Anesthesiology 2016; 124:515-6 516 Reviews of Educational Material
Reviews of Educational Material
Anesthesia: A Comprehensive Review, Fifth
Edition. Edited by Brian A. Hall, M.D.,
Robert C. Chantigian, M.D. Philadelphia,
Elsevier Inc., 2015. Pages: 302. Price: $99.00.
Practitioners of anesthesia and modern medicine today are
busier than ever. With expanding clinical volumes, increas-
ingly medically complex patients, and advances in surgical
techniques, it can be challenging to stay up-to-date with new
knowledge while maintaining the basic anesthetic principles
learned during medical school and residency. Although basic
concepts may seem esoteric, knowledge of the fundamentals of
anesthesia is at the core of being able to deliver a competent
anesthetic and maintain excellence throughout the course of
one’s career. Whether a new learner in the eld of anesthesiol-
ogy or an advanced practitioner, clinicians could benet from
a periodic review of the fundamental principles as well as the
latest innovations in the practice of anesthesiology.
Anesthesia: A Comprehensive Review has been doing just
that for nearly 25 yr. Drs. Hall and Chantigian have once
again put out an updated review book that, in keeping with
the title, is fairly comprehensive in its scope. It has 1,001
questions divided into two broad sections: the basic and
clinical sciences. Each question oers four multiple choice
answers as well as a thorough explanation of the correct
answer with relevant sources cited. Some of the explanations
include comparative tables or diagrams to enhance the learn-
er’s understanding of the concepts. According to the authors,
“each question has been vetted by two or more reviewers
in the various anesthetic subspecialties” and provides the
learner with “a guide to … areas needing further study.”
A fairly slick online and fully downloadable version is also
provided for the technologically savvy who prefer not to tote
around textbooks. ese versions can be used on personal
devices such computers, tablets, and even smartphones. When
downloaded, Anesthesia: A Comprehensive Review can be used
on the go even in areas without Internet access such as planes
or favorite “o the grid” locations such as tropical island Con-
tinuing Medical Education conferences. is version also oers
an “Interactive Assessment” option, where questions can be
viewed and answered in a similar manner to computerized
examinations, with immediate feedback based on the answer
chosen by the learner. e downloadable version will track what
questions were answered correctly and incorrectly on a Score-
board feature, allowing users to quickly and easily return to fre-
quently missed questions. It also allows one to start over and
erase previous grievous errors, which can help the learner feel a
little better as progress improves!
e fth edition of Anesthesia: A Comprehensive Review
maintains the series’ reputation as an updated, well-orga-
nized learning tool for the review of fundamental concepts.
is series has become a library staple of anesthesiology resi-
dents as well as clinicians who engage in lifelong learning.
When one considers purchasing a review book of this
nature, the thought is often “Will this help me pass an
examination?” e questions in this book are not thor-
oughly similar to those written by the American Board of
Anesthesiology for their in-training and certication exam-
inations. e questions tend to be more succinct and are
written with the purpose of helping reinforce key anesthetic
facts. Although this book is not comprehensive enough to
use as a sole study source for residents for anesthesia boards,
it serves well as an adjunct to reading source textbooks and
review articles. e broader benet of Anesthesia: A Compre-
hensive Review beyond just being a study aid is that it can
help improve an anesthesiology practitioner’s fundamental
understanding of important anesthesia tenets and thus help
improve judgment and daily clinical practice. With changes
to Maintenance of Certication in Anesthesiology, Ameri-
can Board of Anesthesiology boards, and the broader goal of
not just passing an examination but becoming a more com-
petent and knowledgeable lifelong perioperative physician,
resources such as the Hall and Chantigian book allow for
longitudinal learning by reinforcing fundamental principles
and introducing newer anesthetic knowledge.
Brian Colin, M.D., Annemarie Thompson, M.D. Duke
University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (B.C.).
(Accepted for publication October 28, 2015.)
Copyright © 2016, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc. Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
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