This book is nicely adapted to cover both the medical and surgical management of urinary stone disease. Those chapters dealing with the surgical management of stone disease are dealt with unsurprisingly well – delivered with a relaxed and conversational prose interspersed with references to the appropriate supporting literature. Algorithms are a little too generalised to be particularly useful but they are nevertheless a useful adjunct to help in the decision-making process.
The real strengths of the book relate to those chapters dealing with multi-modality treatment options and emergency management, with the chapter outlining the conservative management of stones being nicely fleshed out with data which will aid clinicians in advising patients about non-intervention and the subsequent risks of re-intervention or delayed intervention. The medical management of renal colic and medical expulsive therapy seems particularly well timed and provides some justification for a lot of what appears to have crept into routine practice with little or no formal debate.
Sections relating to metabolic investigation were outstandingly good and the opening chapter which outlines how to set up a kidney stone prevention clinic will probably justify the cost of the book alone. This book is not necessarily a reference text for the stone sub-specialist. It was never intended to be. It is however a must for the vast majority of urologists and a very worthy addition to your library. Anyone approaching an exam would do well to avoid the stone sections in standard reference books on urology and read this to cover aspects of stone management instead.
