Complete care and surgery expertise for the hand, shoulder, wrist, elbow and upper extremities, including microvascular surgery
We seem to rely on these "upper extremities" for work, play and nearly everything in between. Pain or loss of function are often annoying at best. And at worst, they can be debilitating or disabling.
You can trust that you'll receive only the highest level of care for these problems from our team of orthopaedic hand, shoulder, elbow and upper extremity surgeons and specialists at UC Davis Health, who are part of the nationally ranked UC Davis Health Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.
We're proud to be the region's largest and most experienced team in this specialty area, offering more than 80 years of combined experience treating upper-extremity conditions in patients of all ages.
Ready to treat your pain
As leaders in our field, our team includes a past president of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, the nation's oldest and largest medical specialty society devoted to the care of the hand.
Our surgeons have authored or co-authored more than 300 peer-reviewed articles in medical journals, exploring important challenges and trends in hand and upper extremity surgery. Our research is also presented both nationally and internationally at orthopedic conferences and meetings every year.
Treatment plans just for you
What's most important is how we can bring this knowledge and experience to bear on behalf of you, our patients, to help meet your goals as much as possible.
Along the way, we strive to listen closely and provide individualized care for every patient, with the goal of eliminating pain, optimizing function, and ultimately maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.
Commonly treated conditions
Some of our commonly treated conditions include:
- Upper and lower limb nerve compression injuries, traumatic injuries, and injury sequelae
- Fractures and dislocations of the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, arm, and shoulder
- Arthritis of the shoulder, thumb, hand, wrist, or elbow
- Brachial plexus injury
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Congenital hand and upper extremity differences
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
- Dupuytren’s Contracture
- Fractures of the distal radius
- Ganglion cysts and tumors of the hand and wrist
- Hand problems resulting from stroke, cerebral palsy, or spinal cord injury infections
- Radial Tunnel Syndrome
- Reconstructive microsurgery
- Replantation surgery – tendon, nerve and blood vessel injuries
- Sports-related injuries of the elbow, hand or wrist
- Tendonitis of hand, wrist or elbow
- Thumb injuries and pain
- Trigger finger
- Vascular disease or circulatory disturbances in the hand
- Work-related injuries and conditions
About our team
Our surgeons are trained to provide comprehensive care for the entire upper extremity, from the fingertip to the shoulder, as well as the brachial plexus.
All of our surgeons are board-certified and have additional certificate board qualification in surgery of the hand. Our surgeons are also highly specialized, with additional training in the areas of:
- Shoulder joint replacement and elbow joint replacement
- Brachial plexus injury
- Complex joint reconstruction
- Sports injuries
- Ilizarov surgery
- Nerve entrapment and injury
- Soft tissue loss requiring flap coverage
- Birth differences of the upper extremity
Advanced procedures
Some of the techniques and procedures we use include: wrist and elbow arthroscopy; shoulder, elbow, wrist and finger joint replacements; microvascular reconstructions of bone, muscle and skin in both upper and lower extremities; varieties of internal and external fixation for bone injuries; and nerve and tendon reconstructions and transfers.
Meet our team
Michelle A. James, M.D.
Professor
Vice Chair of Education
Interim Chief of Service
Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shriners Hospitals for Children — Northern California
Robert H. Allen, M.D.
Professor
Christopher O. Bayne, M.D.
Associate Professor
Fellowship Director for Hand, Upper Extremity, and Micro Vascular Surgery
Claire Manske, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Shriners Hospitals for Children — Northern California
Micah Sinclair, M.D.
Associate Professor