BONE AND JOINT SURGERY
Joint Transplantation and Arthroplasty.
—Lexer,35 in a carefully prepared and well illustrated article, reports the results of his operations of joint transplantation and of arthroplasty, and discusses the relative merits of the two procedures in the light of the experimental and clinical evidence. Reestablishment of joint function comprises both the restoration of movement and the ability to bear weight. The choice of the operative procedure, therefore, depends on whether the problem is one of repairing defects of the joint region or of doing away with ankylosis. Joint transplantation is essential for the repair of a large defect of the joint, and in addition may have a place in the treatment of ankylosis. From his own experience and that of others, Lexer believes that the half joint transplantation operation, with either autoplastic or homoplastic material, offers the hope of reestablishing function even when there is a