Strokes: An Illustrated Guide to Brain Structure, Blood Supply and Clinical Signs - Softcover

Unique in approach and content, Bowman and Giddings blend accounts of personal history and professional medical illustrations to present the science behind strokes. Extensive illustrations provide visually compelling accounts of the blood supply of the brain, the brain areas affected by different types of strokes, and the resulting clinical signs observed in the patient. Succinct and easy-to-read, chapter topics include an introduction to strokes and patients, observations from a stroke victim, general information about strokes, atherothrombotic infarction, imbolic infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, and more. Whether a caregiver, student, or a patient, this resource is ideal for understanding what has happened and where, when strokes occur.

• Extensive illustrations provide accurate visualization of the blood supply.
• Unique personal observations — made by actual stroke victims, persons in the medical profession, and laymen — provide a true-to-life picture of a stroke's impact.
• Emphasis on the blood supply as it relates to strokes makes it applicable and valuable to students and professionals alike.
• Bulleted presentation of clinical signs and symptoms presents important information in an easily digestible format.

The impetus for this book arose after one of us (J.B.) suffered a stroke and, upon being discharged from the hospital, was given a thin binder containing material to "explain" what strokes were and how they might affect one's brain and behavior. The material was woefully inadequate. Because I am a professor of brain anatomy, my wife asked me, "Why don't you write one?" This book is the result. It represents the combined effort of a neuroanatomist and medical illustrator to present a visually compelling account of the blood supply of the brain, the brain areas affected by different types of strokes, and the resulting clinical signs observed in the patient.

It is difficult to imagine a structure that matches the human brain in complexity. However, this monograph is not a reference book and no effort has been made to introduce the basics of brain structure and function; nor is it intended to supplant longer, more comprehensive textbooks of neurology. The organizational plans assumed in textbooks on brain structure, function, or neurology are notably different from the plan we adopted. Nature dictates a major organizational theme: Namely, sets of brain structures are bound together by virtue of their being in the territory supplied by a given blood vessel. The number of such structures affected in a particular stroke in a given patent might vary depending upon the severity of the stroke and individual patient factors. But the potential array is stable except in massive and fatal strokes where the force of escaping blood dictates its own path of destruction. Given this fact of brain anatomy, it remains then to distinguish between the different types of cerebrovascular disease that can affect a given blood vessel and result in a stroke. Such disease processes are treated in Chapters 4 through 8 with Chapter 4 serving as the model for the remainder. The glossary was developed with an eye toward defining those terms physicians and other healthcare professionals might use in explaining patient status to patients or their families.

This book was written to serve anyone interested in learning about strokes or teaching others about them. It is for a caregiver—physician, nurse, physician's assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist, MRI technician, family member—to show the patient. It is for the patient to learn about what has happened to his brain and where the stroke has occurred. It is for students striving to learn.

We express appreciation to reviewers Susan Kaplan, associate professor, Florida International University; and Robert Sikes, associate professor, Northeastern University, for their efforts in contributing to the production of this book.

James P. Bowman
Frank D. Giddings