Advanced expertise for common and complex adult and pediatric cases

The Department of Surgery at UC Davis Health offers a suite of outpatient surgery services and excellence in patient-centered care for elective and urgent referrals across inland Northern California

Plastic Surgery Hand and Upper Extremity Services

Our hands and upper extremities (limbs) are important tools that help us interact with the world around us. We use them every day and when they become injured or compromised, it can have a dramatic impact on our daily lives.  Our goal is to help restore the hand and upper extremities to the highest level of function possible. 

The Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at UC Davis provides a broad spectrum of treatment and surgery for disorders of the hand and wrist.  Our team of plastic and reconstructive surgeons specialize in hand and microvascular surgery and are dedicated to providing comprehensive care for a variety of injuries and pathological disorders affecting hands and upper extremities.

Beginning with your initial consultation, and concluding with your last visit, our multidisciplinary team strives to make your experience a positive one. From the simple soft tissue abnormalities to the most complex reconstruction, our surgeons approach each case individually, with a specialized plan designed to maximize the restoration of both form and function.

Our Services

We offer state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment expertise for hand, wrist and forearm maladies. These include:

  • Upper extremity trauma care– Acute management of the mangled upper extremity; fractures/dislocations of the forearm, wrist, and hand; nerve transfers; tendon transfers; brachial plexus reconstruction; revascularization and replantation; free tissue transfer; and tetraplegia management.
  • Limb-loss and amputee care– Neuroma management, targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR), regenerative peripheral nerve interface (RPNI) construction, and osseointegration (in conjunction with UC Davis Dept. of Orthopedics).
  • Peripheral nerve decompression- Endoscopic or open carpal tunnel release, cubital tunnel release, Guyon’s canal release, peroneal nerve decompression, tarsal tunnel decompression, and treatment of meralgia paresthetica.
  • Other chronic conditions – Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, Dupuytren contracture, DeQuervain tenosynovitis, trigger finger, hand and upper extremity masses, wrist and small joint arthroscopy for ligament injuries and other painful conditions of the wrist and hand, microsurgical treatment for scaphoid nonunion, Kienbock’s disease and thumb absence (toe-to thumb transfer)

Complete, multidisciplinary care

We collaborate with our colleagues in departments across UC Davis Health – including Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Neurology, Radiology, Rheumatology, Dermatology and with our regional Hanger clinics – to provide the best available care to our referred patients.

While many think plastic surgery as strictly ‘cosmetic’ in nature, hand surgery has long been an area of interest and expertise for plastic and reconstructive surgeons. At our Plastic and Reconstructive Hand and Upper Extremity Clinic, we treat hand problems related to injury, repetitive stress, nerve compression/ injury and soft tissue abnormalities. We understand that every patient presents a condition unique to them and we work to determine the best treatment to maximize hand functionality and normal appearances.

Our plastic and reconstructive surgeons work with a team of multidisciplinary physicians and other health care professionals to diagnose and identify appropriate treatment plans for patients with upper extremity peripheral nerve and brachial plexus injuries. From nerve grafting and transfers to tendon transfers to revascularization and reconstruction, our team will outline the best options for your treatment and care.

Microsurgery is a sophisticated surgical technique used to repair injured structures of all extremities, both upper and lower extremity. These include repair of nerves and blood vessels, as well as free tissue transfer techniques for the treatment of large wounds. Our Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons have advanced training in microsurgery and specialize in microsurgical procedures which utilize state-of-the-art operating microscopes and precision instrumentation to perform intricate operations. These innovative procedures include replantation of amputated digits and extremities as well as microvascular free tissue transfer.

Upper extremity trauma care

  • Acute management of the mangled upper extremity
  • Fractures/dislocations of the forearm, wrist, and hand
  • Nerve transfers
  • Tendon transfers
  • Brachial plexus reconstruction
  • Revascularization and replantation
  • Free tissue transfer
  • Tetraplegia management.

Limb-loss and amputee care

  • Neuroma management
  • Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) (link to our TMR PDF)
  • Regenerative peripheral nerve interface (RPNI) construction
  • Osseointegration (in conjunction with UC Davis Dept. of Orthopedics).

Peripheral nerve decompression

  • Endoscopic or open carpal tunnel release
  • Cubital tunnel release
  • Guyon’s canal release
  • Peroneal nerve decompression
  • Tarsal tunnel decompression
  • Treatment of meralgia paresthetica.

Other chronic conditions

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Post-traumatic arthritis
  • Dupuytren contracture
  • DeQuervain tenosynovitis
  • Trigger finger
  • Hand and upper extremity masses
  • Wrist and small joint arthroscopy for ligament injuries and other painful conditions of the wrist and hand

Microsurgical treatment for scaphoid nonunion, Kienbock’s disease and thumb absence (toe-to thumb transfer

Surgical Research

In addition to a world-class patient care, our Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons are among the leading researchers, teachers, and clinicians in the field of hand surgery. As such our surgeons strive to apply the most current technologies and they are at the forefront of research that creates these advancements. Our Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery Division’s clinical and translational research covers a significant range of areas:

RESTORe

  • Neural tissue engineering
  • Microfluidic neural modeling systems
  • Axonal sorting

PETIT

  • Multidisciplinary approach to prosthesis embodiment technologies

Large-Data analysis

  • Trends in opioid prescribing for common hand procedures
  • Risk factors for revision carpal tunnel release
  • Optimization of amyloidosis screening by tenosynovial biopsy during carpal tunnel release and trigger release surgery

Clinic hours

Mon. – Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed weekends and holidays

 

Appointments

For appointments, call 916-734-2680.
Please provide 24 hours notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment.