"The powerful and gripping story of one doctor''s battle to save the life of a severely burned child. . . . It is medicine practiced at its purest and most noble, and all told in a prose that is easily understood."--Richard Selzer, author of The Whistlers'' Room
(Richard Selzer 20050203)
"This book is a must for anyone interested in protecting the body from foreign organisms and, in many instances, itself."--Jamie Talan, science writer, Newsday
(Jamie Talan 20050203)
"Kevin Tracey tells a very compelling scientific detective story about how the body can destroy itself when an infection gets out of control and causes septic shock or sepsis. He describes with emotional intensity a path of discovery that is leading to new treatments based upon a new understanding of what goes wrong in the body."--Bruce S. McEwen, Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University
(Bruce S. McEwen 20050203)
"This book is one that everyone interested in both mind-body connection and the nature of medical discoveries should read and enjoy."--Christopher T. Walsh, Harvard Medical School
(Christopher T. Walsh 20050203)
"This is a book about the scientific process: how it unravels unknowns, often with totally unanticipated findings, and how it provides totally new and beautiful approaches to prevalent ills."--Ralph Steinman, The Rockefeller University
(Ralph Steinman 20050504)
"Read it for an intimate glimpse into the thought patterns of a top-level physician researcher, for the brilliance of the science, for a better understanding of the mechanisms that affect all of us when we fall sick, or simply for the pleasure of the story."--Shaw Warren, Infectious Disease Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital
(Shaw Warren 20050701)
"I enjoyed reading Fatal Sequence very much; indeed, I had great difficulty putting it down. . . . Tracey is among the giants in sepsis research. . . . Tracey persuasively distinguishes between severe sepsis and septic shock . . . . I recommend Fatal Sequence to all involved in the care of patients with sepsis and to patients'' families."--Robert F. Wilson, Journal of the American Medical Association
(
Journal of the American Medical Association 20050405)
"Here is the inside scoop on the discovery of tumor necrosis factor and high mobility group proteins, with an ever-convincing argument for the cytokine theory of disease."--Jerry J. Zimmerman, Critical Care Medicine
(Jerry J. Zimmerman
Critical Care Medicine 20061201)
"The complete story of his unforgettable patient and the medical mystery surrounding severe sepsis."--New Scientist
(
New Scientist )
"As a clinician and a highly regarded scientist, Tracey has done a beautiful job in helping us to understand the tremendous challenges of sepsis and the toll this condition exacts on patients, their families, and caregivers."--Journal of Clinical Investigation
(Peter A. Ward, MD
Journal of Clinical Investigation )
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
The human body is capable of killing itself for little apparent reason, and it happens often enough to rank as the third most common cause of death in the United States today. Kevin Tracey, a neurosurgeon, immunologist, and highly regarded scientist, offers in Fatal Sequence an easily understandable account of the medical and scientific "perfect storm" that is severe sepsis, the medical crisis that can descend on patients fighting off even seemingly nonfatal illness or injury. Severe sepsis killed "Muppets" creator Jim Henson, who had been hospitalized for pneumonia, and took the life of Christopher Reeve, who was being treated for pressure sores of the skin.
Fatal Sequence tells the story of Janice, a one-year-old who arrives in the emergency room, burned by boiling water after she crawled behind her unsuspecting grandmother as she turned from the stove. She survives the night, but the following morning is only the beginning of her long and intense battle against severe sepsis, as her body attacks itself. Tracey, who cared for the girl during her four weeks in intensive care, draws on her case to vividly illustrate why sepsis happens, in a sensitive, suspenseful story that renders cutting-edge science human, accessible, and unforgettable.
