Newsroom Hospital for Special Surgery

Castle Connolly's 2026 Exceptional Women in Medicine

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Castle Connolly announces the release of the 2026 Exceptional Women in Medicine.

This list recognizes female Castle Connolly Top Doctors who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, expertise and dedication in their respective fields. In addition to meeting the requirements to be selected as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor, these doctors also have additional qualifications, including research and academic contributions, volunteer work within healthcare, and training at top institutions.

Read the full article at castleconnolly.com.

Castle Connolly Releases 2024 Exceptional Women in Medicine

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 15:34:00 -0400

Castle Connolly announces the release of the 2024 Exceptional Women in Medicine. This list recognizes female Castle Connolly Top Doctors across the U.S. who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, expertise and dedication in their respective fields. There are over 8,300 doctors represented, across 77 different specialties and all 50 states.

The Exceptional Women in Medicine list is compiled through a rigorous selection process that includes peer nominations, extensive research, and evaluation by the Castle Connolly research team. In addition to meeting the criteria to be selected as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor, these physicians have qualifications including contributions to healthcare through volunteer work, awards and honors, training at top institutions, research and academics, and innovations in their field of specialty.

Read the full article at castleconnolly.com.

Castle Connolly Releases 2023 Exceptional Women in Medicine

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 11:43:00 -0400

Castle Connolly announces the release of the 2023 Exceptional Women in Medicine. This list recognizes female Castle Connolly Top Doctors across the U.S. who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, expertise and dedication in their respective fields. There are over 8,400 doctors represented, across 77 specialties and all 50 states. HSS is honored to have 20 doctors included on this list.

Read the full press release at newswire.com.

A Ukrainian soldier was told his legs could be amputated. An American hospital might help him walk again

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 12:57:00 -0500

CNN interviews Duretti Fufa, MD, hand and upper extremity surgeon at HSS, about the injuries sustained on the battlefield of Ukrainian soldier Vladyslav Orlov and his care at HSS.

The car Orlov was traveling in last October rolled over in flames after suspected Russian gun fire. Pinned in the back seat, Orlov said he was initially unable to get out of the vehicle – his feet had been crushed by the car and his legs had been wounded by the explosion. Once he finally did, he and his team laid in the nearby grass watching the flames to figuring out their next steps.

Orlov was taken to a Ukrainian hospital and told he may need to have at least one leg amputated or that he may never walk again.

Ashley Matkowsky, Orlov’s American girlfriend and a videographer who had been working in Ukraine, recorded what he looked like after the attack.

That video caught the attention of U.S. volunteers and made its way to Gary Wasserson, a retired American businessman from New York who was already coordinating volunteer aid resources to the region. Wasserson asked HSS if they’d be able to save Orlov’s legs and, optimistic they could, he was admitted.

Dr. Fufa, who is now helping care for Orlov, described his injuries as extraordinarily complex.

“The complexity comes from the fact that he had both soft tissue wounds as well as bone defects or missing bone from the blast injuries and the multiple fractures in each of the feet,” she said.

Since he arrived in the U.S. in January, Orlov has already undergone “two very lengthy procedures to begin the major step for reconstruction of both his right and his left foot” with care that has involved multiple specialists, Dr. Fufa explained. While Dr. Fufa is optimistic about the path forward for Orlov’s feet, she is quick to point out that reconstruction is one thing, however being able to walk again is not guaranteed just yet.

“I’ve warned him that this is such a long road that I wouldn’t be surprised if at some point we hit roadblocks where it feels like this is taking too long or that this is too challenging to continue to face,” said Dr. Fufa.

Read the full article at CNN.com. This story also aired during the 7pm news hour on February 17, 2023.

Additional coverage: cbsnews.com and pix11.com.

How to Avoid a Pumpkin-Carving Nightmare

Sat, 29 Oct 2022 11:57:00 -0400

Duretti Fufa, MD, hand and upper extremity surgeon at HSS, provided safety tips to consider for preventing hand injuries while carving pumpkins.

Dr. Fufa suggested using a carving kit that’s designed for pumpkins, to use a sawing motion and to never cut toward the hand. Additionally, she advised to never put the hand inside the pumpkin while carving.

Watch the segment at Insideedition.com. This segment also aired on broadcast on October 28, 2022.

HSS Study Reveals Why Men are More Likely to Be Offered Surgery for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 12:00:00 -0400

Males presented with more severe carpal tunnel syndrome and were offered surgery more often than females with the condition, according to work by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) featured today in a poster presentation at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2022 Annual Meeting.

The study adds to a growing body of research by HSS investigators examining gender, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in diagnoses, treatment approaches and outcomes in a range of musculoskeletal conditions, including hip and knee replacement, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

“Our study aimed to investigate if disparities in treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome exist,” said Duretti Fufa, MD, HSS hand and upper extremity surgeon and senior author of the study. “Patients and surgeons should always be aware of potential biases when discussing and making treatment decisions, especially for patients with moderate disease symptoms where the decision to pursue surgery is more subjective.”

The carpal tunnel is the narrow space within the wrist that contains bones, tendons, ligaments and the median nerve responsible for transmitting sensations from the fingers and thumb. Compression of the median nerve from prolonged wrist flexion or extension, trauma, arthritis or inflammation of wrist tendons can cause numbness, weakness and tingling in the hand and arm, resulting in carpal tunnel syndrome.

Electrodiagnostic testing to confirm a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome consists of nerve conduction studies that assess how electrical signals move through the median nerve to hand muscles and electromyography (EMG) testing that evaluates whether the muscles activate correctly in response to those signals. Test results indicate whether disease severity is mild, moderate or severe.

Patients with mild symptoms are typically offered nonsurgical treatments such as bracing or steroid injections. Patients with severe symptoms are often offered carpal tunnel release, a minimally invasive surgical procedure that relieves pressure on the median nerve by cutting the carpal ligament. “However, for patients with moderate symptoms, it’s not as obvious whether a nonsurgical or surgical approach is best,” said Dr. Fufa. “There is more decision-making involved, and therefore a higher potential for patient factors and potentially subconscious biases to influence recommendations for surgery.”

For the study, Dr. Fufa and colleagues reviewed hospital records for 949 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome treated at HSS between February 2016 and October 2020. All patients had been diagnosed by HSS hand surgeons and received electrodiagnostic testing. The researchers grouped patients’ records according to disease severity and looked for differences in treatment recommendations, completion of treatment and the time interval between being offered surgery by gender, race/ethnicity and age.

There were two interesting findings within the moderate disease severity group of 141 females and 90 males: Females were 23 percent less likely to be offered surgery than males, and Hispanic and Black females were four times less likely to be offered surgery than their male counterparts. These trends were strong but not statistically significant, given the size of the study.

“Overall, our findings suggest that increased utilization by males was largely explained by the fact that men were more likely to present with more severe carpal tunnel syndrome,” Dr. Fufa said. “I suspect that with larger numbers of patients to study, differences based on gender and race may prove to be significant. In the meantime, we hope our findings increase awareness of potential biases to ensure we are providing equitable care to all patients.”

HSS Presents New Research at the AAOS 2022 Annual Meeting

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 10:00:00 -0400

At this year’s American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting, HSS physicians and scientists presented exciting new research related to clinical advancements for care and patient outcomes in orthopedics.

Highlights include gender and health disparities research in treating severe carpal tunnel syndrome and patient satisfaction related to hospital experience after knee or hip replacement; innovations in rotator cuff repair and the role of cell therapy; timelines for a patient’s return to activity after surgery to correct progressive collapsing foot deformity (PCFD); the use of biomechanics to improve joint replacement outcomes; new imaging technology to help guide the management of adolescents with scoliosis; a novel anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction technique performed in children and adolescents at high risk for re-tears, and more.

HSS Study Offers Timelines for Return to Activity After Major Foot Surgery

An HSS study led by Scott J. Ellis, MD, foot and ankle surgeon, and colleagues, provides attainable goals for return to sports and related physical activities for patients who have undergone procedures to correct progressive collapsing foot deformity (PCFD), a severe musculoskeletal pathology that can drastically inhibit a patient’s daily function. Study data will be used to provide patients with realistic expectations and timelines to resume activities post-surgery and as a resource at the time when surgery is being discussed.

Searching for New Cell-Therapy Innovations in Rotator Cuff Repair

A thought leadership piece by Scott A. Rodeo, MD, sports medicine surgeon, discusses innovations in rotator cuff repair, specifically the role of cell therapy, and how the HSS Center for Regenerative Medicine has a robust research program that is investigating the basic cellular and molecular mechanisms of healing damaged tissue.

HSS Study Reveals Why Men are More Likely to Be Offered Surgery for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

HSS research led by Duretti Fufa, MD, hand and upper extremity surgeon, suggests males presented with more severe carpal tunnel syndrome and were offered surgery more often than females with the condition. The study adds to a growing body of research by HSS investigators examining gender, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in diagnoses, treatment approaches and outcomes in a range of musculoskeletal conditions, including hip and knee replacement, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

New Study Finds Black Patients Less Likely to be Completely Satisfied with Care After Knee or Hip Replacement

A collaborative HSS study that included Susan M. Goodman, MD, rheumatologist, and Mark P. Figgie, MD, chief emeritus of the Surgical Arthritis Service, found that Black patients were less likely than white patients to be completely satisfied with the process of care following knee or hip replacement. Socioeconomic status was not found to play a role in patient satisfaction. The researchers reviewed the Press Ganey survey responses of more than 4,600 patients who had surgery at HSS from July 2010 to February 2012. Individuals having a primary knee or hip replacement who resided in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut were included in the study. Although Black patients indicated they were less satisfied with the process of care right after surgery, there was no difference in satisfaction with their joint replacement outcome. More research is needed to investigate other factors, such as perceived staff courtesy and baseline pain and function, to understand why disparities exist to achieve a high level of patient satisfaction for everyone.

Study Finds Cementless Knee Replacement Outcomes Comparable to Standard Knee Implant, Less Time Needed in OR

In a study comparing outcomes of a modern cementless knee implant to the standard knee implant that requires bone cement for fixation, HSS hip and knee surgeons Geoffrey H. Westrich, MD, Brian P. Chalmers, MD, and colleagues found no difference in hospital length of stay, complications, hospital readmission within 90 days of surgery, or rates of revision surgery at two-year patient follow-up. With respect to time spent in the operating room (OR), researchers found that using the cementless implant reduced OR time by 25%, saving an average of 27 minutes.

HSS Presents New Biomechanics Research at 2022 AAOS Annual Meeting

HSS investigators present new research related to biomechanics and orthopedic surgery, highlighting the unique relationship surgeons have with the engineers to promote the highest quality in patient care and advancing joint replacement for the future. Three studies focus on how to optimize total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery using biomechanics and computer modeling, while another study discusses how three-dimensional (3-D) modeling can improve total hip arthroplasty (THA).

New Study Finds Surface Imaging Provides Highly Accurate Models of The Body for Scoliosis Surgeons

A collaborative study by Roger F. Widmann, MD, chief of the Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery Service at HSS and Howard J. Hillstrom, PhD, a biomechanical engineer at HSS, found that a technique called 3dMD, which uses an array of highly sensitive cameras and can image the entire body in a fraction of a second, generates extremely accurate and reliable models of the torso that can guide the management of adolescents with scoliosis.

New HSS Study Finds Safe and Effective Outcomes After Innovative ACL Reconstruction Technique in Children and Adolescents at High Risk for Re-Tears

HSS research by Daniel W. Green, MD, MS, FAAP, FACS, pediatric orthopedic surgeon and Frank A. Cordasco, MD, MS, sports medicine surgeon, evaluated the safety and efficacy of performing a lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) using a modified Lemaire technique (MLT) in conjunction with an ACL reconstruction in children and adolescents who are at an increased risk for a failed ACL reconstruction. Findings revealed the technique was associated with favorable patient-reported outcomes, high return to sports participation and low ACL re-tear rate.

Michaela Onyenwere Injury Update

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 17:12:00 -0400

New York Liberty reports forward and WNBA Rookie of the Year Michaela Onyenwere underwent a successful surgery on her right thumb to repair her radial collateral ligament (RCL) performed by Duretti Fufa, MD, hand and upper extremity surgeon at HSS.

Read the full article at Liberty.wnba.com.

The Dangers of Carving Pumpkins

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 14:11:00 -0400

Inside Edition reports on the dangers of handling sharp tools when carving pumpkins, and spoke to Duretti Fufa, MD, hand and upper extremity surgeon at HSS, who provided safety tips to consider to prevent hand injuries.

Dr. Fufa recommended the use of specially designed pumpkin carving kits versus a kitchen knife, which could lead to sliced fingers and hands. “Have the knife blade down, and your hand on top of the knife so that when we’re exerting the downward force, our hand will not slip down the knife.” Dr. Fufa advised using sawing not stabbing-like motions when carving, and to never cut toward the hand. “The blade could inadvertently cut the inside of the palm. Instead you should stabilize the pumpkin and be cutting away from the hand.” Furthermore, never put your hand inside the pumpkin when carving. “You may inadvertently plunge inside and cut the hand when you’re not seeing it,” said Dr. Fufa. “To prevent yourself from being tempted to put your hand in the pumpkin you can put the top back inside while you’re working on making your outside cuts,” she cited.

Watch the segment at Insideedition.com. This segment also aired on broadcast on October 15, 2019.

HSS Residency Leadership Group: Fostering the Future

Thu, 08 Aug 2019 17:51:00 -0400

Ortho Spine News reports on the focus areas of the residency program at HSS, to ensure formal mentorship and the fostering of skill development of future healthcare professionals.

Ortho Spine News spoke to Duretti Fufa, MD, hand and upper extremity surgeon, and director of the residency program at HSS, who said, “We have 9 residents per year, for a total of 45 at any one time. Four years ago, at the suggestion of Todd J. Albert, MD, we formed the Residency Leadership Group (RLG), a team of six faculty members who participate in key educational roles for the residents. We hold monthly meetings to discuss residency-related issues, set goals for the year and respond to residents’ concerns. We encourage an open dialogue amongst the members, each of whom is from a different subspecialty.”

Dr. Fufa explained a large focus area of the program is the resident’s workload. “For a very intensive five-year period they have extremely little control over their schedules. Thus, when they suggest things that might help them with time/schedule management, we listen and try to implement their suggestions. This ranges from simple matters such as fixing a slow computer to larger initiatives, such as finding additional administrative supports to help decrease their stress levels,” she said.

Dr. Fufa cited to be on the leading edge, you have to address the topics that are rising to the top. “In line with our goal of training residents to be educators and leaders within the field, two years ago, we instituted a leadership curriculum for the residents. This involves a deep dive into various topics through a lecture done by the RLG. Another topic we’re working on is improving how we evaluate how residents are progressing and acquiring surgical skills through objective evaluation. For three years, we have had an event called the Surgical Games in which residents perform various simulated surgical tasks with direct observation from a faculty member who provides immediate, objective feedback.”

Dr. Fufa noted her desire to empower the faculty of the RLG to drive their own initiatives to allow for continued innovation as a leader in education.

Read the full article at Orthospinenews.com.

Hand Surgery Study: Education Curbs Opioid Prescribing

Sun, 01 Jul 2018 07:00:00 -0400

Pain Medicine News reported on study findings from HSS hand and upper extremity surgeon Duretti Fufa, MD, who investigated the effectiveness of mandatory education and postoperative guidelines for opioid prescribers.

The study, "Opioid Prescriber Education and Guidelines Decreases Opioids Prescribed after Ambulatory Hand Story," was presented at the 2018 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.

According to the article, study participants attended a one-hour opioid education program. Afterward, the number of opioid pills prescribed after hand surgery decreased by 45 percent.

"Our results suggest that similar nationwide standardized prescriber education and opioid prescribing guidelines will likely reduce the amount of opioids prescribed after ambulatory hand surgery," said Dr. Fufa.

"We have extended our hand study to between nine to 11 months following the guidelines and have seen a continued trend down in the pills prescribed," Dr. Fufa added.

Read the full article at painmedicinenews.com [subscription required]. This also appeared in the July 2018 print issue.

Study Suggests Poor Blood Supply Not the Cause of Healing Problems in Scaphoid Fractures

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 07:00:00 -0500

A study presented today at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) 2018 Annual Meeting suggests that poor blood supply may not be the reason why certain bone fractures of the wrist do not heal properly, as previously thought. The findings also may help surgeons better plan surgical approaches to fracture repair while also identifying patients who will likely have a tougher go at recovery and require more follow up care.

The movement of our hands and wrists partially relies on a small, cashew-shaped bone called the scaphoid. The proximal pole of the bone — meaning the end abutting the arm rather than the hand — is notoriously slow to heal following a fracture and is prone to a condition called avascular necrosis, in which the bone tissue dies due to lack of blood supply.

It was previously thought that the poor healing was due to a unique and lacking vasculature at the bone’s proximal end. Yet the new study found that this area of the bone actually receives over 37 percent of the scaphoid’s entire blood supply, so it is actually as well-nourished as the other two regions of the bone. However, the very tip of the proximal pole did appear to have minimal vasculature perhaps explaining why it is prone to healing problems following a break.

"Our study suggests that the proximal pole of the scaphoid actually has a similar amount of internal blood supply as the rest of the scaphoid, not less as has traditionally been taught," says Duretti Fufa, MD, hand and upper extremity surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City and lead author of the new study. "If the amount of blood supply in the proximal pole of the scaphoid is not different from the rest of the scaphoid, then we need to think of alternative explanations for the poorer results of treatment in this area."

Dr. Fufa explains that the poor healing rates seen in proximal scaphoid break could be due to mechanical influences or injury pattern more so than simply blood supply.

The vasculature of the scaphoid was originally described decades ago and based on cadaver dissections. Dr. Fufa and her HSS colleagues who took part in the study also utilized cadaver analysis to achieve their results. However modern, high-resolution imaging technologies allowed them to better characterize the vessels that supply blood to the scaphoid.

To follow up the new study, Dr. Fufa and fellow HSS hand specialists are collaborating to review the break and healing patterns of hundreds of patients with broken scaphoid bones.

"Our goal is to see if we can determine alternate classification systems for describing scaphoid fractures that incorporates this new information and may better inform our treatment of these injuries," she says.