recent and comprehensive. The index is well organized and complete. Highlights of the book are many, but the chapters on Temperature Regulation, Regional Anesthetic Techniques, Airway Management and Neonatal Anesthesia are particularly well written and comprehensive. It was pleasing to see excellent chapters devoted to Ethics, Special Problems in Developing Countries and Computer Systems. There are very few areas of deficiency and those that are present are of a minor nature. One general observation that could be made, however, is that some of the emerging technologies, e.g., intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging, fetal surgery and neonatal/infant laparoscopy, receive little attention - maybe in the next edition?

In summary, this is a book that will rapidly become a favourite reference for all those interested in pediatric anesthesia. It would be a worthwhile acquisition for all anesthesia departments with a pediatric practice. Though only just published, this masterpiece can already be considered a classic.

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