Two major factors in the recovery of digital nerve function are patient's age and mechanism of injury. Having in mind the limited degree of recovery, the patient should be precisely informed preoperatively on the nature of injury and realistically expected results.

The history of orthopedics in Serbia is related to a hand x-ray made in 1905 by dr. Nikola Krstić. The first orthopedic word was founded in 1919, to be enlarged into a full-fledged orthopedic surgical ward of the General State Hospital in 1932. Until 1941, the ward headed by Dr. Nikola Krstić. The Orthopedics course was headed by Dr. Borivoje Gradojević, who also wrote the first textbook in our country in 1934. In 1947, the ward became the Clinic for Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology in Belgrade which is the orthopedic basis of Serbia, together with the Special Orthopedic Surgery Hospital Banjica, even today.

Originally the main idea was to obtain a stable patella, i.e., to stabilize the "slipping patella". In the past many conditions like patella alta, ligamentous laxity, PF bone hypoplasia, weakness of the quadriceps muscle, genu valgum or genu recurvatum were thought to predispose to patellar instability. For a long period muscle exercises were instituted to strengthen the weak m.vastus medialis and to make vastus lateralis stronger. This pulls the patella laterally, especially during running or jumping, when lateral luxation of the patella occurs. Muscle imbalance as well as anatomical abnormalities are the basis both for patellar instabilities and reasonable surgical procedures were: proximal extensor mechanism realignment, proximal capsular reefing, patellar tendon splitting and its medial transfer. On the other hand bone procedures on the hypoplastic lateral femoral condyle were also performed by Albee, as well as tibial tubercle transfer and trochleoplasty by deepening of the trochlea (Dejour). An understanding of the pathoanatomic basis is the corner stone for

Failure of therapy response in CRPS should alert the clinican to check for associated compressive neuropathy. Detection of this complication can prevent further damage of the nerve, hasten recovery of CRPS, and prevent eventual permanent disability of the hand.

Although described as early as in 1882, the fracture of the metacarpal bone basis is still a therapeutic challenge for first orthopedic surgeons. Several non-operative and operative methods in the treatment of this fracture have been described. The goal of this paper is to analyze nonoperatively treated patients with Bennett's fracture. A group of 50 patients of both sexes, with the fracture of the first metacarpal bone basis fractures and with the average follow-up of 9 (6-13) years, has been analyzed. After an orthopedic reposition, immobilization lasting 5 weeks was applied, followed by a physical therapy in the duration of 4 to 8 weeks. Numerically, according to Steel, both the subjective and objective state of the hand, as well as an x-ray finding, were assessed. The total hand function was excellent and good in 42 patients, satisfactory in 8, and none of the patients had unsatisfactory function of the hand. Regardless of present degenerative changes, the function of the hand was good, especially if reposition with fragment dislocation less than 2 mm was achieved.