This series has now established itself as the leading publication on the multi-disciplinary subject of tissue banking. The high quality of the contributors and the broad coverage of the subject have continued in Volume 4. The material given in this volume is not presented anywhere else as systematically or as authoritatively.The essential feature in establishing confidence in the quality and safety of allografts is the manufacturing quality system utilised. This volume describes the most recent approach to good manufacturing control.Throughout the world, the old cottage approach to tissue banking is being abandoned, mainly due to the insistence by regulatory authorities that the procedures should be standardised and rigorous infection control applied. The experience in a number of countries is described in this volume, giving the reader quick access to developments in Argentina, Finland, Indonesia, Scotland and France. These represent a geographical and cultural spread of the developments.A balance needs to be struck between the use of allografts and of bone substitutes, depending on the clinical condition and the availability of grafts in a particular situation. The subject areas — such as mandibular reconstruction, spinal surgery, surgery and reconstruction of bone tumours and acetabular revision — covered in this volume demonstrate the universality of this technique. The use of allografts for the repair of knee ligaments has been and remains a controversial subject. The contributions on this subject will surely be an important and positive addition to this debate.