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APS Bulletin • Volume 14, Number 2, 2004

Resource Reviews

John D. Loeser, MD, Department Editor

Atlas of Interventional Pain Management, 2nd Edition

Reviewed by John D. Loeser, MD

Steven D. Waldman, Saunders, Philadelphia, 2004, 642 pages, $195 (hard cover), ISBN 0-7216-8748-2. Order at www.us.elsevierhealth.com.

This is a superb text. It is beautifully constructed, well-illustrated, and concise. It features 129 “how-to-do-it” chapters in a standard format. The elegance of sole-author texts is clearly demonstrated. Each chapter starts with a listing of the relevant CPT codes and RVUs. Next is a paragraph or so on indications, followed by clinically relevant anatomy, technique, and side effects and complications. A concluding section labeled “Clinical Pearls” puts the procedure in perspective and adds the wisdom that only an experienced proceduralist can offer. The color illustrations are excellent, and Waldman has added X ray images to the 2nd edition that significantly improve the utility of the text. All of the current interventional nerve blocks and implants are presented.

Although the utility of these procedures is beyond doubt in acute pain, cancer pain, or perioperative settings, I remain unconvinced they are particularly useful for most noncancer chronic pain conditions. Certainly, the debate continues on facet blocks, epidural steroids, annuloplasty, etc. in reference to chronic low back pain. Waldman makes no claims for long-term efficacy, and there are no references cited in any chapter. This clearly is a volume on how to do these procedures and not a source of scholarly references. The illustrations are magnificent, and I again congratulate Joseph Bloch and Caitlin Duckwall for their splendid art. This book is of great value for the trainee. I think it sets the standard in the interventional pain world.

Dr. Loeser is professor of neurological surgery and anesthesiology at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Reviewer content represents the opinion of the reviewer, not APS.

Please direct your suggestions for future Resource Reviews to John D. Loeser, MD, Department Editor, at jdloeser@u.washington.edu

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