As the synopsis suggests, 100 Hand Cases “provides a clinical write-up of 100 typical cases from two globally recognised authorities who cross over between plastic surgery and orthopaedics, the two specialties dedicated to training hand surgeons.”
This is actually a very difficult book to write, both in terms of its organisation and also in keeping it concise. For a field like hand surgery, the challenge is actually to select which case to include and which to exclude. The authors are to be commended for their efforts.
Each case is divided into: Photograph; Description of the Problem; Key Anatomy; Workup; Treatment; Alternatives; Principles; Clinical Pearls and Pitfalls; and finally Classic References. This framework should allow for a succinct but comprehensive discussion during examinations related to hand surgery.
Each case consists of only one photograph which adds to the selection dilemma. The reader who wants a before and after photograph or radiograph, with detailed surgery notes will likely be disappointed. However, the reader who is looking for an overview of the common hand cases, with distilled information and quick references will be delighted at how easily accessible the information is.
In summary, this book is not therefore intended as a textbook of hand surgery, but as a useful revision aid for hand surgery examinations, for refreshing knowledge and also as a quick reference to confirm management plans before treating the patient. For the latter, the reader must have a working knowledge of hand surgery and this book must only be an aid.
