The region between the shoulder and wrist is an important part of the body, as without the upper extremity there is severe functional impairment. In many ways, such impairment is greater than the counterpart in the lower extremity; this is readily apparent by looking at the homunculus of the somato-motor regions of the brain. Realizing the societal impact of computers and the subsequent need for upper extremity use to operate such devices, one can easily imagine the impact on society. More and more people depend on and use the upper extremity for gainful and recreational purposes. The functional result of prostheses in the lower extremity is often better than that of reconstruction, but there are no equivalent products for the upper extremity. Thus, surgical reconstruction of the injured upper extremity is increasingly important—not only to patients but also to society.

Fractures of the Upper Extremity represents the culmination of outstanding work from our contributors. We have been fortunate to have some of the very best young surgeons and academicians contribute to this book. It includes chapters from both orthopedic traumatologists, who care for the majority of upper extremity injuries, and upper extremity surgeons, who focus exclusively on the upper extremity. Together, they have provided a nice spectrum of philosophies and approaches. We hope that this text will be useful to anyone involved in the care of the upper extremity, from the student to the therapist, and from the general practitioner to the cutting-edge surgeon. We would like to thank and acknowledge the numerous people who helped us organize and complete this arduous task. We also thank our teachers and mentors, who have taught us so much and allowed us to do what we do.