This volume is the work product of an international group of authors who are experienced in the field of musculoskeletal allografts. The chapters are written by experts in many differing areas of allografting and represents the current knowledge in this rapidly changing dynamic field. The reconstructive community and their patients owe a significant debt of gratitude to Doctors Czitrom and Winkler for this volume. William F. Enneking, M. D. Preface What follows is the result of a timely project bringing together the newest ideas of top experts worldwide in a rapidly growing technology: Orthopaedic Allograft Surgery. The title of the book reflects a method rather than a speciality. It transgresses well established subspecialities of orthopaedic surgery such as joint replacement, oncology, spine, trauma and sports medicine. The technology encompasses knowledge of tissue banking, biology and biomechanics, both in a research and clinical sense. The common denominator for those interested is the need and ability to provide or use allogeneic tissues in orthopaedic applications. Inherent to a multiauthored text based on chapters written by authors from many parts of the world is a variety in format and style. While we tried to some extent reducing large discrepancies, there was no attempt made to eliminate dissimilar ities. We did not aim for a homogeneous textbook. Rather, we asked for originality, novelty, individuality in the presentation of data and concepts. Consequently, chapters vary in format from that seen in a scientific article to that of a descriptive essay.
