With increased life expectancy and increased population of elderly people, especially in the developing world, it is very common that otolaryngologists are faced with difficult clinical problems in this group of people almost on a daily basis. To complicate matters, there is very little training or exposure to specific geriatric clinics in the otolaryngology curriculum.
Therefore, I was very happy to accept the invitation to review this book published by Thieme which is also endorsed by the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.
The authors have done a great job by going into the depth of the subjects, covering a wide variety of topics, starting with science of ageing to facial plastic surgery aspects of elderly patients. Extensive review of the literature is needed to produce such a thorough work and the dedication becomes apparent when you read the chapters on dizziness and imbalance, sinonasal disease and voice disorders in elderly. There is also discussion about preoperative assessment, hearing aids and cochlear implantation.
This book will be an ideal addition to any otolaryngology department dealing with clinical problems of the elderly, and can guide experienced clinicians as well as residents and even medical students who might be interested. It can also give a lot of insight for the elderly care physicians and other professionals dealing with geriatric patients. Of course, many of the diseases are not curable but ways of improving the patient’s quality of life is the key to success.
On the whole, it is a practical and enjoyable book with up-to-date information and is moderately priced.
