Firearms injuries are considered to be a "privilege" of treatment by military surgeons. It is difficult to find one book that includes all of the knowledge about injuries of the locomotor system caused by firearms, and the treatments of these injuries. This book presents the author's experience in treating more than 5,000 wounded people in the last war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Authentic images of injuries by firearms and the results of treatment are provided for better understanding of the wounds. The key to success in the treatment of these injuries is the primary surgical treatment of wounds. This includes "sterilising wounds", stabilising of broken bone with or without bone defect, treatment of nerves, and blood vessels and open joints. As a measure for stabilisation of open fractures, an external fixator was used for over 85% in the war in former Yugoslavia. The Author presents in detail his vast experience in treatment of open fractures, peace or war trauma of skin, fat, muscle, bone and open joints. He uses a clear indication of treatment in order to reach complete recovery, or a lesser degree of invalidity. He gives a detailed presentation of when and which methods of treatments should be used to treat bone defects, osteomyelitis, delayed healing, pseudoarthrosis and open joints. The Author shows that he achieves a positive clinical outcome, shorter hospital stay and reduced treatment by using these techniques and methods. This book provides instructions on how to treat the most complex open fractures of the locomotor system as to prevent complications and speed up rehabilitation, which is the most valuable to surgeons and should be available in every hospital, at any time, especially when we have in mind the global fight against terrorism.

Beside importance which this book had when published, in the war time, experiences which I incorporated into are relevant for the injuries in peace-time as well. This makes me to believe that importance and applicability of this book reaches beyond time and space of its creation.The main intention of this book was to fill in the gap in our literature on orthopedic surgery as well as to offer a comprehensive knowledge to junior colleagues in the field of bone defect management in both war- and peacetime wound.