Any textbook of orthopedics and trauma can attempt to capture the essence of our knowledge in the diverse specialties that make up this broadest of surgical disciplines. Any claim to be comprehensive, however, is futile - indeed, the rate of publication of new materials and research exceeds the capacity of any individual to keep fully abreast. So, how are we to keep up-to-date and sufficiently informed to practice evidence-based medicine? One way is to rely on authoritative yet unbiased reviews of important questions written by authors dedicated to education of the reader; that is the purpose of this book.

Whether the reader is an established practitioner wishing to update their knowledge or a trainee wanting to brush up on current opinion before exams, this book should fit the bill. The size of the task would be prohibitive if every aspect of trauma and orthopedics was to be considered. For this reason we have selected key areas where rapid expansion in knowledge is occurring or where there is topical interest. We hope, therefore, that we have summarised a sufficiently broad range of topics to make this essential reading for orthopedic surgeons of all grades.