Research Information System
Springer, London/Berlin , Chur, 2018
Turkey sits at the crossroads of the East and West, between Asia and Europe.
The Ilizarov technique is a product of technology that developed in Asia and
migrated to Europe. It is therefore only fitting that a major work on the
Ilizarov method be compiled by the person who introduced the Ilizarov
method to Turkey. I first met Professor Mehmet Çakmak in 1992 in Pakistan
when we were both visiting professors. Professor Ilizarov had just died so
that this was a solemn occasion for our first meeting. I had the privilege to be
Dr. Mehmet Çakmak’s guest in Turkey. He has remained the first pioneer of
this method in Turkey and has stimulated many of his residents to pursue this
field of study. One of his most promising disciples is Dr. Mehmet Kocaoglu
who was my first Turkish fellow. It is through this friendship and collegiality
that a great cooperation has remained between myself and the Turkish orthopedic
specialists in this field. This cross-fertilization has spawned innovation
from across the Bosporus that has contributed significantly to the world
knowledge on all aspects of Ilizarov technology including limb lengthening,
deformity correction, treatment of nonunions, bone defects, and osteomyelitis
and the understanding and management of the complications of such complex
treatments. I wish to congratulate Professor Mehmet Çakmak and his
many coeditors and authors for this significant achievement, which stands as
another monument to Professor Ilizarov’s revolution in orthopedics more
than 30 years since his methodology was introduced to the West. The reader
will find this tome a great reference source to the most up-to-date understanding
and techniques associated with the Ilizarov method and device.
Florida, USA Dror Paley, MD, FRCSC