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Neurology India, Vol. 59, No. 3, May-June, 2011, pp. 496 Book Review Handbook of Neurological Examination V Natarajan Professor of Neurology and Head of the Department (Retd.) Institute of Neurology, Madras Medical College, Chennai, India Correspondence Address: V Natarajan Professor of Neurology and Head of the Department (Retd.) Institute of Neurology, Madras Medical College, Chennai India natarajanv.dr@gmail.com Code Number: ni11156 Navneet Kumar Published by PHI Learning Private Ltd., New Delhi, India Year: 2011 Pages: 286 Cost: [INSIDE:1] 250/- The objective of the author is to provide a practical handbook on clinical examination of patients with neurological disorders for students pursuing medicine, pediatrics and psychiatry. The author has done an admirable job toward the goal, using his vast experience as a teacher in neurology and medicine. He has taken pains to correlate the knowledge gained by technical advances in the field of imaging and clinical neurophysiology to clinical examination in a manner which enables the user to arrive at a reasonable working diagnosis. The chapters dwelling on appearance and gait of the patient, history taking, and case sheet writing are especially notable as they emphasize to the student the need to inculcate these routinely as a habit. Equally noteworthy are the additions of chapters not usually separately focused upon in other similar clinical examination handbooks. These specific chapters provide the user with greater insights into the examination of patients with altered sensorium, language disorders, apraxia and agnosia, apart from the common clinical examination oriented conditions like lesions involving the brachial plexus, cauda equina and conus medullaris. The key attractive feature of this handbook is the profuse illustrations used to demonstrate the elicitation of clinical signs in the examination of cranial nerves, muscles and reflexes and also the pattern of sensory loss with lesions at different anatomical sites. Another commendable feature is the provision of the anatomical details of the various cranial nerves along with their examination methods which provides for easy interpretations of findings. One of the goals set forth by the author was to provide a handbook which would simplify neurological examination and remove the apprehension from the uninitiated student that neurology and neurological examination is complex and not worth the time spent on it, particularly with the advent of recent investigative facilities. The author has succeeded a great deal toward this goal by sticking to a simple clinical situation oriented teaching exercise greatly aided by appropriate photographs, illustrations and tables. Apart from a few typographical errors, there are no controversial views expressed, and wherever there is a difference, the author has stuck to the consensus opinions. This handbook of neurological examination is highly recommended, especially for the undergraduate and postgraduate students doing medicine, pediatrics and psychiatry for whom it is primarily intended. It would also be helpful to postgraduates in neurology and neurosurgery to brush up their examination skills when preparing for their clinical examination. Several copies of this handbook should find a place in the libraries of all medical colleges and I compliment the author for his efforts. Copyright 2011 - Neurology India |
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