REVIEW
A
s a service to our readers, Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery® reviews books,
DVDs, practice management software,
and electronic media items of educational
interest to reconstructive and aesthetic sur-
geons. All items are copyrighted and available
commercially. The Journal actively solicits infor-
mation in digital format (e.g., CD-ROM and
Internet offerings) for review.
Reviewers are selected on the basis of relevant
interest. Reviews are solely the opinion of the
reviewer; they are usually published as submitted,
with only copy editing. Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery® does not endorse or recommend any
review so published. Send books, DVDs, and any
other material for consideration to: Ronald P.
Gruber, M.D., Review Editor, Plastic and Recon-
structive Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Cen-
ter, 5959 Harry Hines Boulevard, POB1, Suite
300, Dallas, Texas 75390-8820.
Ronald P. Gruber, M.D.
Review Editor
Principles of Internal Fixation of the
Craniomaxillofacial Skeleton: Trauma
and Orthognathic Surgery
Edited by Michael Ehrenfeld, Paul N. Manson, and
Joachim Prein. Pp. 412. Thieme Medical, New York, N.Y.,
2012. Price: $189.99.
S
ince its inception
in 1958, Arbeits­
gemeinschaft für
Osteosynthesefragen
(AOCMF) has been
an international, mul-
tidisciplinary leader
in the advancement
of the care of mus-
culoskeletal injuries.
The craniomaxillofa-
cial division has been
active for 40 years,
and in 2013, AOCMF
hosted 93 educational
courses and spon-
sored 50 craniofacial fellows worldwide. Principles
of Internal Fixation of the Craniomaxillofacial Skeleton:
Trauma and Orthognathic Surgery is an update to
the original AOCMF text Manual of Internal Fixa­
tion in the Craniofacial Skeleton, published in 1998.
Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
856 www.PRSJournal.com
The seven sections of this text are authored
by a group of international experts from various
specialties involved in the care of patients with
craniofacial injuries: plastic surgery, oral and
maxillofacial surgery, otolaryngology, dentistry,
research, and engineering. These experts pres-
ent an exhaustive review of the management
of fractures of the entire craniofacial skeleton
and a comprehensive overview of commonly
performed orthognathic procedures. The over-
all organization is simple and clear, with major
sections covering general aspects, mandible
fractures, midface fractures, skull/skull base
fractures, panfacial fractures, pediatric frac-
tures, and orthognathic surgery. Each major
section concludes with a useful list of references
and suggested readings from the primary source
journals. We found each chapter to be well-
organized, detailed, and presented in an easy-to-
digest format.
The introductory “general aspects” section
provides the reader with a substantial knowl-
edge base of anatomy, bone healing, hardware
design and function, and principles of cranio-
maxillofacial trauma care that is essential to
the successful care of patients with craniofacial
injuries. Each facial fracture chapter is thorough
and presented in a uniform manner, with only
rare variations to include sections of special
interest unique to a particular topic. This for-
mat not only serves to make the text a smooth,
quick read but also gives the reader the ability
to rapidly find specific information she or he is
looking for. The orthognathic section has been
nicely expanded from the original AOCMF text
and now provides a thorough overview of the
preoperative evaluation, surgical care, and post-
operative management of some commonly per-
formed orthognathic procedures. The scope of
the text has been limited to trauma and orthog-
nathic surgery; therefore, the chapters on man-
dible reconstruction after tumor extirpation and
craniofacial deformities in the original AOCMF
text have been omitted. The illustrations, radio-
graphs, and photographs are of superb quality
and increase the value of the text exponentially.
As a minor critique, more preoperative, intraop-
erative, and postoperative clinical photographs
would further enhance the text.
The expert advice found interspersed
throughout the text, particularly the “complica-
tions and pitfalls” sections found in nearly every
chapter, is clearly based on extensive experi-
ence, and is of great value to trainees and expe-
rienced practitioners alike. This text is capable
Volume 134, Number 4 • Review
of serving as a stand-alone, “go-to” reference for
an overview of the management of craniofacial
trauma and common orthognathic procedures.
We do note that AO instrumentation and hard-
ware is sold exclusively by Synthes, and all of the
hardware and instrumentation presented in the
text is from Synthes. We caution the reader to
be cognizant of this relationship and the poten-
tial effects this could have on a surgeon’s rela-
tionships with medical device companies as well
as his or her choice of instrumentation and/or
hardware. Overall, this is a thorough, well-writ-
ten, easy-to-read text, and while it will undoubt-
edly prove particularly valuable for trainees, it
should not be overlooked by experts. It will make
a valuable addition to the library of any surgeon
who cares for patients with craniofacial skeletal
injuries.
DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000000620
Thomas W. McEwan, M.D.
Arshad R. Muzaffar, M.D.
857