Rapid Neurology and Neurosurgery

 is a must for all medical students and junior doctors - it is a quick and easy on-the-ward or clinic reference and the perfect revision tool for those approaching finals, undergraduate neurology and neurosurgery examinations, and the Membership of Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) examinations.
 - features the basic principles and facts essential for a good understanding of neurology and neurosurgery and includes sections on relevant neuroanatomy; neurological history and examination; and investigations including neurophysiology and neuroradiology. MRI and CT scans are included throughout the text.
Part II - Complaints: face to face with the patient  - presents important clinical conditions with sections on definition; epidemiology; aetiology; associations/risk factors; pathology; history; examination; investigations; management; complications; prognosis and a list of differential diagnoses usually in a table with general clinical information and distinguishing information to exclude the alternative diagnoses.

Rapid Neurology and Neurosurgery contains only the essential, core, and relevant facts in a concise, pocket-sized, 'rapid' refresher providing a thorough foundation of neurology and neurosurgery knowledge allowing you to excel in the examinations.

List of Abbreviations, vii

Preface, xi

Acknowledgements, xiii

PART I The basics

1 About this book and how to use it, 3

2 Basic neuroanatomy, 4

3 Neurological history, examination, signs and localisation, 7

4 Neurological investigations, 21

PART II Complaints: Face-to-face with the patient

5 Headache, 31

6 Blackouts, 34

7 Visual disturbances, 36

8 Dizziness and vertigo, 39

9 Weak legs, 41

10 Numbness and sensory disturbance, 44

11 Gait assessment and disturbance, 46

PART III Conditions: Applying the basics

12 Headache, 51

13 Transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs), 55

14 Stroke I: Thromboembolic stroke and syndromes, 59

15 Stroke II: Intracerebral haemorrhage, 65

16 Stroke III: Subarachnoid haemorrhage, 68

17 Epilepsy, 75

18 Multiple sclerosis, 80

19 Parkinson’s disease and other related syndromes, 84

20 Other movement disorders, 88

21 Central nervous system infections: Meningitis, 91

22 Central nervous system infections: Cerebral abscess, 94

23 Radiculopathy and disc herniation, 97

24 Peripheral neuropathies’ syndromes, 100

25 Common peripheral nerve lesions: Mononeuropathies, 104

26 Motor neurone disease (MND), 108

27 Myasthenia gravis and Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome, 111

28 Diseases of the muscle, 114

29 Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia syndromes, 118

30 Raised intracranial pressure and herniation syndromes, 122

31 Coma and brainstem death, 127

32 Head injury: General approach and management, 130

33 Head injury: Subdural haematoma, skull fractures and contusions, 135

34 Head injury: Extradural haematoma, 141

35 Spinal injuries and spinal cord syndromes, 144

36 CNS neoplasia, 151

37 Hydrocephalus, 155

Appendices

Appendix 1 Management of status epilepticus (SE), 163

Appendix 2 Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), 164

Appendix 3 Primary neuroepithelial tumours of the central nervous system, 166

Appendix 4 Other tumours affecting the central nervous system, 173

Index, 181