Book: Harvey Cushing: A Life In Surgery

Harvey Cushing: A Life In Surgery

Review by Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa.  Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa (also known as "Dr. Q") is the Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Neuroscience, Oncology and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, and the Director of the Brain Tumor Stem Cell Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Michael Bliss, Paperback, 591 pages

Here is the first biography to appear in fifty years of Harvey Cushing, a giant of American medicine and without doubt the greatest figure in the history of brain surgery.

Drawing on new collections of intimate personal and family papers, diaries and patient records, Michael Bliss captures Cushing's professional and his personal life in remarkable detail. Bliss paints an engaging portrait of a man of ambition, boundless, driving energy, a fanatical work ethic, a penchant for self-promotion and ruthlessness, more than a touch of egotism and meanness, and an enormous appetite for life. Equally important, Bliss traces the rise of American surgery as seen through the eyes of one of its pioneers. The book describes how Cushing, working in the early years of the 20th century, developed remarkable new techniques that let surgeons open the skull, expose the brain, and attack tumors--all with a much higher rate of success than previously known. Indeed, Cushing made the miraculous in surgery an everyday event, as he and his team compiled an astonishing record of treating more than two thousand tumors.

This is the definitive Cushing biography, an epic narrative of high surgical adventure, capturing the highs and lows of an extraordinary life.

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Review below by Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa.  Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa (also known as "Dr. Q") is the Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Neuroscience, Oncology and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, and the Director of the Brain Tumor Stem Cell Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Without the influence of Cajal and Halsted, the career of Harvey Cushing, born in 1869, might not have been possible. And without Cushing, many careers, including my own, would not exist. In this marvelous biography, Michael Bliss examines both the icon and the person. A genius with relentless ambition, Cushing was a mentor and tormentor, a perfectionist who often forgot the line between confidence and arrogance, yet ultimately he was a healer who once said that brain surgery amounts to "20 percent science, 75 percent artistry and 5 percent community benefit." Bliss vividly details Cushing's obsession with improving all aspects of surgical care, as well as clinical diagnostic methods. Cushing's life is like a great ghost story — it will haunt you long after it's over.

The newest book in the Cushie Bookstore

Alone in My Universe: Struggling with an Orphan Disease in an Unsympathetic World

Battling a chronic disease can often be a lonely and frustrating ordeal. It doesn’t have to be. Alone in My Universe, compiled by Wayne Brown, presents a series of writings from patients suffering from acromegaly. Based on actual personal experiences, these narratives provide a primer of understanding for others dealing with this chronic, debilitating disease that affects many of the body’s systems. This collaborative effort, written by real people touched by acromegaly, attempts to raise awareness of this low-profile disease. Each patient tells his or her story as it relates to the disease and its complications.

Topics include the following:

• Handling pre-diagnosis frustration

• Dealing with fears of medical treatment and surgery

• Managing family issues and work issues

• Talking with children

• Managing negative energy

• Coping with good and bad days

• Living life each day With sympathy, empathy, and mutual support, Alone in My Universe shares the heartfelt stories of those suffering from acromegaly to show others that they are not alone in their battle.

MaryO'Note: This book is great for anyone with any orphan disease - it's not only for acromegaliacs!

Author of NIA talks about Cushing's

twinkie from the message board writes:

Hello all! As some of you know I have written and published a book. I'll be interviewed tomorrow (May 25, 2011) and I asked the interviewer if, along with questions about my book, she would ask one or two questions about Cushing's. TRYING to get the word out! I'm also doing a blog tour and most of the hosts have been kind enough to put my bio up on their sites which includes information about cushing's and this site.

Here is the link if you want to listen in: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jennifer-walker/2011/05/25/a-cup-of-coffee-and-a-good-book 

The podcast is at 3:30 Pacific time.

You can also find info regarding my tour at authormellareese.blogspot.com You don't have to buy a book but you could always ask a question about cushings in the comment section of the hosting blog.

Thanks Mary O for this fabulous tool you've created here! You saved my life.

(Book) Cushing's Disease

Series: Endocrine Updates, Vol. 31

Swearingen, Brooke; Biller, Beverly M. K. (Eds.)

1st Edition., 2011, 378 p. 33 illus., 7 in color., Hardcover

ISBN: 978-1-4614-0010-3

Not yet published. Available: August 15, 2011

In Cushing’s Disease, leading authorities in the field offer a thorough review of the pathogenesis, diagnostic algorithm and treatment options for this complex disease.   Beginning with a fascinating history of Cushing's disease that outlines its historical significance to both endocrinology and neurosurgery, the book goes onto  to cover the full range of important issues, including the molecular pathogenesis of Cushing’s,  anatomic pathology,  the diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome,  the differential of pseudo-Cushing's syndromes,  hypercortisolemia, surgical removal of the corticotroph adenoma, post-operative management and assessment of remission, radiotherapeutic options,  and the exciting developments in medical therapy.   In addition, the book also addresses  Cushing's disease in the pediatric population, given that its clinical manifestations and impact on growth can be severe;  silent corticotroph adenomas as a distinct clinical entity;  diagnosis and management of Cushing's disease during pregnancy, bilateral adrenalectomy, and, finally, the long-term psychological manifestations of hypercortisolemia.   Comprehensive and an invaluable addition the literature, Cushing’s Disease is an essential reference for enhancing diagnosis and treatment of this debilitating disorder.

 

Content Level » Professional/practitioner

Keywords » Nelson's syndrome - Pituiitary imaging - adenomas - radiation

Related subjects » Internal Medicine - Surgery

Table of contents 

Preface

 

Contributors

 

Chapter 1: Cushing's Disease: An Historical Perspective.

Chapter 2: Molecular Biology of Cushing’s Disease.

Chapter 3: Pathology of Cushing’s Disease.

Chapter 4: Clinical Diagnosis of Cushing’s Syndrome.

Chapter 5: Pseudo-Cushing’s Syndrome.

Chapter 6: Cyclical Cushing’s Disease.

Chapter 7: Differential Diagnosis of Cushing’s Syndrome.

Chapter 8: Radiologic Imaging Techniques in Cushing’s Disease.

Chapter 9: Surgical Treatment of Cushing’s Disease.

Chapter 10: Postoperative Management and Assessment of Cure.

Chapter 11: Radiation Therapy in the Management of Cushing’s Disease.

Chapter 12: Medical Management of Cushing’s Disease.

Chapter 13:  Recurrent Cushing’s Disease

Chapter 14: Diagnosis and Treatment of Pediatric Cushing’s Disease.

Chapter 15: Silent Corticotroph Adenomas.

Chapter 16: Cushing’s Syndrome in Pregnancy.

Chapter 17: Nelson’s Syndrome: Corticotroph Tumor Progression after Bilateral Adrenalectomy in Cushing’s Disease.

Chapter 18: Psychosocial Aspects of Cushing’s Disease.

Index

From http://www.springer.com/medicine/internal/book/978-1-4614-0010-3

Book explains adrenal dysfunction

Adrenal Glands

Another dysfunction

“Are You Tired and Wired?” (Hay House, $24.95, Amazon price, $16.47)

Simultaneous feelings of exhaustion and being “keyed up” characterize early adrenal dysfunction, the subject of nurse practitioner Marcelle Pick’s self-help book. The adrenal glands are responsible for providing the fight-or-flight hormones in response to stress. If they’re under-producing, that’s Addison’s disease, and if they’re overproducing, that’s Cushing’s syndrome. “But if your adrenal imbalance is less extreme — as is true for hundreds of thousands of U.S. women — your practitioner is unlikely to recognize your condition,” Pick writes. She suggests a 30-day plan to solve adrenal dysfunction, including dietary supplements, exercise, stress-reduction techniques and, the biggie, an adrenal-friendly diet with regular meal times and no processed foods.

From http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/book-explains-adrenal-dysfunction-vegan-magazine-applauds-herbivore-heroes/2011/02/24/ABKaGxV_story.html