Therapeutic uses of botulinum toxin

Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales

EDITOR Grant Cooper PUBLISHER Humana Press, 999 Riverview Dr, Suite 208, Totowa, NJ 07512, USA TELEPHONE 800 777-4643 FAX 973 256-8341 WEBSITE www.springer.com/humana+press PUBLISHED 2007/242 pp/$124.50

OVERALL RATING Good

STRENGTHS Provides a broad reference for a wide scope of medical problems

WEAKNESSES Attempts to expose the botulinum toxin as a panacea; terminology and abbreviations are used inconsistently throughout the book, creating confusion

AUDIENCE Medical specialists, including orthopedists, urologists, cosmetologists, sports physicians, otolaryngologists, and neurologists

The preface to Therapeutic Uses of Botulinum Toxin is very interesting and clearly explains the book’s purpose, which is to create a reference text for the various applications of botulinum toxin from numerous points of view. The book appears to be intended for a broad spectrum of medical specialties; however, the chapters vary in scope and depth. It seems that given the fact that the editor is a physical medicine and rehabilitation provider, such aspects are more carefully detailed in the chapters devoted to musculoskeletal disorders. The book is generally well written and easy to follow. Because the book attempts to do so much in such a relatively small volume, some topics get minimal coverage.

The book is divided into 15 chapters, including an initial chapter dedicated to the history and mechanism of action of botulinum toxin. Unfortunately, some chapters repeat that general topic in their introductions, which is unnecessary and often not useful for readers. There are some well-illustrated chapters. The last chapter deals with another interesting general topic on the economics, immunity, and future of botulinum toxin. The chapters related to musculoskeletal disorders are particularly well written—botulinum toxin is presented as an additional therapeutic tool in the management of these problems. I found this book well organized; each chapter includes detailed references, and further readings are sometimes recommended.

Overall, this book introduces large amounts of general information in relatively small pieces, given the limited space, and rarely goes into great depth. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a reference for the range of uses of botulinum toxin, but not to those who wish in-depth discussion on any one of its individual uses, particularly those practising in a specialized area. The book is, in general, easy to read and understand.