Curtis National Hand Center Launches Free Clinic for Complex Hand Cases

A local hospital tried and failed to reattach Price's index finger and thumb after he lost them in an accident. Then he was referred to Dr. James Higgins at the Curtis National Hand Center, who rebuilt his thumb using a toe. A year later, Price had a straightforward verdict: "I would say I can do pretty much everything that I used to be able to."

That outcome depended on finding the right specialist at the right time. The Complex Case Clinic, launched March 27 at the center on North Calvert Street, is designed to remove the luck from that equation for Baltimore workers who never find the right door on their own.

The clinic is free and runs monthly. All 14 hand surgeons on staff rotate through conference-style reviews of the most challenging upper-extremity cases, combining surgical, reconstructive and rehabilitative perspectives to build care plans no single evaluation can produce. Higgins, who serves as the center's chief, said the format gives him something he cannot get alone: "It may be that I'm faced with a patient where I say I think I have an innovative or ideal way to take care of this problem, but I'd love to hear other opinions."

Cases eligible for review include complex trauma, nerve injuries, recurring infections and unusual tumors. For a Baltimore construction worker, line cook or musician, a fragmented or delayed diagnosis translates directly into lost paychecks and diminished function. The center already runs a separate monthly Musicians' and Performing Arts Clinic, and the Complex Case Clinic extends that specialist-access model to the broadest category of difficult injuries.

Referrals come through a primary care physician, emergency department or urgent care provider. The center is at 3333 N. Calvert St., Johnston Professional Building, second floor, and can be reached at (410) 554-6560. Hours run Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday until 4:30 p.m.

Founded by Dr. Raymond Curtis in 1975, the center is designated by Congress as the National Center for the Treatment of the Hand and Upper Extremity and treats more than 25,000 patients a year. The new clinic adds a free community-facing layer to that national mandate.