Rapid Neurology and Neurosurgery Rapid Series

The Rapids are a series of two-colour reference and revision pocket books that cover key facts in a simple and memorable way. Each book covers the common conditions or drugs that students and junior doctors encounter on the wards, in clinics, and in their exams. The core relevant facts are provided to ensure these books are perfect concise ?rapid refreshers?. To see all titles in the series, go to: www.wiley.com/go/rapids

Rapid Neurology and Neurosurgery is a must for all medical students and junior doctors-it is a quick and easy on-the-ward or clinical 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.

It provides a concise, structured approach to neurology and neurosurgery learning, covering key fact in a simple and memorable way:

PART I (The Basics) 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 investigation including neurophysiology and neuroradiology. MRI and CT scans are included throughout the text.

PART II (Complaints: Face-to-Face with the patient) features OSCE-style and viva-voce examination preparation and has chapters on presenting complaints, with relevant and selected questions to ask for establishing the differential diagnoses (presented in a table) with basic investigations and management.

PART III (Conditions: Applying the basics) 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 with general clinical information and distinguishing information to exclude the alternative diagnoses.

Each chapter includes key points to remember and highlights key facts.

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 that will allow you to excel in the examinations.

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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

Kumar Abhinav is a Registrar in Neurosurgery at the Frenchay Hospital in Bristol and is Honorary Research Associate at the MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College Hospital, King's college London.

Richard Edwardsis a Consultant Neurosurgeon at the Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol.

Alan Whone is a Consultant Neurologist at the Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol.