Working in a Very Small Place
| The story of Peter J. Jannetta and his work back in print | |||||||
GAINESVILLE, FL – The Trigeminal Neuralgia Association has reissued Mark L. Shelton’s classic 1989 work of nonfiction, “Working in a Very Small Place: The Making of a Neurosurgeon,” which tells the story of neurosurgical pioneer Peter J. Jannetta, MD, and his development and refinement of microvascular decompression as a treatment for cranial nerve disorders such as TN (Trigeminal Neuralgia). The book, published by WW Norton to critical praise and issued in paperback by Vintage Books in 1990, is now reissued in a handsome new printing under the auspices of TNA (Trigeminal Neuralgia Association), an organization dedicated to “improving the quality of life of TN patients through programs that empower patients to become knowledgeable about their condition and treatment options, that aid patients with chronic pain, that educate non-specialists on matters of diagnosis and treatment, and that encourage appropriate medical research.” Founded in 1990, TNA supports research, education and outreach initiatives for those with TN and related facial pain. Working in a Very Small Place was journalist Shelton’s first book, and was described by the New York Times as “an absorbing work of medical reporting” that is “fascinating to the point of being scary.” From the opening vignette of a TN sufferer driven to contemplate suicide by the prospect of a life defined by excruciating pain, to moments of high operating room drama and low softball field humor, this book takes readers along on the incredible story of Jannetta and his world changing work. Jannetta, Professor of Neurosurgery and Chairman of the TNA’s Medical Advisory Board, has developed and refined microsurgical procedures that treat a number of conditions such as TN, and has taught and lectured at medical centers around the world: the techniques he developed and refined for microvascular decompression to treat cranial nerve disorders are now standard treatments in the neurosurgical toolbox, saving thousands from suffering. The book takes readers through the life and career of Jannetta and the world of a busy academic medical center, as Shelton enjoyed unprecedented access to the operating room, the clinic, the laboratory and the world of those facing pain and those whose lives were changed by Jannetta’s techniques. Shelton, a science writer and journalist, is a former editor at Pittsburgh Magazine, and has taught writing at the University of Pittsburgh and Ohio University. The author of numerous magazine articles and another work of nonfiction, “The Next Great Thing” also published by WW Norton, he is currently in charge of public affairs at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. This reissue of Working in a Very Small Place is the third book published by TNA, which also sponsors regional and national conferences, including its 5th national conference in Orlando, Florida, November 11-14, 2004. The book is available from booksellers or through the TNA’s website at http://www.endthepain.org |
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