Whilst there is nothing unique in the individual chapters in this book it is rare for so many focused areas of interest to be integrated quite so well under one cover. The topics covered range from bladder emptying disorders to reconstructive surgery, from erectile dysfunction to stress incontinence, and from urinary tract infections to LUTS. It is what it says on the tin – a compendium of ‘functional’ topics. And whilst the subjects complement each other well the text – necessarily – does jump from topic to topic without a unifying theme.
That said there are many who will simply dip in and out of the subjects of interest rather than taking in the book as a whole. Some of the chapters relating to the painful bladder and male LUTS seemed a little pedestrian with nothing that might otherwise have condensed the knowledge within those respective fields into bite-sized gems. Others (such as the one dealing with urethral disorders) hit the mark and turn what would otherwise be an esoteric topic into one which seems mainstream.
Other chapters are less useful and have the appearance of providing a chapter heading – but little more (at least to the practising clinician). The chapter on nocturia adds little value despite its obvious importance in the functional spectrum. Overall this book is a useful resource. Its remit is impossible to fill in a book of this size. It is of no surprise then that it doesn’t quite make it – but it doesn’t fall too far short either.
