Extremity Trauma

Despite improved safety standards in the auto industry, workplace, and sports arena, extremity trauma remains a continuing problem in our active, modern society. It is interesting to note that in an 1847 survey of 2328 fracture patients admitted over 11 years at l'Hotel Dieu, Joseph-Francois Malgaigne found only 30 with more than one fracture. Today, multiple fractures for the polytraumatised patient are the norm. This treatise is an attempt to succinctly address the diagnosis of these injuries and discuss contemporary treatment rationale. The material presented should be of value to family practitioners, emergency physicians, general surgeons, and all ancillary medical personnel who are involved in the initial care, transport, and treatment of extremity injuries. Prompt diagnosis and emergent treatment of extremity trauma is crucial to the outcome. It is important to recognize the potential for associated complications and pitfalls in diagnosis. In this regard occult and/or frequently missed injuries are noted in each section. Treatment of open fractures and the early detection of neurovascular injury and compartment syndrome are addressed in separate chapters.
The interested reader is referred to a selected bibliography for an in-depth focus on areas of particular interest. This illustrated volume in Thieme's "Trauma Management" series covers the diagnosis and treatment of commonly seen fractures. Its clinically oriented text presents information on the whole body, with emphasis on both upper and lower extremities. Written by experts in the field, "Extremity Trauma" presents the priorities for the management of the patient with injuries limited to the extremities as well as multiple system injuries. It includes general assessment of the patient and the conduction of the specific examination of the injured extremity as well as principles in the management of vascular, neurologic, bony, and ligamentous injuries.