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Principles and Practice of Mechanical Ventilation

Martin J. Tobin (editor). Second edition, McGraw-Hill Inc., 2006. $189.95 (US). 1,472 pages. ISBN 0071447679

Centre hospitalier affilié universitaire de Québec Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus, Québec, Canada

Twelve years have elapsed since the publication of the first edition of Principles and Practice of Mechanical Ventilation which had been acclaimed as the most important reference in the field. This new edition should not be viewed as a simple re-edition. It is an entirely rewritten book (including 24 new chapters) by 106 international contributors, experts in their respective fields. The 70 chapters, divided in 15 sections, provide thorough coverage of the field of mechanical ventilation in the acute setting as well as chronic ventilation in long term facilities. The first two sections deal with historical perspectives and classification and basics of mechanical ventilators. In sections 3 to 7 conventional modes of ventilation as well as alternative, noninvasive and unconventional modes of ventilation are reviewed. Section 8 is an important new addition on ventilatory management in specific clinical settings (e.g., neonates, pediatrics, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, transportation, acute respiratory distress syndrome, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, neuromuscular disease). Section 9 reviews the effects of mechanical ventilation on the control of breathing, hemodynamics and gas exchange. The last five sections discuss other topics related to mechanical ventilation. The index is complete and easy to consult.

Unfortunately, the section on ventilatory monitoring has been considerably reduced compared to the original edition. For this information, the editor refers readers to the text: Principles and Practice of Intensive Care Monitoring. Obviously, some choices had to be made to keep the content within reasonable limits, but one could argue that a review of ventilatory monitoring is more important than detailing certain adjunctive therapies. Throughout the book, Figures or Tables often appear on different pages from the related text, complicating the reading somewhat. Finally, the image quality of several of the Figures which have been reproduced, is suboptimal.

Overall, this textbook is a top quality and comprehensive reference on mechanical ventilation. Although it is not targeted to every anesthesia resident or clinical anesthesiologist, it is a ‘must’ in the library of every department of anesthesia and/or critical care.

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