Editors:  Jesse B. Jupiter, Douglas A. Campbell, and Fiesky Nunez
Publisher:  Thieme – 510 pages, with about 2,000 illustrations, 15 videos
Book Review by: Nano Khilnani

This 2019 book was originally part of AO Manual of Hand and Wrist published in 2016. Two books resulted from that first edition, one focused on the hand, and the other on the wrist. This typically happens in publishing when knowledge expands as a consequence of advancement in technology, new discoveries, fresh expertise gathered by practitioners, and the development of insight and greater understanding from experience.

Further, much of the information contained in this book is based on actual cases, as you will see below itemized in Part II. The editors write that the case-based approach “has proven to be successful” for trainees and seasoned surgeons as well.

Detailed illustrations in this valuable manual is one of its outstanding hallmarks. Others:

  • Access to an online video library of the key wrist surgical approaches – additional information is available to you when you register your copy of this textbook online. Go to:MedOne.Thieme.com. Input the access code found by scratching off the film found on the inside front cover of this book, or scan the QR code found there.
  • Case descriptions and treatment options for a wide variety of fracture and injury types, malunions and nonunions, osteoarthritis, and postoperative complications.
  • Close to 2,000 clinical images and high-quality illustrations

This book is not only the work of the three editors whose backgrounds and qualifications we mention below at the end of this book review, but also six others named there who contributed much content – they are from Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

  • Part I – Surgical Approach
  • Approaches
    • Palmar approach to the scaphoid
    • Dorsal approach to the scaphoid
    • Combined approach to the lunate and perilunate injuries
    • Radiopalmar approach to the thumb base
    • Dorsoradial approach to the distal radius
    • Modified Henry palmar approach to the distal radius
    • Ulnar palmar approach to the distal radius
    • Dorsal approach to the distal radius
    • Extended dorsal approach to the distal radius
    • Ulnar approach to the distal ulna
  • Part II – Cases
  • Carpals
    • Scaphoid – nondisplaced fracture treated percutaneously with a headless compression screw
    • Scaphoid – displaced fracture treated with a headless compression screw
    • Scaphoid – multifragmentary fracture treated with a headless compression screw and
    • Scaphoid, proximal pole – fracture treated with a headless compression screw
    • , proximal pole – nonunion treated with a headless compression screw and bone graft
    • Scaphoid, wrist – nonunion w/deformity treated with a headless compression screw and bone graft
    • Scaphoid, proximal pole – nonunion treated with a vascularized bone graft
    • Perilunate dislocation treated with K-wires
    • Transscaphoid perilunate fracture dislocation treated with K-wires and a headless screw
    • Transtriquetral transscaphoid perilunate fracture dislocation treated with screws
    • Multiple carpal perilunate fracture dislocation and scaphocapitate syndrome treated with screws
    • Trapezium-displaced fracture treated with lag screws
  • Ulna
    • Ulnar styloid fracture treated with tension band wiring
    • Ulna, head and neck – multifragmentary fracture treated with a hook plat
  • Radius
    • Radial styloid-fracture treated with a radial column plate
    • Distal radius – dorsally displaced extraarticular fracture treated with a palmar plate
    • Distal radius – lunate facet fracture treated with a buttress plate
    • Distal radius – shearing fracture treated with a buttress plate
    • Distal radius – dorsally displaced intraarticular fracture treated with double plating
    • Distal radius – multifragmentary intraarticular fracture treated with a palmar plate
    • Distal radius – multifragmentary intraarticular fracture with defect treated a palmar plate 4.8 Distal radius – multifragmentary intraarticular fracture treated with triple plating
    • Distal radius – multifragmentary intraarticular fracture with associated scaphoid fracture treated with triple plating and screw
    • Distal radius – displaced intraarticular fracture treated with a bridge plate
    • Distal radius – radiocarpal fracture dislocation treated with double plating
  • Reconstructions and Treatment of Complications
    • Distal radius – dorsal extraarticular malunion treated with osteotomy and double plating
    • Distal radius – dorsal extraarticular malunion treated with osteotomy and plate
    • Distal radius intraarticular malunion treated with osteotomy and palmar plate
    • Distal radius – extraarticular & intraarticular malunion treated with dorsal double plating
    • Rheumatoid arthritis treated with radiolunate arthrodesis
    • Kierbock’s disease treated with total wrist  arthrodesis
    • Malunited fracture w/ assoc. ulnar abutment syndrome treated with ulnar shortening
    • Long-standing nonunion treated w/ resection of distal ulna, double plating of the radius
    • Chronic intercarpal arthritis treated with scaphoid resection and 4-corner fusion
  • Appendix
  • Further Reading
  • AO/OTA Fracture and Dislocation Classification  

The chapters present large, fine line drawings as well as full-color photos with detailed, step-by-step instructions on the surgical procedures to be undertaken. Each section is labeled, and these are the most common headings:

  • Surgical approach
  • Indications
  • Fracture pattern
  • Soft tissues
  • Skin incision
  • Wound closure
  • Video

This is an excellently illustrated, expertly explained ‘how-to’ book on managing wrist fractures.  It should be an essential component in the library of any intending or established wrist surgeon.

Editors:

Jesse B. Jupiter, MD is Hansjorg Wyss/AO is Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

Douglas A. Campbell, ChM, FRCS Ed, FRCS (Orth), FFSEM (UK) is Consultant Hand and Wrist Surgeon at Lees General Infirmary in Leeds, the United Kingdom.

Fiesky Nunez, Sr., MD is Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Others who contributed content to this book:

Diego L. Fernandez, MD
Thomas J. Fletcher, MD, FAOA, ASSH, AAOX, AOTS
Renato Fricker, MD
Juan Gonzales del Pino, MD, PhD
Zhongyu Li, MD, PhD, FAOA, FAAOS, ASSH, ASPN
Fiesky Nunez, Jr., MD, PhD