Hand and Upper Extremity Care

The innovative care provided by our hand and upper extremity team can help you regain functionality and a quality of life. Here’s why patients choose Ohio State for hand, arm and shoulder care:

Comprehensive Care: Our unique, collaborative program brings together physicians, surgeons and clinicians from Orthopaedics, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Occupational Therapy, Anesthesiology and Outpatient Rehabilitation Services. These professionals work as a team to quickly translate research into clinical applications, monitor patients’ progress and coordinate care.

Surgical Leadership: Ohio State’s fellowship-trained hand surgeons treat more than 1,500 patients monthly with procedures that include minimally invasive (endoscopic) carpal tunnel surgery, which uses smaller incisions and results in faster recovery. Further, through selection as a host for international traveling fellows in multiple years, the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) recognizes Ohio State as being among the elite in hand surgery.

Trauma Expertise: Designated a Level 1 Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons, Ohio State’s trauma services provide care for all levels of trauma, from the complex multiple-injury patient to isolated limb injury and fracture.

Nation’s Best: Ohio State’s rehabilitation program consistently ranks among the best in the nation. As an academic medical center, Ohio State offers comprehensive medical expertise, the most advanced technologies and treatment techniques and innovative care backed by research knowledge.

You will see one of our board-certified and fellowship-trained hand surgeons or an experienced advanced practice provider to begin the diagnostic process. This process includes a thorough history and physical exam and if indicated, diagnostic imaging such as an X-ray, which is done right in our facility during your appointment.

Your provider may order additional testing, such as an MRI, CT scan, lab testing or a nerve conduction study with electromyogram (EMG). An EMG uses tiny electrodes to send signals to your muscles and records the response. This test helps your doctor evaluate the health of your muscles and nerves and potential common nerve compression syndromes such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

We are a highly skilled group of physicians, knowledge leaders and surgical specialists dedicated to advancing the field of hand and upper extremity surgery through clinical care, innovative research and the education of tomorrow’s leaders.

We treat a wide range of conditions of the upper limb including fractures, nerve compression and lacerations, tendon injuries, joint injuries, arthritis and crush injuries. As a comprehensive center, we also provide occupational therapy services, imaging evaluation and outpatient surgery within our Hand and Upper Extremity Center.

We have extensive experience in nonoperative treatments and can help differentiate those injuries that do not need surgery but can instead be treated conservatively. Many injuries can be treated without an operation through activity modification, splinting, corticosteroid injections or occupational therapy.

If it is determined that your injury would be best treated with surgery, we utilize the most advanced, minimally invasive techniques. Our hand surgeons are trained to perform revision surgery and complex and technically challenging operations.