The orthopaedic ward can be a challenging location for the surgical house officer and resident trainee. The responsibilities of trauma care and elective preparation of patients for major surgery make differing demands on a doctor's knowledge and speed of response. The situation is not helped by the impressive range of co-morbidity seen in many orthopaedic patients or the increasing tendency for out-of-hours ward cover to be provided by house officers working 'off their patch.' In this book, the authors have attempted to provide a practical working guide to the most important peri-operative issues and medical problems found on the day-to-day ward management of these patients.

Although aimed at medical students, orthopedic and surgical residents and foundation year pre-registration house officers, the style and content of the book will also appeal to senior medical students and senior house officers, and junior doctors in the acute specialties. TOC:Basic considerations: Who are the patients. Elective and trauma. Classification of elective procedures and injuries.- Being prepared - the ward round, operative preparation and consent.- Peri-operative investigations: haematology, cross match, biochemistry, ECG, etc.- Radiology - routine requests, CT and MRI.- Thromboprophylaxis - including spinal / epidural considerations.- Peri-operative fasting - post-operative fluid and electrolyte balance.- Wounds, plasters, casts, drains and tubes.- Problems: Recognising the sick patient.- The confused patient.- Infected and immunocompromised patients.- Compartment syndrome.- Fat embolism.- DVT and pulmonary embolism.- Death certification and the coroner.