It is to the great and lasting credit of LORENZ BOHLER and his school that they have in the last decade developed and demonstrated so thoroughly the techniques for the conservative management of fractures. Nevertheless there have always been many, including some from BOHLER'S school, who have found considerable place for surgical management, and with the significant progress in general surgery seen in postwar years, a new stimulus has been given to this part of traumatic surgery, especially since bone injuries have become more complex and frequent. The concept of internal fixation is not new. The serious criticisms that have been levelled at it retain today their basic significance. Progress in the fields of asepsis, corrosion-free metal implants, operative experience and postoperative care has diminished the dangers but has not relieved the surgeon of responsibility. The Association for the Study of the Problems of Internal Fixation (AO) has devoted itself over a number of years to the basic principles and best methods of open treatment of fractures by means of extended clinical and scientific studies in order to determine in each individual case the most promising line of treatment. At the same time a well designed and tested instrument set has been developed with precise instructions for the appropriate techniques. As a result, the new observations about primary bone healing which have emerged from the practice of rigid internal fixation are as interesting as the uses to which they can be put in allowing early mobilization.

The second English-language edition of the Small Fragment Set Manual was enthusiastically received and quickly went into a second printing. In preparing a third edition, we found it necessary to revise the text extensively and partly restructure it. The reasons for this are numerous. Experience of recent years has brought technical refinements in the operative treatment of many types of small fracture. Many of these changes stem from the small-fragment-set training programs conducted in Switzerland since 1980, and also from courses and symposia that have been held in other European countries and the United States. These events were occasions for a fruitful ex change of experience with surgeons who were critical of our methods. As a result of this exchange, we perceived a need both to revise our indications and to give greater attention to alternative techniques. We also felt it necessary to respond to criticisms of the first two editions concerning the catalog-like instrument lists and illustrations, and the attention given to fundamental techniques. Many surgeons who work or would like to work with small implants, especially those practicing abroad, are inexperienced in operations on the larger bones. It is imperative that these colleagues be given a basic introduction to the "biomechanical thinking" of the Swiss Association for the Study of Internal Fixation (ASIF).

The Manual of INTERNAL FIXATION is well known internationally as a standard work for every specialist dealing with osteosynthesis. Due to the many changes that have taken place, an international faculty of orthopaedic surgeons and traumatologists completely revised and expanded the manual. In its third edition the manual reflects the state of the art and is the necessary reference for every AO specialist.

Part of the highly regarded Master Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery series, Fractures, Fourth Edition, is a concise, lavishly illustrated reference covering the most advanced, successful surgical techniques for fractures of the upper extremity, lower extremity, pelvis, and acetabulum—all in step-by-step detail. This fully revised edition presents the preferred techniques of surgical masters, illustrated with full-color, sequential, surgeon’s-eye view intraoperative photographs, as well as superb drawings by noted medical illustrators. New and rewritten chapters keep you fully up to date with recent changes in the field.

The German edition of our book entitled "Operative Frakturen behandlung" by M. E. MÜLLER, M. ALLGÖWER and H. WILLENEGGER (Springer, Berlin . Göttingen . Heidelberg, 1963) has been out of print now for more than three years. We are planning a new edition which will deal with the collective experience of 14,000 new cases, all treated by internal fixation, and will include the newest developments in the field of internal fixa tion. However, it will be some time before this new edition can be published. Increasing demands for a description of the AO technique of internal fixation has stimulated us to publish this manual. In it we shall describe in a comprehensive but somewhat apodictic mann er the principles and techniques of the AO methods of fracture treatment and reconstructive surgery, which in our hands, have stood the test of time. The book is written in a somewhat abbreviated style. It cor responds in subject matter to the teaching given at the AO courses in Davos, but deals with each subject more thoroughly. We have dispensed with pictures of the instruments, as these may be found in the Synthes Catalogue *. This manual should be regarded as the product of collective experiencc, containing new thoughts and new discoveries from basic research. In considering the risks of mistakes and dangers, we can only reiterate what we have already stated in "Technique of Internal Fixation of Fractures": "Open treatment of fractures is a valuable but difficult method which involves much responsibility.

This illustrated atlas provides a comprehensive monograph of femoral neck fractures. It has more than 800 representative figures, x-rays and drawings, and describes in detail non-invasive internal fixation.

In this highly illustrated book, the techniques of fracture reduction are clearly demonstrated using a step-wise approach with real time intra-operative photographs. Tips and tricks for how to avoid pitfalls are presented by a panel of experts and all upper extremity anatomical sites are included to give the readers a complete overview of how to perform reduction techniques for different fracture types. This book will be an essential guide for surgeons to utilise the available reduction instruments and preserve the vitality of the surrounding soft tissues and bone.