Book excerpt: This book is part of the series Core Knowledge in Orthopaedics, designed to meet needs expressed by residents for a relatively brief, affordable reference that will enable them to quickly grasp the key concepts and core knowledge needed on each major service within an orthopaedics training program. Brief outlines present need-to-know information and up-to-date content, reflecting the core knowledge involved in techniques used to reconstruct, repair and regenerate bone, soft tissue, nerves, tendons, and more The field of hand surgery was identified as the area in which residents felt the greatest need for a concise volume that would guide them through their clinical service. The title in the series provides concise, clinically practical coverage of the broad range of disorders of the hand and upper extremities Dr. Trumble is a member of the Council of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and lectures consistently at meetings of ASSH and at the Hand Society Specialty Day presentations for American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons.