Back to 2026 ePosters
Evaluating the Visibility and Geographic Distribution of Orthoplastic Centers for Upper Extremity Reconstruction in the United States
Jose R Segura-Bermudez, BS
1, Siam K Rezwan, BA
1, Tiancheng Zhao, BS
1, Sumun Khetpal, MD
1; Prosper Benhaim, MD
1,2(1)University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, (2)Division of Plastic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Introduction:
Orthoplastic surgery is the multidisciplinary integration of orthopedic and plastic surgical teams. It is foundational to complex upper extremity trauma care. However, the distribution, academic structure, and online visibility of orthoplastic programs in the U.S. remain undefined. This study aims to characterize orthoplastic centers involved in upper extremity reconstruction by region, online visibility, and affiliation with hand surgery training programs.
Methods:
A cross-sectional analysis was conducted across 25 U.S. medical centers, spanning the four census regions, to identify institutions that publicly advertise orthoplastic services for upper extremity reconstruction. The presence of orthopedic and plastic surgery residency programs and ACGME-accredited hand surgery fellowships was noted. Visibility scores from 0-2 were assigned based on institutional website descriptions and the apparent accessibility of orthoplastic services, defined here as the availability of information regarding dual-specialty collaboration and service integration. Regions and institutional characteristics were compared using Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-square tests.
Results:
Among the included institutions, 24 (96%) had orthopedic and plastic surgery residencies and 22 (88%) were affiliated with hand fellowship programs. Regarding visibility scores, there was significant variation (p < 0.05) among all regions: Northeast (1.71), West (1.12), Midwest (0.80), and South (0.60). Notably, only 8 (32%) centers received the highest visibility score, indicating explicit mention of orthoplastic collaboration. There was no significant relationship between visibility scores and trauma center designation (p = 0.48) or affiliation with hand fellowship (p = 0.44).
Conclusions:
Despite institutions acknowledging the importance of orthoplastic collaboration in upper limb reconstruction and trauma, most U.S. centers lack clear advertising of such implementation. This study revealed substantial variation in visibility across geographic regions, with minimal explicit interdisciplinary collaboration. Early coordination between the orthopedic and plastic surgery departments has been shown to improve functional outcomes and reduce hospital stays. Establishing national guidelines to improve visibility and standardization of orthoplastic services would help support multidisciplinary care models for upper extremity reconstruction. Therefore, future efforts to advance orthoplastic care delivery could include increased national collaboration through conferences, integration of orthoplastic principles into residency and fellowship curricula, and the development of standardized interdisciplinary care protocols. These steps would enhance the awareness and effectiveness of orthoplastic models in upper extremity reconstruction.
Back to 2026 ePosters
