The danger of infection remains the most serious drawback to internal fixation. Prevention, using all available prophylactic measures should be the central feature in every surgical department. Though the infection rate may remain below the acceptable level of 2 %, the infected patient derives little comfort from the large number of excellent results in other people. We must discover the best way to offer these patients a favourable prognosis. This should not be based on intuition but on clear proven guiding principles. Planning the treatment for a patient whose internal fixation has become septic must decide between steps which may have advantages or disadvan tages. The disadvantage of the presence of a foreign body must be weighed against the advantage of rigidity. The authors have taken up this challenge by planned animal experiments to study the healing of internally fixed fractures which have been infected with staphylococci. They have shown that under stable conditions, even massive infection did not destroy the healing process in cortical bone. Even under these circumstances fracture union, in the form of primary bone healing, can occur even if with less regularity than in unin fected internal fixation.

Progress in medical science, and the deeping of physician experience in general, make continuing education a fundamental obligation on the part of the practicing physician. Besides academies of advanced medical training, we feel that medical schools and uni versities offer a particularly good setting for continuing medical education. When the Hannover Medical School established West Germany's fIrst Department of Trauma Surgery in 1970, we committed ourselves to this goal and instituted the Hannover Trauma Seminars as a regional forum for continuing physician education. Made up almost entirely of our colleagues at the Trauma Surgery Clinic, the basic goal of the seminars is to review new discoveries and techniques in the fIeld of traumatology and assess their practical relevance to the physician who treats trauma victims. In addition to research, the experience ofthe Hannover School of Trauma Surgery form an important basis for seminar activities. The fIrst Trauma Seminar was held on February 2, 1972. Initially, copies ofthe proceed ings were simply distributed to all interested participants. But as attendance grew and demand for the proceedings increased, it became necessary to seek a broader form of publication. Henceforth, the Hannover Trauma Seminars will be published as part of the Topics in Traumatology series. For this we are grateful to Springer Verlag and to series editors Jorg Re~ and Leonhard Schweiberer.

This second revised and enlarged edition addresses current techniques concerned with the implementation of the AO/ASIF System in small animal orthopaedic surgery. Surgeons who have used the system over the years have now considerable knowledge and experience which they have made available in this text. The same individuals have designed and modified special implants which are now available to the Small Animal Orthopaedic Surgeon. Sections have been added or modified concerned with severe trauma, implant removal and a system for recording fracture type and treatment. The book will serve to inform the experienced surgeon of the current situation, and at the same time it is still a basic text for the newcomer to veterinary small animal orthopaedics in general and the AO/ASIF system in particular.

Offers a long-awaited Second Edition of this comprehensive, state-of-the-art reference for fracture repair in horses The Second Edition of Equine Fracture Repair has been thoroughly revised and updated to present the most current information on fracture repair in horses. Written to be accessible, the text is logically arranged, presenting the most authoritative information on equine fracture repair with explanations of the expected outcomes. The book provides valuable insight as to whether a fracture should be repaired, the degree of difficulty of the procedure, and a wealth of practical information on surgical techniques. This fully revised Second Edition offers a valuable tool for veterinarians making clinical decisions when faced with horse fractures, covering emergency care and splinting, the most current innovative techniques in equine fracture repair, and new implant systems. With contributions from leading experts in the field, the revised edition continues to be the essential reference to the subject. This essential resource: Offers a revised edition of the most comprehensive reference on the repair of fracture in horses, with complete information on patient assessment, emergency splinting and casting, and guidance in treatment choices Includes contributions from leading experts in the field Presents information organized by fracture type for quick access Provides valuable outcome assessment with helpful discussions of the degree of difficulty to aid in case management, incorporating information on the newest techniques and implant systems Concludes with extensive information on the identification and management of complications associated with fractures and repair methods This revised and updated edition of Equine Fracture Repair continues to provide a comprehensive resource for understanding the most effective and current techniques available for the treatment of fractures in horses.

Orthofix External Fixation in Trauma and Orthopaedics provides the scientific basis behind the success of the Orthofix system of external fixators, which are now widely used throughout the world. These devices are used in the treatment of serious fractures, limb lengthening and limb reconstruction. This book covers comprehensively the wide range of scenarios in which such devices can be used. Each topic is dealt with by the appropriate international expert in the field. Orthofix External Fixation in Trauma and Orthopaedics should be read by all those involved in elective or traumatic orthopaedics.

Advanced Techniques in Bone Regeneration is a book that brings together over 15 chapters, written by leading practitioners and researchers, of the latest advances in the area, including surgical techniques, new discoveries, and promising methods involving biomaterials and tissue engineering. This book is intended for all who work in the treatment of disorders involving problems with the regeneration of bone tissue, are doctors or dentists, as well as are researchers and teachers involved in this exciting field of scientific knowledge.

Fully updated new edition covering all aspects of bone and joint diseases in one easily readable volume. Color illustrations throughout.

A review of the role of diet in the development and maintenance of bone health throughout the lifecycle and prevention of osteoporosis in later life, this reference includes key areas such as epidemiology, genetics and the impact of non-nutritional exogenous factors influencing the skeleton.

This book discusses the emergency management of orthopaedic injuries. Beginning with an introduction to fractures and dislocations, topics include orthopaedic infections, open fractures, long bone fractures, acute spinal injuries and hand injuries. Additional chapters discuss injuries stemming from gunshots and both natural and man-made disasters. Differences in prehospital care for orthopaedic trauma in developed versus developing countries are examined, as are the different aspects of first aid treatment at the roadside versus emergency treatment in the casualty room.