Adnan Prsic, MD

Adnan Prsic, MD, is a hand surgeon. He is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who also has additional advanced training in orthopedics—specifically in the surgery of the hand and upper extremity. He specializes in congenital and traumatic disorders of the hand, wrist, and forearm. He uses both surgical, minimally invasive and nonsurgical treatments to treat a variety of problems, including arthritis, trigger finger, peripheral nerve problems, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Dr. Prsic became a surgeon partly because he had seen so many traumatic injuries growing up in Bosnia, a country that experienced devastating conflict during the Bosnian War in the early 1990s, and he wanted to help. When he became a medical student, he learned that in addition to being anatomically complex, hands are arguably the most important and intimate part of the body. Treatment for a hand injury is transformative for manual laborers who work with their hands, as well as for those who simply want to hold their spouse’s hand. “So, your hands have a lot more meaning than people actually attribute to them,” he says.

As a surgeon, Dr. Prsic treats common problems but is also an expert in such sophisticated techniques as free muscle transfer, which involves taking available muscle from one part of the body to help restore function in another. This includes microvascular surgery, which involves connecting the transplanted muscles to arteries and nerves in the new location.

But not every hand injury requires surgery, says Dr. Prsic, who is an assistant professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery at Yale School of Medicine. “In fact, the thing I do best is to listen to the patient, and then try to come up with the approach that will not only be most effective but will also suit their lifestyle best, whether that's surgery, a small injection, splinting, or physical or occupational therapy. Depending on the problem, these things can be quite helpful and they can actually help patients avoid surgery later.”