More than 100 well known authors from around the world contributed to this volume of new ideas and techniques for the hand surgeon. The preface states that the purpose of the book is to present "the most interesting of the stream of new developments."
The editors, who are internationally recognized for their clinical acumen and their ability to separate the wheat from the chaff, state that some of the techniques have not yet endured the rigors of long-term follow-up and may have been tried only by the authors describing them. Many of these procedures would not be considered to represent standards currently employed by hand surgeons because they have not been studied prospectively with regard to outcome.
Other chapters offer pearls for the treatment of difficult problems. Topics such as spasticity, congenital vascular anomalies, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy are covered in review articles, which describe aspects of treatment from fields other than hand surgery. Each chapter includes a comment by at least one of the editors. Additional technical tips and historical perspectives further broaden the already wide scope of the book.
This book will be useful to the hand surgeon who has sufficient experience to appreciate its subtle nuances.
Marybeth Ezaki, M.D.
Department of Orthopaedics
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital
Dallas, Texas