The present volume is concerned with bone surgery in the area of the facial skeleton. We find this branch of maxillofacial surgery espe- cially challenging because in our work within the Surgical Depart- ment of the University of Basle, we are constantly being confronted with the principles of internal fixation - in the care of poly- 1 traumatized patients, in organizing joint AO-ASIF courses or dur- ing trauma conferences. The problems of fracture disease and the unpleasant sequelae of unanatomical healing are by no means alien to maxillofacial surgery. Our main aim is to broaden our...