Graham J. W. King - Arthroplasty of the Upper Extremity: A Clinical Guide from Elbow to Fingers

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Arthritis of the upper extremity often results in significant pain and disability. Arthroplasty of the arthritic elbow, wrist, and hand relieves pain, preserves motion, and improves function. While the experience in upper extremity arthroplasty is less extensive than those of the hip and knee, when successful, these procedures can be very rewarding for patients. The aim of this book is to guide practicing upper extremity surgeons, trainees, and therapists on the contemporary arthroplasty management of arthritis of the elbow, wrist, and hand.

The genesis of this book dates back to 2018. We were invited by the program chairs of The American Society for Surgery of the Hand Annual Meeting to co-chair a pre-course titled Arthroplasty: Elbow to Fingertips. We divided each joint into three parts: (1) design considerations, (2) primary arthroplasty, and (3) revision/failed arthroplasty. We invited national and international experts to participate and were delighted at their positive responses and enthusiasm for this endeavor.

The pre-course was a great success and sparked the interest of the representatives from Springer to create a book related to this subject matter. Given the success we experienced with the pre-course, it made sense to have the book mirror the same outline. Thankfully, most of the meeting presenters were able to contribute chapters. Countless hours of effort from the authors have been put into the making of this book. We are greatly indebted to them and sincerely appreciate their sacrificing time from family and work obligations to share their expertise and experience.

Having a book dedicated to arthroplasty of the elbow, wrist, and hand is unprecedented and should prove very useful to upper extremity surgeons. In addition, the structure of the chapters with sections for each anatomic region will be efficient for the reader. The design considerations chapters will reinforce the underlying pathology and provide a greater understanding of the thought processes related to rationale and development of implants. It is our hope that this will inspire further creativity and insights to advance the designs of current implants. The primary arthroplasty chapters will guide surgeons on the current indications, technique, and outcomes of primary joint arthroplasty. The revision/failed chapters should help guide the reader through the often difficult and challenging options associated with treating patients who have failed primary arthroplasty.

We sincerely appreciate the invitation from Springer to lead this effort and for their support throughout these past 2 years. We would like to especially thank Ms. Abha Krishnan for her steady support and stewardship through this entire process.

Finally, to our devoted families, who have quietly and lovingly supported us through this (and many) academic endeavors, we are eternally grateful. Your love and support inspire us and have made this possible.

Arthroplasty of the upper extremity remains considerably less developed than that of the knee and hip due to the perceived lack of opportunities for manufacturers, limiting investment in research and development. Arthritis and disorders of the upper limb are very common and are major causes of disability and loss of function for daily activities, work, and sports. There have been significant advances in upper extremity joint arthroplasty in recent years; however, there continues to be an unmet need for patients who could benefit from reliable and durable implants. This project began as an idea to highlight the advances in arthroplasty of the upper limb and to serve as a basis for future work.

A total of 52 authors volunteered their time to contribute to this book. Each is an acknowledged expert in their area of subspecialty. We express our deepest appreciation to all the authors who provided their expertise. We would also like to thank the editors and the publisher for their support of this project, particularly during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is our hope that this book will be useful for those interested in advancing the surgical treatment of patients requiring upper limb joint arthroplasty.