Pediatric Hand & Nerve Surgery

Expert Care for Hand and Nerve Conditions in Children and Young Adults

At Connecticut Children’s, our Pediatric Hand & Nerve Surgery Program is led by Dr. Sonia Chaudhry, MD, FAAOS, FACS,a board-certified pediatric orthopaedic surgeon with subspecialty board certification in surgery of the hand. Dr. Chaudhry received her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in 2007 prior to her orthopaedic residency at the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases.  Upon graduation in 2012, she went on to a pediatric orthopaedic fellowship at the prestigious Hospital for Sick Children before joining Connecticut Children's.  She has since additionally completed both an accredited hand fellowship at the University of Colorado and a microsurgical fellowship at Ganga Hospital through the American Foundation for Surgery of the Hand.   She holds several board positions and spearheads multi-center collaborative studies on pediatric hand injuries and congenital hand differences.  Our team specializes in diagnosing, treating, and managing a wide range of hand and nerve conditions in children, from newborns to young adults.

Conditions We Treat

We offer comprehensive care for conditions such as:

  • Benign bony and soft tissue masses: soft tissue and bone tumor diagnosis and treatment
  • Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy: Treatment for nerve injuries affecting arm movement.
  • Cerebral Palsy-Related Elbow, Wrist, and Hand Contractures: non-operative functional optimization in conjunction with our skilled therapists as well as multilevel surgical options to improve hand and arm function by addressing the nerves, tendons, and muscles
  • Congenital hand differences: includes conditions like hypoplastic thumbs, syndactyly (webbed fingers), and polydactyly (extra digits).
  • Contractures of skin, muscles, and joints: treatment with skin grafting, tendon lengthening, and joint contracture releases
  • Fractures and Injuries: Management of broken bones in the fingers, hand, wrist, and elbow.
  • Ganglion cysts: Fluid-filled bumps on a joint or a tendon
  • Nerve damage or lacerations: when a nerve is damaged, cut or torn
  • Peripheral nerve conditions: Includes nerve compression (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome) and nerve injuries requiring nerve transfers.
  • Traumatic growth arrest: when a child's growth plate is damaged from a traumatic injury 
  • Trigger finger: A condition that makes it hard to bend the finger or thumb.
  • Wrist pain: steroid injections and arthroscopic minimally-invasive surgery to reduce various causes of wrist pain.

Why Choose Connecticut Children’s For Upper Extremity Care?

Dr. Chaudhry and her team are passionate about incorporating patient and family values into decision-making.  Families can expect:

  • Specialized Expertise: Dual-trained in pediatric orthopedics and hand surgery, Dr. Chaudhry leads a skilled team dedicated to children’s needs.
  • Enhanced Options for Anesthesia: A comprehensive "Wide Awake" surgery program offered for certain patients and procedures, and Pediatric-Trained Anesthesiologists for procedures requiring general anesthesia
  • Comprehensive Team Care: We collaborate with neurosurgeons, physical therapists, and athletic trainers to provide seamless care with return to sports and hobbies as soon as possible.
  • Innovative Resources: Access to the Center for Motion Analysis to guide treatment decisions with cutting-edge technology.
     

Ava's Story

A few weeks after her 16th birthday, Ava broke her neck, resulting in her being paralyzed from the waist down. Since then, Ava has made an impact Beyond Imagination, thanks in large part to her care team and a transformative peripheral nerve surgery.

"I can push myself around," said Ava. "I can write again. I can feed myself... If it weren’t for Connecticut Children’s, none of that would’ve been possible. I am forever indebted to them."

Read Ava's Story

Our Hand & Nerve Team

Our team is led by Sonia Chaudhry, MD, FAAOS, a dual hand trained and pediatric orthopedic surgeon, and athletic trainer Patrick, Swiatek, BS, ATC, who provides same-day instruction in home exercises to help improve motion and strength. This training may supplement formal therapy, for which Connecticut Children’s also provides on-site physical and occupational therapists skilled in hand therapy close to home at convenient satellite locations. Cast and radiology technicians are also on site at each location.

A monthly combined clinic with neurosurgeon Jonathan Martin, MD, FAANS, helps streamline care for brachial plexus and other peripheral nerve conditions. The Center for Motion Analysis, with its team of engineers, therapists, and orthopedic surgeons, offers video and biomechanical evaluation of the upper extremity, including for hand and arm spasticity, to help with surgical decision-making.

Jonathan Martin, MD, FAANS

Division Head, Neurosurgery | Paul M. Kanev, MD, Endowed Chair of Pediatric Neurosurgery

Sonia Chaudhry, MD, FAAOS

Orthopedic Surgeon

Frequently Asked Questions

Congenital hand differences are conditions present at birth, such as extra fingers (polydactyly), fused fingers (syndactyly), or underdeveloped thumbs. Our team offers corrective surgeries tailored to each child’s needs.

This condition results from nerve damage during birth, causing weakness or paralysis in the arm. Our specialists perform nerve repairs and transfers to restore function.

Nerve surgery is needed when a child experiences nerve damage or compression that impacts hand or arm function. Procedures like nerve decompression or repair help restore movement and sensation.

Tendon transfer surgery moves a healthy tendon to replace a damaged one, improving movement and function in the hand or arm.

Schedule an Appointment

Connecticut Children’s is here to help your child achieve the best possible hand and nerve function.

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Patient Information