Book excerpt: This is a practical and accessible review of neurologic critical care in the intensive care unit is single-authored and thus cohesive. The emphasis is on management in day-to-day practice. For the thoroughly updated and expanded second edition, Wijdicks has added new algorithms on outcome prediction in the specific disorders, and five chapters on the organization of the intensive care unit, acute spinal disorders, management of common postoperative neurosurgical complications, and psychosocial issues, ethics, and withdrawal of life support. For quick reference in the ICU the most useful tables and figures have been extracted and reprinted in an accompanying pocket-sized booklet.