This book is designed to meet the continued need to re-learn the principles of treatment of complex war injuries to the extremities in order to minimize post-traumatic and post-treatment complications and optimize functional recovery. Most of the chapters are based on the unique experience gained in the treatment of military personnel who have suffered modern combat trauma and civilian victims of terror attacks at a single, large level 1 trauma center. The remaining chapters present the experience of leading international authorities in trauma and reconstructive surgery. A staged treatment protocol is presented, ranging from primary damage control through to definitive functional limb reconstruction. The organization of medical aid, anesthesiology, diagnostic imaging, infection prophylaxis, and management of complications are reviewed, and a special chapter is devoted to the challenging dilemma of limb salvage versus amputation in the treatment of limbs at risk.

Organization of urgent medical aid, including mass casualty and triage

Wound ballistics
Damage Control
Crush injury to limbs
Anesthesiology in emergency patients
Hemotransfusion in combat trauma
Diagnostic imaging in combat trauma
Soft tissue debridement
Primary fracture stabilization
Prophylaxis of wound infections after combat trauma
Vascular trauma to limbs
Peripheral nerve injury
Plastic coverage of soft tissue defects
Definitive bone reconstruction using internal fixation methods
Definitive bone reconstruction using external fixation, including management of the severe bone loss
Hand injuries
Foot surgery
Limb salvage versus amputation: The dilemma
Amputation
Complications: delayed unions, nonunions
Osteomyelitis
Pain treatment.