Master Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery: The Foot and Ankle

Preface

I still remember reading the second edition of Master Techniques in Foot and Ankle Surgery as a resident and fellow as I prepared for my cases on the foot and ankle service each day. I found myself ready each morning to carry out surgeries that my attendings scheduled, no matter what the calendar might have held. The vast array of types and techniques of surgery, described by leaders in the field I would later come to know, drew me to my ultimate decision to specialize in this exciting field. When Dr. Morrey and Dr. Kitaoka asked me edit the fourth edition of Master Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery , I felt honored and motivated to contribute, but knew I would need help. After all, it was their insight and hard work that brought the book to its current level. However, much has changed as the field rapidly evolves. I have leveraged expertise by colleagues from all over the world to capitalize on the latest advances in our field. While cutting edge research and data drives much of our decision-making in surgery, having a trusted col league take you through a case presents the most valuable opportunity to learn and improve patient outcomes that I know. I have chosen the subsection editors carefully for this series given their international reputation, research, and expertise: A. Holly Johnson (forefoot and MIS), Mark Drakos (sports and Achilles), Constantine A. Demetracopoulos (total ankle), Cesar de Cesar Netto (flatfoot), and John Kwon (trauma and neuromuscular disorder) have provided countless hours to create a book that will serve both as a teaching manual and reference for both trainees and experienced surgeons alike. The vast majority of chapters present new material and, in particular, even new techniques not performed at the time the last edition came out over 10 years ago. This holds true for each subsection, but especially for total ankle and minimally invasive approaches. Chapters on deformity reconstruction, bunion, and tendon/ligament reconstruction also reflect the latest advances. I am confident that in another 10 years we will all read a differ ent book as well. I have tried to balance opinions, strategies, and approaches across all techniques. For example, all current total ankle replacement prostheses have their own chapter, each highlighting positive design features along with tips and pearls from the experts that use them regularly. The same holds true for traditional versus more minimally invasive approaches. Because nothing comes easy in foot and ankle surgery, topics run from the simple to most complex. I hope that you learn as much as I have when reading these techniques, written by the masters in our field. I thank the authors for their tireless efforts despite running busy practices, spending time away from their families, and competing with other academic duties such as teaching and research. I encourage our colleagues in foot and ankle surgery to use these to update their knowledge and as a reference for the cases you perform. I am confident that those reading the chapters will likely be the next ones writing them in the coming years.

Scott Ellis, MD

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