Editor: Kevin C. Chung, MD
Publisher: Elsevier Saunders – 896 pages
Book Review by: Nano Khilnani

This massive book places great emphasis on surgical procedures. As a matter of fact there are almost four times as many surgical procedures (in illustrated areas with text) as there are sections focusing on a given part of the hand or wrist. Within the 14 sections we name below you will find 93 distinct surgical procedures. To give you a broad overview of this large book, these are its 14 sections:

  1. Examination and Emergency Procedures
  2. Tendon Conditions
  3. Nerve Injury and Nerve Palsy
  4. Musculotendinous Unit Lengthening and Tendon Transfers for Spastic Conditions
  5. Reconstruction of Rheumatoid Hand Deformities
  6. Congenital Conditions
  7. Soft Tissue Coverage
  8. Hand Fractures, Dislocations, and Arthritis
  9. Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint Instability and Arthritis
  10. Wrist Arthroscopy
  11. Carpal Fractures and Ligamentous Instability
  12. Distal Radius Fractures and Distal Radioulnar Joint Repair and Reconstruction
  13. Wrist Osteoarthritis
  14. Tumors

Numerous and varied surgical procedures are presented in length and detail in this book. As a matter of fact in section 8 – Hand Fractures, Dislocations, and Arthritis – 13 different surgical procedures are discussed and shown, namely:

  • Open reduction and internal fixation of phalangeal unicondylar fractures
  • Open reduction and internal fixation of phalangeal shaft spiral or long oblique fractures
  • Open reduction and internal fixation of phalangeal shaft comminuted fractures
  • Volar plate arthroplasty for dorsal fracture-dislocations of the proximal interphalangeal joint
  • Hemi-namate arthroplasty
  • Metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joint collateral ligament avulsion fractures
  • Metacarpal neck fractures
  • Metacarpal shaft fractures
  • Percutaneous pinning of Bennett Fracture and open reduction and internal fixation of Rolando Fracture.
  • Open reduction of metacarpophalangeal joint dislocation
  • Skier’s Thumb: repair of acute thumb metacarpophalangeal joint ulnar collateral ligament injury
  • Pyrocarbon implant arthroplasty of the proximal interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints
  • Arthrodesis of finger and thumb interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints

To take a look at how material is organized and presented in the chapters, we went to Section 6 – Congenital Conditions – and examined Procedure 36 entitled Syndactyly Release.

Syndactyly is a deformity at birth in which two or more fingers have grown together on a hand. The surgeon’s job is to separate the fingers so that they can be used properly.

Procedure 36 – the surgical separation of the fingers is shown with pictures and explained in text and photo captions in pages 332 through 345. (There are also two online videos, numbered 29 and 30 that show you respectively Syndatyly Release and Skin Grafting; and Syndactyly Release with Pentagonal Flap).

The illustration of Procedure 36 begins with two headings: Indications and Examination/Imaging which provide you information and instructions. Photos of varieties of this deformity are shown. Other headings and photos of the step-by-step procedure follow.  You see where incisions are made, how flaps are designed, and other steps to be taken.

Thirty-three specialists from the United States and the Far East – Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan – contributed material to this massive textbook on operative techniques in hand and wrist surgery.

Some of the benefits of owning this book:

  • Achieve optimum results with this highly visual reference
  • Get just the information you need thanks to a new, more concise format and a user-friendly presentation
  • Watch and learn: 72 video clips show you how Dr. Chung performs key techniques
  • Know what to look for, how to proceed, and what results to expect with even more photos and illustrations demonstrating each technique and radiographs showing presenting problems and post-surgical outcomes
  • Stay up to date on the latest advances, including a greater focus on tissue transplantation topics, four new procedures on skin flaps, and additional chapters on tendon transfers
  • Search the complete content online at www.expertconsult.com and watch all the videos
  • Improve your technique and optimize outcomes with pearls and pitfalls from the authors

As indicated above, you can access the entire contents of this book online through any Internet-ready device. You can also search all Expert Consult titles you own. And link to PubMed abstracts.

If you are already registered,

  1. Login at www.expertconsult.com
  2. Scratch off grey coating on inside front cover of your book to get your Activation Code
  3. Enter that into the Add a Title box
  4. Click Activate Now
  5. Click the title under My Titles

If you are a first-time user,

Register

Activate your book

  • Scratch off grey coating on inside front cover of your book to get your Activation Code
  • Enter it into the Enter Activation Code box
  • Click Activate Now
  • Click the title under My Titles

Once you are online you will be able to view 72 videos of procedures. Indeed, this is one of the greatest benefits to buyers of this book: learn by watching and emulating. As these operations are performed accurately and repeatedly, you learn more and more and your repeated practice can make you a skillful surgeon of the hand and wrist!

Editor:
Kevin C. Chung, MD, MS is Charles B.G. de Nancrede, MD Professor in the Section of Plastic Surgery in the Department of Surgery; Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs; and Associate Director of Global REACH at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Contributors:
Naveen K. Ahuja, MD
Randy R. Bindra, MD, FRCS
John T. Capo, MD
Louis W. Catalano III, MD
Winston Y.C. Chew, FRCS
Kevin C. Chung, MD, MS
Brent M. Egeland, MD
Safi R. Faruqui, DO
Ramces Francisco, MD
William B, Geissler, MD
Jeffrey A. Greenberg, MD, MS
Harry A. Hoyen, MD
Christopher M. Jones, MD
Jesse B. Jupiter, MD
Jeffrey N. Lawton, MD
Pao-Yuan Lin, MD
Patrick J. Messerschmitt, MD
Akio Minami, MD, PhD
Yoshitaka Minamikawa, MD
Makoto Motomiya, MD, PhD
Shimpei Ono, MD, PhD
Jessica H. Peelman, MD
Douglas Sammer, MD
Sandeep J. Sebastin, MCH (Plastic)
Micah K. Sinclair, MD
Peter J. Stern, MD
Nathan S. Taylor, MD
Lam-Chuan Tech, FRCS
Christoper J. Utz, MD
Jennifer Waljee, MD
Daniel C.M. Williams, MD
Joyce M. Wilson, MD
Linda J. Yang, MD, PhD