Author: S.Kalava

Publisher: PARAS PUBLISHING

ISBN: 81-8191-026-5

Price: Rs 325

Type of Book: Textbook

Exams covered: All Exams

Subjects covered: Orthopaedics

Intended for: MBBS Students, PG Aspirants, Ortho PGs (and teachers)
Can be Used for: MBBS - Final Year, PG Entrance Exams, Orthopaedics Post Graduate Exam Part I

Impressed with: Alternate names and Eponyms of the Conditions are given

Learning Objective of each chapter is given

Plain Line and color diagrams that help in understanding

Clinical Signs are enumerated

Surgical Procedures are dealt with
Areas for Improvement
Images of X Rays are (like other Indian Ortho text books) not up to the mark

Review
Orthopaedics, for a long time was a “neglected” subject as far as authors and publishers were concerned. There were very few textbooks for an undergraduate student even a decade ago. The books gave too little or too much with the result that the students were forced to depend upon the notes. But, fortunately the situation has changed in the last decade with new excellent books by Indian Authors like Natarajan, Maheswari and Ebnezer.



Kalava’s textbook of Orthopaedics, published by PARAS PUBLISHING is a vibrant book that hangs on to the delicate balance of giving enough points to make the student answer a five mark question , as well as giving the nuances to score in a Multiple Choice Question. And what is more note worthy is that the book deals with the fundamentals of the subject so well.



This book is probably the best book in Indian market for MBBS Students and Postgraduates in Orthopaedics who have to write a theory paper in Orthopaedics. Most of the topics are given in a crisp and succinct way. The topics are supplemented with the various clinical signs and surgeries associated with the condition.



Emphasis is laid on the pathogenesis in case of Cold Ortho and biomechanics in case of Traumatology. Principles of therapy is elaborated with the procedures making this an ideal text for General Practitioners or those from allied branches like physiotherapy or Nursing.



A common problem faced by Students in Theory Examination is the alternate name confusions. Many a times we have seen and heard students not attempting or wrongly attempting a question in the exam because the questions paper had the alternate name (eponym or such things) and the student is trapped inspite of knowing the particular condition. I have personally known my friends write pages about TB Spine during my Undergraduate days when the Question paper had Pott’s Fracture. Needless to say only those who wrote about Ankle Injuries would have scored. This book alleviates this problem as all commonly (and rarely !!) used names for a specific condition are given For Example

1. Cerebral Palsy, Spastic Paresis, Little’s Disease

2. Perthe’s Disease, Coxa Plana, Leg-Calve-Perthe’s Disease, Pseudocoxalgia



Another area where this book scores over other similar books is by the chapters on Bone Graft (from Campbell) , Bone Scan (and other investigations).



Orthotics, Instruments, and Traction, splints are covered in detail like other books



The book is divided into 5 sections, anmely

1. Introduction

2. Traumatology

3. General Orthopaedics

4. Regional Orthopaedics

5. Special Topics

Highlights
Few conditions (like Rickets) which are not given enough attention in other Undergraduate text books is covered in an elaborate detail.

(bruno)