The evolution of the hyperspecialization in surgery led to hand surgeons, shoulder surgeons, and elbow surgeons, but within the recent decade, upper limb surgeons trained and worked as complete upper limb practitioners. This issue provides the compilation of recent anatomical studies that are relevant in this field of such a clinical activity.

It is well known that anatomical variations are of paramount clinical importance in the hand and forearm: this is the reason why articles about tendinous, muscular, arterial and bony variations have been placed ahead, as well as the possibilities of associations of arterial and musculotendinous unusual aspects. The knowledge of such variations will warrant a higher safety for the hand surgery, both in degenerative and traumatic conditions.

The actual increased interest for the elbow surgery, and the development of the elbow prosthesis, highlights the importance of the proximal radio-ulnar joint, that will need to be adequately restored or replaced for recovering a good range of motion in pronation and supination that are major functional aspects of the use of the hand.

The shoulder is also concerned by these anatomical bases of medical and surgical practices, in cases of trauma and nervous chronic injuries. Finally, attention must also be paid to the scapulothoracic space, too much often overlooked.

We wish you an interesting reading

F Duparc and B Grignon