Book Reviews

On reading this book one immediately notices that it is based on the authors’ therapeutic experience. This impression is not only conveyed in the case reports included, but also in the various intensities of description of different diseases, which seldom have to do with frequency, but instead with the degree of experience of the authors. Starting with a few important comments regarding the basis of sexuality and the subject of practitioner/ patient relationship (both sections are very short and pragmatic), the authors then go on to introduce symptoms of male and female sexual malfunction. Here, the physiological and psychological symptoms are not always clearly differentiated. A chapter entitled ‘Illness and Sexuality’ follows. In this chapter, the problems of patients with coronary heart diseases, diabetes mellitus and particularly of the enormous amount of patients with genital and breast cancer are discussed. Other tumours, which probably equally impair general health and sexuality, are only mentioned briefly in connection with colostroma or lymphomas. A further chapter is dedicated to iatrogenic sexual disorders, in which an eight-paged detailed list of possible medical contributory factors causing sexual malfunction is presented. Unfortunately, it is not mentioned how this combination of information has been obtained, although the frequency of this malfunction is described. It is therefore not distinguishable whether the information relates to dermatological examinations, case reports or mere suggestion. The effects of radiotherapy are seen exclusively from a biological point of view. Fertility malfunction of both sexes are briefly discussed in the next chapter. The following section entitled ‘Sexual Consultation Practice’ on the other hand indicates the great experience of the authors in this area. The description of consultations, the meaning of various tests and the differences between physiological and psychodynamic development are most useful to the reader. A somatic approach for treatment of sexual malfunction is incorporated into the next chapter, whereby an improvement of sensory organ function of the body can be achieved. Unfortunately, only the successful treatments have been presented here. Sufficient information on unsuccessful operations and giving patients misleading information regarding possible improvement is lacking. In the subsequent chapter, the psychotherapeutic aspects of coping with illness are discussed, demonstrating that, in the therapy of sexual malfunction, the partner plays an important and relevant role. Some final data about self-help groups and the possibility of sperm preservation are extremely useful. Such combinations are often searched for in vain in other comparable books. In summary, this book is not necessarily meant as a hand book, but is rather a report about the status quo. Surgeons and oncologists, who see the exclusively technical aspect of tumour treatments, should, however, always have this book at hand for reference, which enables them to follow the results of their treatment more adequately. W. Krause, Marburg