Musculoskeletal Key

The annual incidence of spinal cord injury is approximately 12,000 new cases each year in the United States. The patient’s age at the time of injury has increased over time;…

Congenital anomalies affect 1 to 3% of newborns, and approximately 10% of these children have upper extremity abnormalities. The incidence of congenital anomalies has not changed appreciably over the last…

Although the decision to operate on a nerve is usually straightforward, as in the case of an open wound or when the injury is associated with unstable orthopedic trauma or…

Anatomy and Clinical Examination Skin is made up of the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous layers ( Figure 58.1 ). The epidermis possesses the following appendages: • Eccrine glands • Apocrine…

Hands are involved in more than 80% of all severe burns. Each hand represents less than 3% of the total body surface area, but nonetheless, the American Burn Association categorizes…

Acknowledgment: I would like to thank Dr. Avrum Froimson for his superb and comprehensive chapter “Tenosynovitis” that appeared in several previous editions of this book and constituted the framework from…

Acknowledgment: I would like to acknowledge the excellent work of earlier authors who wrote and revised portions of this chapter in previous editions: Alexander C. Angeledes, Gordon B. McFarland, Jr.,…

Acknowledgment: This chapter was previously written by Dr. Andrew Koman and his associates. The author acknowledges Dr. Koman’s scientific approach to the subject and his lifelong body of research into…

The wrist has often been described as an irrelevant articulation that can be fused without causing much functional impairment to the upper extremity. Undoubtedly, patients with a fused wrist may…

Acknowledgments: I would like to give full acknowledgment to the authors of the previous version of this chapter, Dr. William B. Geissler and the late Dr. Joseph F. Slade. Their…