James R. Hupp and Elie M. Ferneini. Elsevier; 2016 Price $130 pp 496 ISBN

9780323289450

Head, neck and orofacial infections: An interdisciplinary approach is another first rate text from James R. Hupp et al. With infection forming a keystone of daily practice this text offers a wealth of information to any clinician working in the orofacial region.

The book is meticulously ordered, separated into three main parts, each containing its own chapters. The first section provides a solid grounding in the basic science of head and neck infection, with helpfully illustrated pages providing clinical focus throughout. The section walks the reader through important anatomy, imaging, microbiology and laboratory diagnosis, with key texts and papers highlighted in the end of chapter bibliographies.

The second section provides clinical emphasis, discussing the epidemiology, pathophysiology, microbiology, diagnosis and treatment of infections of all parts of the orofacial region including: the ear, the orbit and the salivary glands.

The final section considers special topics related to head and neck infection including 'Infection in the Craniomaxillofacial Trauma Patient', 'Microbiologic Consideration with Dental Implants' and 'Infections following Head and Neck Reconstruction' as well as eight others. Chapters are enhanced with clinical photographs and referenced to substantiate the information given.

The book concludes with two appendices which encompass case reports of a variety of the infections discussed throughout the text. These give the reader further insight and allow for assessment of the clinical acumen acquired from reading the text.

Overall, this text provides an easy to read yet comprehensive guide to the basic science, clinical diagnosis and holistic management of a broad range of head, neck and orofacial infections, and will cater for anyone looking to improve their knowledge base in this vast area. This book would particularly suit those in undergraduate and early postgraduate training looking to broaden their understanding of the range of conditions that affect the orofacial Region, and would provide a good reference source on the shelf of those established in primary care, secondary care and oral and maxillofacial units.