Principles and Practice of Mechanical Ventilation

Audience: Critical Care Physicians, Pulmonary Medicine Physicians; Respiratory Care Practitioners; Intensive Care Nurses Author is the most recognized name in Critical Care Medicine Technical and clinical developments in mechanical ventilation have soared, and this new edition reflects these advances Written for clinicians, unlike other books on the subject which have primarily an educational focus

About the Author :
Martin Tobin MD, Director, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine; Professor of Medicine and Anesthesiology, Loyola University of Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and Edward Hines, Jr., VA Hospital; Attending Physician, RML Specialty Hospital, Maywood, IL. past editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine - has completely revised this text, acclaimed by The Lancet as the bible of mechanical ventilation.

Review :
Principles and Practice of Mechanical Ventilation Second edition. Edited by Martin J. Tobin. 1442 pp., illustrated. New York, McGraw-Hill, 2006. $189.95. ISBN 978-0-07-144767-6. Twelve years have elapsed since the publication of the first edition of this reference book. The recently released second edition maintains the reputation of the first as the most comprehensive single source on mechanical ventilation. Its breadth and its up-to-date discussions of the topic make it an ideal reference for the busy clinician. Editor Martin Tobin should be commended for his work on this new edition, which is a considerable improvement on the first -- so much so that it bears little resemblance to its predecessor. There are 24 new chapters, bringing the total to 70, a testament to the major changes in mechanical ventilation that have occurred during the past decade. Contributions from prominent authorities add an international perspective, yet Tobin has been able to establish a relatively uniform style from chapter to chapter, making the book consistent and easy to read. The first chapter, a historical perspective on mechanical ventilation, makes the enormous advances in this field readily apparent. One example is the shift from negative-pressure iron-lung ventilation, in use for polio victims as recently as the 1960s in the United States, to positive-pressure bag ventilation, pioneered during the 1952 polio outbreak in Copenhagen. One of the great strengths of the book is its wealth of information on the physiology, mechanics, and machinery of mechanical ventilation. It also takes a problem-based approach to treatment, which will appeal to clinicians. There are extensive chapters on acute lung injury, obstructive lung disease, neuromuscular weakness, alternative ventilatory modes, noninvasive ventilation, airway management, home ventilation, and weaning. The authors deal with such topics as agitation, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and even transport of a patient who is being ventilated. The book is well illustrated, with technical ventilator circuit diagrams, clinical radiographs, photographs of a wide array of respiratory therapy equipment, and many ventilator waveform tracings. We checked the thoroughness of the book by searching through it for solutions to uncommon clinical problems we have confronted in our experience in an intensive care unit and a specialized post-intensive care rehabilitation unit. The book provides helpful advice on complex airway problems, diaphragmatic pacing, and ventilator-supported speech. It reinforces the idea that the era of the comprehensive reference book is not over, especially in the field of critical care. Warren Isakow, M.D. Marin H. Kollef, M.D. Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO 63110 -- "New England Journal of Medicine" After explaining how mechanical ventilators operate, the 70 chapters in this dense textbook describe both conventional and alternative methods of ventilator support and offer guidance on managing ventilator-supported patients. Some black and white photographs are provided. The second edition removes several chapters and adds 24 chapters on ventilator strategies for major disease states, dyspnea, liquid ventilation, inhaled nitric oxide, and sleep. -- "Sci-Tech Book News" Tobin's editorial efforts are very apparent with a remarkable uniformity from chapter to chapter...In summary, the editor has succeeded in presenting a well-balanced textbook that offers information on every aspect on mechanical ventilation outside of the operating room. -- "Anesthesia & Analgesia"