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Hand and Upper Extremity Rehabilitation: A Practical Guide, ed 3

Burke SL, Higgins JP, McClinton MA, et al, eds. St Louis, MO 63146, Elsevier, 2006, paperback, 762 pp, illus, ISBN: 0-443-06663-9, $69.95.

Approximately 50 authors, including surgeons and therapists from the Curtis National Hand Center, have contributed to this third edition. Each chapter is organized similarly, beginning with a description of the condition or diagnosis, followed by the purpose and goals of treatment, indications and precautions, therapeutic treatment guidelines, complications, evaluation time-line, and clinical outcomes. The content of each chapter is presented primarily in outline format; and, although this format deviates from the more traditional narrative, it is helpful for those who want to utilize the text as a clinical treatment guide. It is an efficient method to dispense the wealth of information contained within this book.

The list of topics covered in this book is comprehensive. There are 59 chapters, organized into 8 parts. Part 1, "Wound Management," covers wound care, skin grafts and flaps, and burns and scar management. Part 2 addresses nerve injuries, including median, ulnar, and radial nerve compression; thoracic outlet syndrome; brachial plexus injuries; nerve repair; tendon transfers for median, ulnar, and radial nerve palsies; complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS); sensibility testing; and desensitization and reeducation. Part 3, "Tendon Injuries," includes the topics of flexor and extensor tendon repair, tenolysis, tendon reconstruction, and extensor tendon imbalances. Part 4, "Shoulder," covers tendonitis, rotator cuff repairs, glenohumeral instability, humeral fractures, and shoulder arthroplasty.

Part 5, "Elbow," includes chapters on epicondylitis, fractures and dislocations, arthroscopy, and arthroplasty. Part 6, "Wrist and Distal Radial Ulnar Joint," addresses tendinopathies, carpal fractures and instabilities, triangular fibrocartilage injuries, external and internal fixation of distal radius fractures, ulnar head resection, proximal row carpectomy, arthros-copy, wrist arthroplasty, and arthrodesis. Part 7, "Hand," covers the topics of Dupuytren disease, ligament injuries, fractures, capsulectomy, amputation, replantation, arthroplasty, and arthrodesis. The last part, "Special Topics," devotes chapters to the following topics: conservative management of arthritis, congenital differences in the upper extremity, the performing artist, industrial rehabilitation, injuries of the athlete, management of amputations, and evidence-based practice in hand therapy. With few exceptions, these chapters are comprehensive in their depth of coverage as related to rehabilitation guidelines for the upper extremity.

As a whole, the information contained within this book is current and up to date. The contents are well referenced and include current citations from primary, peer-reviewed sources. Each chapter concludes with a summary of related clinical outcomes research, providing clinicians with an appreciation for rehabilitation expectations, or, in some instances, an appreciation for where further research is needed. Throughout the book, there are many illustrations and photographs, along with several tables and appendixes, which may be used to effectively clarify concepts and descriptions contained within the text.

This book is particularly relevant for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who seek specific treatment guidelines related to rehabilitation of the upper extremity. This work may also serve as a valuable resource in preparation for the Certified Hand Therapist examination. However, clinicians considering this book as an addition to their collection should be aware that the focus is primarily on therapeutic treatment of the hand and upper extremity, and includes minimal or no information on clinical evaluative procedures and differential diagnosis regarding the upper extremity. On a related note, the index lists only a few special tests and does not list the majority of the tests contained within certain chapters, which include a comprehensive evaluation scheme. As such, this book is not suggested for clinicians looking for a guide that focuses on, or includes, clinical examination procedures for the hand or upper extremity.

Janet Palmatier, PT, MHS, CHT

Sensia Healthcare
Milwaukee, Wis
Palmatier is a staff physical therapist and specializes in managing patients with occupation-related upper-extremity injuries

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