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Core Topics in Obstetric Anesthesia.

June 2017 • Volume 124 • Number 6 www.anesthesia-analgesia.org 2083 DOI: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000002066 Core Topics in Obstetric Anesthesia is a welcome addition to the growing field of obstetric anesthesia. This book is well written, organized, and easy to understand. Senior physicians, fellows, and residents can use it alike. This book has many advantages. First, it concentrates on the anesthesiologist’s role as the perioperative physician with particular focus on treatment before and during pregnancy rather than just facets of delivery that are usually described in anesthesia textbooks. Second, there are topics covered, including influenza in pregnancy and allergy to chlorhexidine: these are not usually discussed and that fact is a refreshing change. Difficult subjects are explained in a very clear manner. There are also excellent figures and flowcharts throughout the book that help with retention of the material. The presentation of information in tables is extremely useful. There are 6 major subdivisions: epidemiology and basic sciences, obstetrics, provision of anesthesia, concomitant medical conditions, postpartum complications, and service organization. The chapters on basic physiology, pharmacology, and placental physiology are clear and concise. The discussion of maternal morbidity and mortality are interesting and differentiate between mortality in developed and developing countries. Both descriptions of antenatal assessment and obstetrics for the anesthesiologist are excellent and provide thorough background information; the explanation of the fetal heart rate is particularly good. The chapter on regional analgesia techniques for labor is clear and succinct. There is an excellent section on thromboelastography that includes detailed explanations, a clinical example, and illustrative plates. There are exceptional flowcharts in the postoperative follow-up and resuscitation chapters. The sections on ultrasound guidance in transverse abdominal plane blocks and neuraxial blocks are well illustrated and explained. While this book makes very interesting and informative reading in general, I do have some criticisms. First of all, there are no references for any of the statements made. Although this was likely done to allow for easier reading, it serves to make certain statements less credible. In addition, several sections seem to be too brief, such as the discussion of cardiovascular disease in pregnancy and postdural puncture headache. Topics that are not covered include the use of critical care ultrasound and the older parturient. Also there is no online version for this book. In spite of these criticisms, this book is a welcome addition to the field of obstetric anesthesia emphasizing the anesthesiologist’s growing role as perioperative physician.