Robert B. Carrigan, MD

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Robert B. Carrigan, MD, is an orthopaedic surgeon at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) specializing in the treatment of upper extremity conditions in children, including congenital conditions, traumatic injuries, sports medicine, microsurgery, nerve surgery and neuromuscular disease. He is also an attending surgeon in the Hand Transplantation Program.

Areas of Expertise: Acquired/developmental problems of the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, Congenital hand and arm differences, Pediatric hand and upper extremity injuries, Shoulder reconstruction after brachial plexus injury, Fractures, Sports injuries, Syndactyly, Polydactyly, Thumb hypoplasia, Microsurgery, Peripheral nerve surgery, Complex elbow conditions, Acquired/developmental problems of the upper limb
Locations: Main Campus; Specialty Care & Surgery Center, King of Prussia; Specialty Care & Surgery Center, Brandywine Valley

Appointments and Referrals: 1-800-TRY-CHOP (1-800-879-2467)

Background

Robert B. Carrigan, MD, is an orthopaedic surgeon at who specializes in the treatment of upper extremity conditions in children.

While Dr. Carrigan treats a broad array of conditions in the upper extremity, his clinical and research interest are in the treatment of complex elbow conditions in children. These conditions include both acute and chronic injuries, malunions (crooked arms), elbow instability, congenital conditions, stiff elbows, as well as nerve and vessel injuries about the elbow.

In addition to complex elbow problems, Dr. Carrigan also cares for infants and toddlers with congenital hand conditions, pediatric upper extremity fractures and children with cerebral palsy involving the upper limb.

Dr. Carrigan has been an invited speaker at national and international meetings. He actively serves on several committees within the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the American Society for the Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) and the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA).

Dr. Carrigan has authored numerous scientific articles and book chapters focusing on the safe and effective care of the upper extremity in children. Recently, Dr. Carrigan and his colleagues examined national trends in complication rates involving upper extremity surgery in children in an attempt to better understand and prevent surgical complications for children undergoing surgery of the upper extremity.  Recently, he and his colleagues at the AAOS published national guidelines for the safe and effective management of pediatric supracondylar humerus fractures.

In 2015, Dr. Carrigan and other surgeons at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia performed the first bilateral pediatric hand transplant. The Hand Transplantation Program aims to help children who have undergone unilateral or bilateral amputation of arms or hands to regain function and independence. Hand transplantation, or vascularized composite allo-transplantation, is a rare procedure performed by only a few surgical teams around the world.

A native of Pennsylvania, Dr. Carrigan received his entire education within the state. He earned an undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the Pennsylvania State University and a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Carrigan completed his orthopaedic surgery residency and fellowship in hand surgery, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

When not caring for children with upper extremity conditions, Dr. Carrigan enjoys picking Legos ™ off the dining room floor with his wife and three children.

Education and Training

Medical School

MD - University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA (1999)

Internship

Orthopedic and General Surgery - Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Residency

Orthopedic Surgery - Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Fellowship

Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery - Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Board Certification

American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Certificate of Added Qualification in Hand Surgery

Titles and Academic Titles

Attending Hand and Upper Extremity Surgeon

Attending Surgeon, Hand Transplantation Program

Associate Professor of Clinical Orthopedic Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Conditions Treated

Departments and Services

Research Interests

Complex elbow conditions in children
Safe and effective strategies for surgery in children
Epidemiology of hand injuries in children

Publications

Papers

2016

Gornitzky Alex L, Milby Andrew H, Gunderson Melissa A, Chang Benjamin, Carrigan Robert B. Referral Patterns of Emergent Pediatric Hand Injury Transfers to a Tertiary Care Center. Orthopedics. 2016 Mar 1;39(2):e333-9. doi: 10.3928/01477447-20160222-06. Epub 2016 Feb 25.

2014

Nicholas Pulos, MD; Robert B. Carrigan, MD: Osteomyelitis as a Late Complication of Percutaneous Pinning of a Supracondylar Fracture of the Distal Part of the Humerus JBJS Case Connector 4(4), October 2014 Notes: 2014 Oct 22; 4 (4): e99 . http://dx.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.CC.N.00063 

Abstracts

2016

Gornitzky, AL and Carrigan, RB: The Diagnostic Utility of MRI in the Painful Wrist: When to Reconsider Advanced Imaging in the Pediatric Patient. Pediatrics 137(Supplement 3 596A), February 2016.

Books

2013

Carrigan, RB: Fractures of the Hand and Wrist in Contemporary Management of Fractures and Complications, Jaypee, Philadelphia 2013, pp 116-139.

2011

Carrigan, RB: The Upper Extremity (Chapter) in Nelson, Nelson Textbook in Pediatrics 19th Edition, Elsevier, Philadelphia, 2011, pp. 2383-2387.

Chapters
2015

Robert B. Carrigan: Pre and Post Axial Polydactyly. Operative Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery, 2nd Edition. John M. Flynn M.D. Wudbhav N. Sankar, M.D. (eds.). LWW, Volume 4(Chapter 52): 1692-1696, July 2015.

Robert B. Carrigan: Clinodactyly. Operative Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery, 2nd Edition. John M. Flynn, M.D. Wudbhav N. Sankar, M.D. (eds.). LWW, Volume 4(Chapter 54): 1504-1506, July  2015.

Robert B. Carrigan: The Upper Limb. Nelson's Pediatrics, 20th Edition. Robert Kliegman, M.D. (eds.). Elsevier,(Chapter 680), May 2015.

Robert B. Carrigan, M.D.: Extensor Tendon Injuries. The Pediatric Upper Extremity. Scott H. Kozin, M.D. (eds.). Springer, 3: 929-941, March 2015.

2014

Robert B. Carrigan, M.D.: Fractures of the Hand and Wrist. Contemporary Surgical Management of Fracture and Complications. B. David Horn, M.D. Martin J. Herman, M.D. (eds.). Jaypee Brothers, 3: 116-139, October 2014.

Posters and Presentations

Lectures by Invitation

2015

Carrigan RB. Current Concepts in the Management of Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy. Crozer Chester Medical Center; 2015 Jun; Upland, PA.

Carrigan RB. The Chronic Monteggia Lesion. POSNA Annual Meeting Subspecialty Day; 2015 May; Atlanta GA.

2014

Carrigan RB. Congenital Precourse (Thumb Hypoplasia). American Society for Surgery of the Hand Annual Meeting; 2014 Sep; Boston, MA.

Carrigan RB. Pediatric Hand Trauma. POSNA Annual Meeting; 2014 May; Hollywood, CA.

Awards and Honors

2015, ABC News Persons of the Week: July 31, 2015, Pediatric Hand Transplant

Editorial and Academic Positions

Editorial Position

2012-present, Consultant reviewer, Journal of Hand Surgery
2014-present, Consultant reviewer, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

Leadership and Memberships

Memberships in Professional Organizations

2005-present, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery
-2015, Appropriate Use Committee (AUC): Vascular Injury Associated with Pediatric Supracondylar Humerus Fractures

2005-present, American Society for Surgery of the Hand
- 2013-present, Residents and Fellows Conference Committee

2012-present, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America
- 2013-present, Resident News Letter Committee

2015, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery
- 2015-present, Appropriate Use Committee (AUC): Vascular Injury Associated with Pediatric Supracondylar Humerus Fractures
- 2014-present, CAQH Test Validation Committee