The current state of traumatology and orthopedics.

The efficacy of treatment for orthopedic trauma patients has improved slowly compared to advances in other areas of orthopedics, e.g., poliomyelitis, bone infection, microvascular surgery, and endoprosthetic devices. Further progress will only be possible by reappraising a number of traditional methods and opinions. In this regard, four proposals are noteworthy: (1) a transfer of attention from predominantly clinical to theoretical research; (2) clarification of terminology to enable effective computerization and development of automated search systems; (3) improvement of the quality of clinical research methodology, including the strict adherence to the requirements of statistical analysis; (4) development of quantitative estimates of locomotor system function and anatomy. A problem-oriented automated information search system and a quantitative method for assessing the anatomic and functional state of the locomotor system has been developed.