Book Review: LANGMAN'S medical embryology

Title : LANGMAN’S Medical Embryology

Edition : 15^th

Edited by : T. W. SADLER

Published by : Wolters Kluwer

Price : $89.15

ISBN : 978-1-9751-7996-0

Pages : 434

Year : 2024

There are books in medicine and allied fields that are classic works and always essential for studying medicine and science.

The LANGMAN’S medical embryology by Dr. T.W. Sadler is one of this group of work.

This book since it is first edition in 1963 has been updated regularly with the advancement of the field and gives a concise view of the embryology of human development.

The book is organized into two parts:

1. The first part gives an overview of early development which includes prenatal diagnosis and birth defects

2. The second part explains the fundamental processes of embryogenesis for each organ.

Due to the importance of genetics and molecular biology in studying embryology of the birth defects, basic genetics, and molecular principles are discussed.

Multiple chapters are devoted to describing stage-by-stage development of the embryo to birth.

A chapter is devoted to birth defects and prenatal diagnosis.

Then, in the second part, different systems of the embryo are explained including the central nervous system (CNS) (Chapter 18).

In the chapter on CNS, there are very clear drawings to explain the development of CNS, cranial nerves, and the autonomic nervous system.

Along with explaining the development of CNS, major developmental defects along with the latest genetic discoveries are explained, in conjunction with photos of affected subjects.

The quality of the drawings is exceptionally clear to explain the development of different systems of the human embryo.

One of the advantages of this masterpiece is that it permits the readers to download the images for teaching purposes.

The chapter on axial skeleton, the development of the skull is well described along it’s congenital bony malformations. The genes associated with skull defects are well summarized.

There are numerous colored photos of pediatric skull anomalies to clearly explain the malformations for the pediatric neurosurgeons, and the pediatricians.

The anomalies of vertebral defects are well explained.

The chapter on the cardiovascular system, apart from well describing the cardiac development and its congenital anomalies, has an excellent description of the aorta and its branches associated with their anomalies which may interest Endovascular Neurosurgeons and Interventional Radiologists.

Unfortunately, the medical curriculum in some medical schools does not emphasize enough in such a valuable resource for training the next generations of future physicians.

Declaration of patient consent

Patient’s consent is not required as there are no patients in this study.

Financial support and sponsorship

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Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

Use of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted technology for manuscript preparation

The author(s) confirms that there was no use of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted technology for assisting in the writing or editing of the manuscript and no images were manipulated using AI.

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Journal or its management. The information contained in this article should not be considered to be medical advice; patients should consult their own physicians for advice as to their specific medical needs.