Book review

Abstract

Understanding Craniofacial Anomalies: The Etiopathogenesis of Craniosynostosis and Facial Clefting. Edited by Mark P. Mooney and Michael I. Siegel. (583 pp.; ISBN: 047138724X, hardback) May 2002: Wiley. ‘Your face is a book, where men may read strange matters.’ Macbeth For all those involved in the care of children with craniofacial deformities, perhaps the most difficult question we are faced with daily is ‘why?’ Parents, caretakers and other healthcare providers turn to us for all the answers to all their questions regarding what went wrong in the developmental process of a newborn's gestation. Most clinicians, be they paediatricians, geneticists or surgeons, have a reasonable answer that is used again and again to provide an explanation for why a given anomaly has occurred. Of course, although there are those in the disciplines above who have true expertise in the field of craniofacial biology, most of us know just enough developmental biology to comfortably recite a bit of embryology combined with a bit of molecular biology to provide a well-described, yet highly generalized answer. Although of course I cannot speak for all, I know that each time I gave such an answer, I feel a longing to gain a better understanding of the aetiopathology of the condition, to gain more insight into the genetic background and to better understand the normal stages of embryogenesis of that particular component of the face. Thanks to this superb book, all of the above is now possible. Edited by two renowned scientists in the field of craniofacial biology, Drs Mark Mooney and Michael Siegel, this text is an outstanding compilation of chapters on the aetiology of craniofacial disorders, particularly craniosynostosis and facial clefting. The book, described as a tour-de-force by Professor Michael Cohen, is well organized into seven sections to cover efficiently the concepts of classification and terminology, embryogenesis, facial, calvarial and skull base growth, and dysmorphology, animal models and molecular biology. The editors of this book should be praised for two achievements, both of which provide the foundation for the book's excellence. First, the authors chosen to write the individual chapters are all themselves experts in the field. When experienced people such as Geoffrey Sperber, Ethylin Wang Jabs, Joan Richtsmeier and Harold Slavkin, among others, come together to produce such a work, the information contained is sure to be of great interest to the reader. Second, the editors have ensured that the tone and context of each chapter was written in a language with enough scientific detail to be of use to those involved in laboratory research, but simultaneously written in a way to be understandable and readily comprehended by clinicians as well. In summary, this book is a ‘must-read’ for all those who strive to understand craniofacial deformities. I am certain that it will provide a wonderful clinical context for those involved in basic science, and equally a wonderful scientific context for those involved in clinical work. This book has enhanced my knowledge on several levels, and I extend my thanks to all those who made it possible.