A.J.WeilandR.S.RohdeAcute Management of Hand Injuries2009SLACK Incorporated244 Pages, $49.95 ISBN: 13 978 1 55642 853 1

Abstract

Acute Management of Hand Injuries was written by orthopedic surgeons and accomplishes its intent of being an easy-to-use, succinct quick reference for medical professionals who have not had formal hand surgery training. Its small size and affordable price ($49.95) make it easy to use as a quick bedside reference. The book is well organized into many practical sections. I particularly like the introductory section that includes many clinical pearls regarding the general evaluation of patients with urgent hand injuries and examination of the hand. The remaining sections cover specific bone and joint injuries, tendon injuries, nerve injuries, hand and wrist infections, other traumatic digit injuries, gunshot wounds, burns and frostbite. Additional value to the text is added with a brief color atlas of hand and wrist infections, as well as appendices that cover the following practical topics: commonly used splints, digital anesthetic block, tetanus quick reference guide, rabies quick reference, how to remove a tight ring, common hand infections and bite wounds, treatment of chemical burns, orthopedic abbreviations, hand examination diagram template, and motor/sensory nerve quick reference. Each individual chapter is organized into a high yield succinct format which includes mechanism of injury, evaluation, acute treatment, definitive treatment (refer to a hand specialist) and potential problems. When relevant, radiographs are included to illustrate certain injuries (such as mallet fractures). The overwhelming strength of this book is that it provides a succinct reference for a broad variety of hand complaints. As a teaching faculty in a busy emergency medicine residency, I consider this a good introductory reference book for my residents. However, its brevity is also its weakness as a teaching text. Certain diagnostic and procedural references are not explained in detail. For example, I found myself wanting more detail and illustrations for procedures such as nail removal, felon incision and drainage, and wound management for partial thickness burns of the hand. Additional features I desired included better instruction in radiograph interpretation, a few key anatomic illustrations, and better illustrations of the procedures they reference. One will definitely want to reference a procedural text for more detailed descriptions and illustrations of hand procedures. In addition, while the common hand infections and bite wounds appendix is a nice reference for likely organisms and initial antibiotic agents, it offers no alternative recommendation for penicillin allergic patients, nor gives dosages or duration of therapy. I would find myself having to reference another source, making this table of little practical value. In summary, I believe this is a valuable book for its succinctness, its organization, and scope of acute hand complaints. While it is not a detailed reference for the acute hand and requires the reader to refer to other texts for more diagnostic and procedural instruction, it is affordable, and it should find a welcome place in any emergency department reference library.