The Thumb: A Guide to Surgical Management

Article information

Arch Plast Surg. 2020;47(3):281-281

Publication date (electronic) : 2020 May 15

doi : https://doi.org/10.5999/aps.2020.00528

Sung-Eun Kim

Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Daegu Catholic University School of Medicine, 33 Duryugongwon-ro 17-gil, Nam-gu, Daegu 42472, Korea

Correspondence: Sung-Eun Kim Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Daegu Catholic University School of Medicine, 33 Duryugongwon-ro 17-gil, Nam-gu, Daegu 42472, Korea Tel: +82-53-650-3266 Fax: +82-53-650-4584 E-mail: fdghfg26@cu.ac.kr

Received 2020 March 26; Revised 2020 April 22; Accepted 2020 April 22.

The Thumb is a single-volume book that presents the essential knowledge needed to understand the thumb and emerging surgical techniques to resolve problems associated with diseases, anomalies, deformities, and trauma of the thumb.

The editor, Dr. Woo, is the president of W Hospital in Daegu, South Korea. Before taking on his current role, he was a professor of plastic surgery at the Medical College of Yeungnam University specializing in hand surgery and the executive director of the Korean Society for Surgery of Hand and Microsurgery. He performed the first successful hand transplant in Korea. Dr. Woo states in the preface that the surgeons who collaborated on this book are at the cutting edge of their field and are world-class in terms of their practice, research, and surgical acumen. In addition, he called them the “dream team,” composed of hardworking clinicians who carry out elective, night-time, or weekend emergency operations at a volume of over 10,000 cases a year. The passion for the hand shared by Dr. Woo and the contributors is evident in this book.

The introduction part presents the history of “making a thumb,” as well as information on the anatomy and biomechanics of the thumb. Developmental anomalies of the thumb, including duplicated thumb and secondary deformity, thumb hypoplasia, and other anomalies, are described in the second part of the book. Subsequently, the third, fourth, and fifth parts contain information on the treatment of diseases and trauma associated with bone and joint, tendon, and nerve problems. In part IV, wide-awake surgery without the use of a tourniquet or sedation is introduced. Part VI discusses the management of benign and malignant tumors of the thumb. The final part focuses on bone and soft tissue reconstruction in cases of trauma, including amputation.

Each of these topics is explained with detailed descriptions of the relevant surgical techniques, with high-quality clinical photographs as well as schematic drawing and video clips. Of particular note, in the section on developmental anomalies, various cases that are rarely encountered in resident training are introduced and the overall surgical process for handling relatively common cases is described in kind, straightforward, and helpful terms. Therefore, The Thumb will be of value not only to practicing surgeons, but also to residents and medical students.

In the preface, the author states that he dedicated his working life to helping those with developmental anomalies and those who experience trauma regain as close to 100% physical functionality as possible, as the thumb plays perhaps the most important role of all anatomical structures in his patients’ future. He wrote this book with the hope that many surgeons will share his perspectives. I have no doubt that his wish will come true as a result of this book, which reflects the fruit of his lifelong efforts.