Preface

Scope

Text alone is simply not sufficient for assimilating the enormous amount of clinical knowledge necessary in today's practice of emergency medicine. Volumes of well-written text simply cannot replace what our eyes experience. The success of the first edition of Atlas of Emergency Medicine has born this out. The second edition significantly enlarges upon this theme by expanding the content and scope of the first edition.

We have incorporated the many changes suggested by the readership into this new edition. Feedback from journal reviews and abundant personal interactions has resulted in updates in every chapter with new items and photography. Another powerful source of the changes is the ever-evolving nature of our specialty. The addition of new chapters on Forensics, Wounds and Soft Tissue Injuries, Ultrasound, and HIV stems from our attempt to adjust to the ongoing transitions in emergency medicine. These areas are becoming prominent in our daily practice and deserve more dedicated attention.

Our goal is to continue to improve the Atlas with changes to future editions guided by reader feedback. All criticism is considered a "gift" and is accepted with gratitude and thanks. We hope this interchange with the readership will continue.

Purpose

Atlas of Emergency Medicine, second edition, continues to serve as the reference and teaching guide to the visual clues seen in emergency medicine. Despite the information explosion since the publication of the first edition, none of the many different atlases and color guides available today are comprehensive enough for use as a single reference in the Emergency Department or acute care clinic. The Atlas is not meant to be a comprehensive text nor a treatise on diagnosis. The images collected portray the scope and breadth of emergency practice and, as such, represent the most comprehensive collection of excellent emergency clinical images. Outside of the Atlas, such a book does not exist and we envision this text to continue to fill this void.

Intended Audience

The primary audience for this text is emergency medicine clinicians, educators, residents, and medical students who provide emergency care. We hope it will aid the clinician in making the diagnosis and help the teacher take the student "to the bedside." Many have found it useful as a review for the ABEM written examination. Other health care workers, such as internists, family physicians, and pediatricians will find the Atlas a useful guide in identifying and treating the many conditions for which visual cues significantly guide and expedite diagnosis and treatment. Physician extenders, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, may also appreciate the "clinical experience" this text can add to their training and practice. Finally, interested medical students can augment their clinical repertoire early in their training from the "visual discoveries" they will encounter in this text.

Organization

The organization of the Atlas of Emergency Medicine, second edition, is based on regional anatomy for Part 1, with Part 2 comprised of selected specialty areas. Part 2 has undergone a robust expansion with the addition of four new chapters mentioned above. The Contents shows the individual diagnoses displayed in each chapter. A brief text accompanies each diagnosis and, with the exception of the final chapter (Microscopic Findings), includes the following sections: Associated Clinical Features, Differential Diagnosis, Emergency Department Treatment and Disposition, and Clinical Pearls.