Diseases of the Larynx

Alfio Ferlito has added another excellent addition to his list of scholarly texts. Diseases of the Larynx is a comprehensive 860-page compendium of essential and sophisticated laryngology. The contributors' list includes most of the world's leading experts on the various topics covered in the 65 chapters of the book. Nearly all of the chapters are excellent. Alberti opens the book with a brief history of laryngology. Henick's chapter on laryngeal development is excellent, as usual, but briefer than some of his other writings. Moreover, the chapter does not include his elegant, colored, three-dimensional illustrations. The chapter by Berkovitz et al on anatomy of the larynx provides a basic overview suitable for clinicians, but it does not provide great depth, particularly with regard to ultrastructure. Kirchner's chapter on comparative anatomy of the larynx is brief, but elegant. Sasaki's chapter on laryngeal physiology is also brief but covers the subject as well as possible in seven pages. The chapter on history and physi-cal examination in patients with voice disorders is written by Sataloff (this reviewer). The chapters by Yanagisawa on photography, Andrea on contact endoscopy, Hirano on video stroboscopy, Blitzer on electromyography, Kitzing on electroglottography, Imaizuni on spectrographic analysis, and Shütte on the phonetogram are definitive. The chapter on laryngeal imaging reviews laryngeal MRI and CT, as well as other modalities, although it does not include the latest three-dimensional techniques. Brown's chapter on aesthetic principles in airway management is first rate, as would be expected from his extensive clinical experience. His approaches reveal the influence of his British training. The following four chapters review pediatric laryngology nicely. The rest of the book covers specific laryngeal disorders and injuries. Essentially all of the chapters are well written, and some are classic summaries by reknowned experts. These include, among others, the chapters on endocrine disorders by Abitbol; spasmodic dysphonia by Blitzer and Brin; laryngeal framework surgery by Mahieu; benign laryngeal neoplasms by Johnson and Rosen; experimental laryngeal carcinogenesis by Saffiotti; molecular biology of laryngeal cancer by Carey and Bradford; laser surgery by Reinisch, Garrett, and Ossoff; and laryngeal transplantation by Marshall Strom. The book devotes 30 chapters to issues related to laryngeal cancer, covering this topic more extensively than most other laryngeal texts.

Diseases of the Larynx is an excellent compendium of current information. It covers most topics of importance. Subjects such as professional voice care, laryngo pharyngeal reflux, and neurologic disorders are covered well, but not in the great depth found in other texts. However, the coverage of laryngeal cancer and related disorders is particularly thorough, with the exception of the relatively brief attention paid to the techniques of limited transoral resection of early glottic carcinomas. Overall, the book is well written, well edited, and contains a great deal of useful information.