Division of Hand & Upper Extremity & Microvascular Surgery

The Hand and Upper Extremity Division conducts expert surgery for common and uncommon ailments from the elbow to the fingers. Our hand surgeons specialize in trauma, advanced reconstruction, nerve and microvascular surgery, degenerative osteoarthritis and rheumatoid conditions. The team includes four board-certified orthopaedic surgeons, each with highly respected sub-specialty training in Hand, Upper Extremity, and Microvascular Surgery and a Certificate of Added Qualification in Surgery of the Hand. We also conduct dedicated education and research, such as investigations aimed to advance novel reconstructive techniques, including regenerative medicine and cartilage transplantation. Our commitment to medical excellence includes international outreach for medical education, technical skills programs and clinical care abroad, all while we continue to provide leading hand surgical care to patients here in San Diego.

Each member of our division provides care for all upper extremity pathology from the elbow to the fingers.

Lorenzo Pacelli, MD (Division Head)

Mike Botte, MD

Jake Hamer, MD

Michael Thompson, MD

Kalpit Shah, MD

Featured Services

  • Carpal tunnel surgery

  • Minimally invasive/arthroscopic surgery

  • Wrist arthroscopy

  • Tendon transfer surgery

  • Reconstructive elbow surgery, including UCL reconstruction (“Tommy John surgery”)

  • Total elbow replacement

  • Tennis elbow surgery

  • Replantation

  • Hand plastic surgery

Recognitions & Awards

  • Our Members have authored numerous scholarly publications including text books, book chapters, and peer review articles and have presented at national and international meetings

  • Our surgeons are leaders in Orthopaedic and Hand specialty societies

  • Our team members include an invited examiner for the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery