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  Modern
Cataract Surgery
Modern
Cataract Surgery
Thomas Kohnen (Volume Editor)
Karger AG, Basel, 2002
Hardback / 240 pages / 112 figures, 40 in colour,
40 tables
ISBN: 3-8055-7364-2 / 224 Swiss francs / $195
I
AM reviewing volume 34. Although I haven't seen any of the other
volumes, I concur with the blurb on the volume's cover - that it
is a self-standing work. In fact, each chapter in the volume is
a self-standing article that you may find in any of the good peer-reviewed
journals of the sub-speciality.
Modern Cataract Surgery belongs to the "Developments in Ophthalmology
Series" - a collection of academic books dealing with front-line
clinical issues. Previous titles within the series were ocular infection-related;
the three previous volumes dealt with mycosis of the eye, antiseptic
prophylaxis and updating of uveitis.
Leaving infections behind, volume 34 tackles cataract surgery, particularly
small incision surgery, and promises a wealth of timely information
for anterior segment surgeons. It is designed to provide a broad
update in their field.
The man in charge of the project (the volume editor) is Thomas Kohnen,
well known to EuroTimes readers through his active contributions
to research, publications, presentations at international meetings
and educational activities. He heads the Department of Ophthalmology
at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany.
The series editor is Professor Wolfgang Behrens-Baumann, Director
of the Hospital and Health Centre for Eye Medicine at the Otto Von
Guericke University in Magdeburg, Germany. He too is a widely respected
figure and prolific writer in ophthalmological literature, with
a special interest in ocular infections. The calibre of the editors
selected for the different volumes are a credit to him.
The first impression this book affords you is misleading. It feels
like the series was initiated in the 1970s and that the publishers
decided to keep the same look for the sake of consistency. By contrast,
most conference proceedings look more modern.
Of course, if you decide to buy the book because you read this review
and trust EuroTimes, or if know one of the contributors or you've
heard about it from a colleague, the look of the book doesn't really
matter.
But if I were in a hospital library, browsing through the ophthalmology
selves in search of books on cataract surgery, I would never pick
this one up. Unless possibly it was the only one on the self.
I don't think I would go so far as opening the first page and checking
the publication date. In fact, I would probably think worse of it:
an old book that looks brand new - obviously nobody has looked at
it since the 70s.
Don't be fooled though. This is a good book. An international panel
of experts write all 22 chapters. The 'from all over the world'
preface is actually western Europe, the US and Canada.
Each individual or group wrote a chapter that for the most part
reads like an article, documenting their clinical experience, results
of a particular piece of research or innovations in the field. All
articles have the common goal of successful cataract surgery.
Lengthy introductions and prefaces are left out and after a very
short preface from the editor, we are deep into serious content.
Some contributors follow the academic style to extremes.
For instance, some chapters are true peer-review specialist papers
with traditional journal article structure, language and approach.
Some chapters even make use of smaller typeface for the "Material
& Methods" section.
Colour is used sparsely and illustrations and tables are good. I
particularly like the one summarising studies of multifocal and
bifocal lenses in the chapter on multifocal IOLs.
All chapters are carefully and correctly referred at peer-review
publication level. The index is not so good: a random check for
a few words let me wanting.
Topical anaesthesia is the first topic with a focus on small incision
surgery needs. Viscoadaptives and their predecessors are discussed
next in two chapters that present two different comparative studies.
The Staar Ware is the first of the phaco technologies and techniques
discussed. Phacotmesis (briefly) and tilt and tumble (in detail)
are also presented.
Phacoemulsification after delivery of the lens into the anterior
chamber is an unusual surgical option that may be useful in some
instances, as is phaco in the vitreous cavity which is described
four chapters later.
Contributors describe phaco chop and ultrasound-assisted phaco aspiration
next, followed by management of mature cataracts which can claim
to be one of the best-illustrated chapters.
The use of capsular tension rings, as an adjuvant for phaco, is
one example of a chapter in which some contributors put forward
their initial experience with novel ideas.
The volume deals with biometry in the next three chapters in which
different teams from both Europe and the US discuss different aspects
of the process.
There are also several chapters about implanting IOLs of which injector
systems for foldable IOLs is the first. Kohnen's own contribution
on incisions is also a meaty, well-illustrated chapter. A diagnostic
chapter - Scheimpflug slit images to assess lens position - follows.
Two chapters are dedicated to PCO. Piggyback implantation and multifocal
lenses finish the collection.
Most of the articles collected in this book will find their way
into mainstream publications. In fact, the full volume is listed
in bibliographic services including Current Contents, Reference
Update, Biological Abstracts and MEDLINE.
What you have here is a good and comprehensive collection for anyone
looking for an update on what is happening now in cataract surgery:
a selection full of clinical data that will be invaluable reference
when you are writing your own papers.
Modern Cataract Surgery will not be useful for trainees or surgeons
finding their way in the field. It is aimed at sub-specialists concerned
with improving their technique, making a contribution to the field
and putting their own research in context with leading specialists.
For the specialists who thought things move slowly in cataract surgery
and that no major surprises are in the pipeline, this book should
be an eye opener.
And for those of you who always check the publication date and don't
judge a book by its cover - with this one you were absolutely right!
Like
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