The preparation of a monograph-sized volume on a subject as monumental as this must invariably result in a compromise in the completeness of coverage and detail. This is well-recognized by the author. In fact, he restricted the written text to 80 pages, stressed broad principles, concentrated on areas of major significance, and, as a result, has produced a highly readable, thoroughly delightful volume.
The book is basically organized into the following three sections: preoperative management and preparation of patients, their postoperative management and complications, and management of fluid and electrolyte levels. A very clear distinction is made between the problems that are common to all surgical patients and those that are peculiar to patients undergoing neurological surgery, which gives the book excellent perspective. The section on the management of fluid and electrolyte levels is particularly lucid and considerably more detailed; the vagaries of body fluid tonicity and disorders of antidiuretic