Great resoure for clinicians, teachers and students

Sobotta Atlas of Anatomy, Paulsen and Waschke, 16th ed., Elsevier is a beautiful atlas, which is arguably one of the most elegantly illustrated anatomical atlases of all time, next to Rauber/Kopsch, Sinelnikov’s and Netter’s. This atlas comprises three volumes, i.e. one covering general anatomy and musculoskeletal system, one devoted to internal organs and one covering head, neck and neuroanatomy. These three volumes contain superb illustrations as well as useful clinical remarks. This atlas was a useful source of information about human anatomy for many generations of medical doctors. For over ten years, I have been teaching medical students using this atlas. Although the atlas is well organized and well worked, several modifications can enhance the book’s value as a teaching tool. For example, (1) the parietal bone, the ethmoid bone, the inferior nasal concha and the palatine bone (especially those, but maybe also the vomer, the nasal bone and the lacrimal bone etc.) should be shown as isolated bones. From an educational standpoint, this is the major deficiency of this atlas. When I discuss these bones during anatomy classes for medical students, I always go upstairs to bring other standard atlases such as Sinelnikov’s because there are no clear pictures of these bones in Sobotta’s. When my students compare those pictures from Sinelnikov’s and those from Sobotta’s, they become slightly disappointed and they understand that Sinelnikov’s is a much better atlas of osteology, myology and neuroanatomy. Adding illustrations of the ethmoid bone as an isolated bone to Sobotta’s would substantially improve the quality of this atlas. Further, (2) not all descriptions are complete and impeccable. For example, Inion is neither an area around the external occipital protuberance (Inion is always encircled in Sobotta’s) nor a synonym of this protuberance. Inion is a point at which the superior nuchal lines merge in the midline of the external surface of the occipital squama. In living individuals, Inion lies on the most prominent point of this protuberance when the head is adjusted to the Frankfort plane. In osteology, Inion is the point that crosses a tangent to the upper convexities of the superior nuchal lines. At this point, the superior nuchal lines merge with the external occipital crest (Broca’s definition). This should be better illustrated in this atlas. Figures and Table about Face (on page 7) should be improved. For example, Subnasale (sn) is located at the junction of the lower margin of the columella and the upper part of the philtrum. Stomion (sto), also stomium? (I am not sure, I am sure that “st” stands for Stephanion, which is another important point), and sto is located on the anterior aspect of the rima oris, at the point at which it is crossed by the midline plane, and so forth. Interestingly, lines defining Labium superius and Labium inferius, as shown on Fig.8.123, are misleading as they suggest that Labium superius and Labium inferius are confined to rubrum labiale labii superioris and inferioris, which is not true. These relatively small revisions and corrections could help improve the quality of this great atlas.

The students have a whole module dedicated to the muscles within the body and how they relate to movement. This book with help them significant as they have so many to remember. The information on origin and insertion is very good. As well as the movements each muscle elicits.