Bruce D. Browner, Jesse B. Jupiter, Alan M. Levine, Peter G. Trafton, Christian Krettek, editors. Philadelphia: Saunders-Elsevier; 2009. 2882 pages. $459.00. ISBN: 978-1-4160-2220-6.
The fourth edition of Skeletal Trauma builds on the outstanding reputation of this reference text, which was first introduced in 1992. The two-volume set of the fourth edition has a new subtitle of Basic Science, Management, and Reconstruction. The subtitle indicates the explosion of knowledge about musculoskeletal injury and reflects the emphasis the editors have placed on expanding the text to cover more than acute management of fractures, dislocations, and ligamentous injuries.
The well-known group of editors of the first three editions of Skeletal Trauma has been expanded to include a fifth editor—Christian Krettek, MD. Dr. Krettek provides a European perspective and also a new feature to the text—an interesting set of videos on topics related to trauma and reconstruction. The videos can be accessed via an included CD, or online. In fact, the entire text can now be viewed online. The online version includes the text, references, and downloadable graphics from the text. Content updates are available through a premium subscription with the publisher.
This textbook was first published in 1992 with four editors, seventy-nine authors, and fifty-three chapters. It has continued to be an excellent resource, with new editions in 1998, 2003, and now 2009. The latest edition has 133 authors and sixty-five chapters. Since the third edition, chapters on biology of soft tissue injuries, principles of nonoperative fracture treatment, and the Ilizarov method have been eliminated to make way for new content. Four chapters have been completely reconfigured, including "Biology and Enhancement of Skeletal Repair," "Pharmacologic Management of the Orthopaedic Trauma Patient," "Femoral Shaft Fractures," and "Post-Traumatic Reconstruction of the Hip Joint."
New chapters that address topics of current interest include "Locking Plates: Development, Biomechanics, and Clinical Application," "Disaster Management," "Occupational Hazards in the Treatment of Orthopaedic Trauma," and "Surgical Site Infection Prevention." The editors have also made an effort to expand the text to include new information on posttraumatic reconstruction. Several chapters are revised or new and deal with reconstruction about the shoulder, hip, and knee.
Many of the chapters that focus on specific anatomic areas have new contributing authors. The editors have maintained the clear layout of each chapter. Each anatomic area is covered completely, and each chapter flows logically. Furthermore, all of the artwork has been updated, with the addition of more color. Many radiographs and diagrams are new and are very useful in helping the reader to understand the current multitude of methods to treat fractures.
The care of the injured patient will continue to be a major focus for orthopaedic surgeons. As the population ages, the number of fragility fractures will continue to increase. The editors have taken steps to anticipate the changing nature of trauma care by adding new material on fracture-healing, the enhancement of fracture-healing, osteoporosis, and posttraumatic reconstruction. The anatomic-specific chapters continue to maintain their logical layout and excellent graphics.
The fourth edition of Skeletal Trauma builds on the preceding three excellent versions of this now classic reference textbook. It is an essential update to any reference library. Now that it is also online, the text is essentially portable anywhere and will be useful to the practicing orthopaedic surgeon as a study tool or as a quick reference.