Media Type: DVD with textbook

Synopsis: With a DVD of 42 procedures, this is one of the best video atlas on oculoplastic surgery. Its strength lies on the breadth of eyelid procedures, including retraction repair, eyelid weight placement, and protractor myectomy. Succinct captions after each image highlight nuances of each step, and a table at the end of each chapter lists the precise sutures used. This atlas allows one to quickly grasp the fundamentals necessary for each technique, and would be ideal for residents reviewing the steps of a procedure the night before, or for any surgeon who likes to refresh his knowledge through images and video!

Target audience: Comprehensive ophthalmologists, residents, oculoplastic surgeons.

Review: Video Atlas of Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery illustrates the breadth of oculoplastic surgery in a format that is easily and quickly reviewed through illustrative photos and videos of each procedure. Both Drs Korn and Kikkawa are acknowledged leaders in the field of oculofacial plastic surgery, and have the ability to teach others in a way that is highly applicable. The chapters are largely compiled by Dr Korn, with some contributions from Dr Kikkawa and other oculoplastic surgeons.

The 184 pages have color photos on every page, and the DVD, which covers 42 procedures, has short clips of each technique and voice narration highlighting key surgical pearls. 44 chapters are organized into four sections: Introduction, Face, Lacrimal System, and Orbit. The chapters are extremely succinct, with a limited number of photos illustrating each procedure. The only text in the chapters is the figure captions.

The strength of this atlas lies in the 28 chapters on eyelid procedures, starting with simple chalazion drainage. Four blepharoplasty chapters encompass upper eyelid, Asian, transconjunctival and transcutaneous lower eyelid techniques. Similarly, ptosis repair includes chapters on external, internal, small-incision, and frontalis sling approaches. Posterior entropion repair techniques are included, although not the external approach. Some chapters not often found in other textbooks cover upper and lower eyelid retraction repair, eyelid weight placement, epiblepharon repair, and protractor myectomy. Great detail is taken to illustrate the finer points of each procedure with intraoperative images, some of which have color overlays highlighting pertinent anatomic structures for additional clarification. Some images are dark or too zoomed out to visualize the surgical field in great detail, but otherwise the figures are very instructive. Succinct captions after each image highlight the nuances of each step, and a short table at the end of each chapter conveniently lists the precise sutures used. This short format makes this atlas particularly useful for residents reviewing the steps of a surgical procedure the night before, or for any surgeon who likes to refresh his knowledge through images and video. The smaller Lacrimal and Orbit sections are good, but could have included chapters on external dacryocystorhinostomy, evisceration, and orbital fracture techniques. Botulinum toxin and lower eyelid filler procedures make up the small cosmetic contribution. Although created as an “on the go” atlas, perhaps a short bibliography of pertinent key literature following each chapter would allow the interested reader to enhance his or her understanding of that particular procedure.

The strengths of Video Atlas of Oculofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery are the numerous intraoperative photos and short descriptions that make the book easy to read, combined with a superb video DVD. Although other oculoplastic texts should be used to further clarify these structures and surgical approaches, this atlas allows one to quickly grasp the fundamentals necessary for each technique. Congratulations to the authors for compiling an excellently-illustrated, and concise, atlas and DVD of surgical procedures that will easily be an important reference for any surgeon interested in enhancing his or her abilities in oculofacial plastic surgery.