Skeletal Trauma in Children, 3rd ed

Skeletal Trauma in Children is a 1-volume textbook that provides a comprehensive look at the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries in children. This book, along with a growing number of other textbooks, highlights the differences in treatment of musculoskeletal trauma in the growing child as compared with adults. It is intended as a stand-alone volume to complement one of the leading orthopedic textbooks on adult musculoskeletal trauma.

For the reader interested in a comprehensive and in-depth review of pediatric trauma, including the historical aspects, this book will fall short. The editors' and authors' intent was to focus on current treatment methods, recognizing that many areas are controversial and that there are regional differences in trauma treatment. The text is broadly organized into 3 sections. The first several chapters highlight the musculoskeletal differences of children as compared with adults and how they influence trauma treatment.

The second section expands on this topic by discussing multiple and complex injuries, complications, and outcomes assessment for pediatric fractures. The main portion of the textbook is devoted to an analysis of pediatric fractures, body part by body part. Each of these chapters contains excellent and well-referenced information on pertinent anatomical considerations, evaluation, and treatment of the injuries. Most of the chapters provide information regarding techniques of treatment, which is particularly helpful to practicing orthopedic surgeons who would be using this text.

The last section includes 3 chapters dealing with nonaccidental trauma, anesthesia and analgesia for the ambulatory treatment of children's fractures, and rehabilitation principles for the child with multiple injuries. The chapters on child abuse and anesthesia and analgesia are useful for both the practicing orthopedic surgeon and primary care physicians who will see these children in an emergency department setting. Well written and well referenced, they contain many pearls for the interested reader. Although the chapter on rehabilitation is a nice addition compared with previous volumes, it focuses on spinal cord injury and nerve injury as opposed to the basic rehabilitation of children who have sustained major injuries. For the average health care professional, the information will be of limited usefulness.

This textbook is directed primarily toward the practicing general orthopedic surgeon, but it will provide an excellent overview of current techniques and issues of fracture management for the interested primary care physician who treats children's injuries. The book is filled with helpful diagrams and radiographic examples of injuries, which are often the most confusing aspect of pediatric fracture treatment for the physician.

In summary, this well-written textbook will be of most use to health care professionals who treat fractures and injuries in children. It will provide good background information to primary care physicians regarding the pathophysiologic features, evaluation, and difficulties in treatment of these injuries.