Top hand surgeon joins UCI

Dr. Neil Jones leads effort to build nationally ranked program

Irvine, Calif., July 2008

One of the nation’s most acclaimed hand surgeons has joined UC Irvine Healthcare to start the Center for Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery.

Dr. Neil Jones comes to UCI from the renowned UCLA Hand Center where he was director for 15 years. He serves as an orthopedic surgery professor with a second affiliation with Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

“Our goal is to build a world-class hand-surgery center with some of the best clinical, research and training programs in the country,” Jones said. “With the support of UCI Healthcare and the talented doctors and staff here in orthopedic surgery, I’m certain we can do it.”

The center will provide comprehensive diagnosis, surgical treatment and rehabilitation for patients with fractures and nerve and tendon injuries involving the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder, as well as chronic problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis.

Jones will oversee hand-surgery and microsurgery services, and Dr. Ranjan Gupta, the orthopedic surgery chair, will oversee shoulder-surgery services. A doctor to manage elbow-treatment services is being recruited.

In addition, the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is establishing two fellowship training positions in hand and upper-extremity surgery and in microsurgery, which Jones expects to be among the most coveted positions of their kind in the nation.

“Dr. Jones’ experience developing UCLA’s successful hand center and his considerable expertise both as a hand surgeon and microsurgeon, will help make UCI an important center for orthopedic care and education,” Gupta said. “He has one of the two top pediatric hand-surgery practices in the country. He also is an unparalleled teacher, and has trained a large number of top surgeons. His impact will be immeasurable.”

In his clinical practice, Jones specializes in hand surgery and reconstructive microsurgery, with a major emphasis on nerve problems, tendon injuries, tendon transfers, arthritis, children’s hand deformities and microsurgical reconstruction of the upper extremity.

He is one of a few surgeons in the world to master complex toe-to-hand transfer procedures on children. His research has focused on limb transplantation and nerve transplantation, areas that may potentially lead to improved techniques for reconstruction of severe upper-extremity injuries. He has been recognized in the “Best Doctors in America” since 1992 and is president of the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery.

For appointments and general patient information for the Center for Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery, call 714-456-7012.