Upper limb unit

The Upper Limb Trauma and Orthopaedic Service at Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull Hospitals provides a comprehensive service for orthopaedic patients with shoulder, elbow, hand and wrist pathology. The multi-disciplinary team comprises of six orthopaedic consultant surgeons supported by a team of musculoskeletal radiologists, physiotherapists and hand therapists, to ensure that patients are given the highest standard of care.

Locations

We offer specialist upper limb outpatient clinics at all three sites, with the aid of our supportive and friendly clinic staff. Operating theatres and surgical procedures are also undertaken at all three sites, with each site supporting different pathways. Trauma operating is undertaken at Heartlands Hospital and Good Hope Hospital, with elective procedures carried out at Good Hope Hospital and Solihull Hospital.

Referral pathways and pathologies Treated

We accept patients from all over the region, via referrals from primary care (GP practices) and secondary care (hospital specialties). Treating a wide range of upper limb pathologies, we provide surgical and non-surgical treatment for conditions including but not limited to:

• osteoarthritis
• inflammatory arthritis (e.g. rheumatoid, psoriatic, etc.)
• upper limb fractures and dislocations
• tendon injuries
• non-union (fractures which have not healed)
• rotator cuff pathology
• frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
• shoulder instability (dislocations)
• tennis elbow
• golfer’s elbow
• joint stiffness
• entrapment neuropathies (trapped nerves) e.g. cubital or carpal tunnel syndrome
• dupuytren’s disease
• trigger finger
• hand deformities

Staying at the forefront of current techniques and innovations in orthopaedics, some of the surgical procedures we specialise in include primary and revision (re-do) shoulder and elbow replacements, as well as arthroscopic (keyhole) shoulder, elbow and wrist procedures. Most of our procedures are undertaken as day case surgery, allowing patients to return home on the same day as their operation, with close outpatient follow up.

Training and education

Our unit provides training and education for a wide range of healthcare professionals. This includes doctors of all grades, with trainee registrars from the West Midlands Deanery as well as international fellows. These doctors participate actively in patient care, as well as the ongoing development and improvement of our service. We pride ourselves in providing high quality training for the development of future clinicians and teach on wide ranging courses as faculty members outside of the trust too.

Research and ennovation

The upper limb unit at UHB has broad experience and success in wide ranging scientific publications in the field of orthopaedics. We actively participate in research studies, which are offered to patients who meet the eligibility criteria and consent to be included. This keeps us at the forefront of the field, to continually improve the care that we provide for patients. Members of our team have presented at and taught on national and international courses and conferences in the field of trauma and orthopaedics, specifically on upper limb surgery.