Sub-specialization within pediatric orthopedics is growing, in part due to the development of free-standing children's hospitals and the desire by patients and their parents to have "experts" care for them. We are at the forefront of a trend in physicians classifying themselves as pediatric upper extremity surgeons. Numerous pediatric hospitals now have or are recruiting physicians to focus their practice in this area. Historically, these issues were treated by general orthopedic surgeons, adult hand surgeons, pediatric orthopedic surgeons, or plastic surgeons. However, none of these professionals treat the entirety of pediatric upper extremity pathology, and no single reference has focused on the treatment of the pediatric upper extremity as a whole. For example, fractures have typically been written about in pediatric textbooks, while tendon and nerve injuries are covered in adult hand textbooks. This textbook is a comprehensive, illustrated reference that discusses all aspects of the pediatric upper extremity, from embryology and functional development to nerve injuries, trauma, tumors, burns, sports injuries and more.
