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John D. Loeser, MD, Department Editor
Reviewed by John D. Loeser, MD
F. Mongini, Thieme, New York, 1999, 292 pages, $99 (hardcover), ISBN 3-13-116541-3
This large-format, profusely illustrated text on glossy paper has been translated from the Italian edition published in 1998. The translation is superb. The excellent illustrations include anatomical figures, schematics of the nervous system and synapses, algorithms for diagnosis and care, graphs, and photographs of patients. Each chapter is well referenced. The book is divided into four broad sections: classification and pathophysiology, general clinical aspects, diagnosis and therapy of headache, and diagnosis and therapy of facial pain.
The first section contains reprints of the various classification schemes for orofacial and head pain and reviews most of the current theories of the pathogenesis of pain in these regions. Almost everything is to be considered as a potential factor in these pains. The section on clinical aspects covers diagnosis from a very comprehensive viewpoint and then outlines pharmacological and other treatment strategies. The sections on headache and facial pain list the common diagnoses and the criteria for diagnosis.
This book provides a thorough overview of headache and facial pain and can be used as a starting point for in-depth review of many topics. The author has put forth his views clearly and also discusses alternative approaches. The profusion of illustrative materials makes the book easier to use than many texts. This book deserves a place in a trainee library.
John D. Loeser is professor of neurological surgery and anesthesiology at the University of Washington in Seattle.
