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  5. David Wright, MD, MSc
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David Wright, MD, MSc

Assistant Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery
Division of Hand and Microsurgery

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(314) 514-3500

David Wright, MD, is a fellowship-trained orthopedic hand surgeon with expertise in the treatment of all hand and wrist disorders. He has special interests in the management and care of brachial plexus injuries and complex microsurgical reconstruction. He pursued additional training at Ganga Hospital in Coimbatore, India, where he advanced his training under the guidance of internationally recognized microsurgery experts. 

Common Diagnoses Treated

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Cubital tunnel syndrome
  • Trigger Finger
  • Dupuytren's contracture
  • DeQuervain's tenosynovitis
  • Fractures of the hand and wrist
  • Hand and wrist arthritis
  • Tendon injuries
  • Traumatic adult brachial plexus injuries
  • Upper and lower extremity nerve injury

Common Procedures

  • Carpal tunnel release
  • Cubital tunnel release
  • Degenerative and arthritic hand and wrist reconstruction
  • Hand and wrist fracture fixation
  • Tendon repairs
  • Trigger finger release
  • Brachial plexus reconstruction
  • Free flaps/free tissue transfer
  • Nerve repair and grafting 
  • Nerve transfers
  • Targeted muscle reinnvervation/regenerative peripheral nerve interface

Clinical Office Locations

Hospital Affiliations

  • Barnes-Jewish Hospital
  • Missouri Baptist Medical Center

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    Click here for a complete listing of Dr. Wright's publications on PubMed.

  • Wright DJ, Meyer Z, Goldfarb CA, Wall LB. Adolescent Coronal Shear Fractures of the Distal Humerus: Surgical Approach and Outcomes. J Hand Surg Am. 2025 Jan 15:S0363-5023(24)00597-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.11.016. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39818649.
  • Wright DJ, Brogan DM, Boyer MI, “Master Techniques in Orthopedic Surgery, Chapter 1: Volar, Henry, Ulnar, and Midline Approaches” Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW), Proof in print
  • Wright DJ, Lee C, Shin SS, McGarry MH, Lee TQ. Biomechanical Comparison of Volar Plate Repair Versus Volar Plate Repair With Suture Tape Augmentation at the Finger Proximal Interphalangeal Joint. J Hand Surg Am. 2024 Dec 10:S0363-5023(24)00548-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2024.11.005. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39665732.
  • Bohlen HL, Wright DJ, Lim PK. Simultaneous bilateral anterior shoulder fracture dislocations in the elderly: case report and focused clinical treatment algorithm. JSES Rev Rep Tech. 2023 Jun 1;3(3):382-387
  • Jackson TJ, Wright DJ, Long C, Truong V, Adamson G, McGarry MH, Lee TQ, “The Gluteus Medius Experiences Significant Excursion With Hip Flexion” Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation, Volume 5, Issue 4, 2023
  • Doermann A, Gupta DK, Wright DJ, Shafiq B, Hacquebord J, Rafijah G, Lim PK, Gupta R. Distal Radius Fracture Management: Surgeon Factors Markedly Influence Decision Making. J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev. 2023 Mar 2;7(3):e23.00002. doi: 10.5435/JAAOSGlobal-D-23-00002. PMID: 36867522; PMCID: PMC9984156.
  • Gupta R, Jung J, Johnston TR, Wright DJ, Uong J, Lim PK, Shafiq B, Navarro RA. “Surgeon-Specific Factors Have a Larger Impact on Decision-Making for the Management of Proximal Humerus Fractures than Patient-Specific Factors: A Prospective Cohort Study.” J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2023 Jan 20:S1058-2746(23)00025-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2022.12.016. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36690172.
  • Scolaro JA, Wright DJ, Lai W, Fraipont G, Hitchens H, Kwak D, McGarry M, Lee TQ. Fixation of Extra-articular Proximal Tibia Fractures: Biomechanical Comparison of Single and Dual Implant Constructs. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2022 Jul 1;30(13):629-635. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-21-01089. Epub 2022 Apr 19. PMID: 35442912.
  • Wright, D.J., Desnato, D.J., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q., Scolaro, J.A. “Nail Diameter Significantly Impacts Stability in Combined Plate-Nail Constructs Used for Fixation of Supracondylar Distal Femur Fractures” OTA International, March 2022 - Volume 5 - Issue 1 - p e174
  • Scolaro, J.A., Chalmers, C.E., Wright, D.J., McGarry, M.H., Lee, T.Q. “Suture Augmentation Neutralizes Deforming Muscular Forces in a Two-part Osteoporotic Proximal Humeral Fracture Model” Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma. 2022 Feb 11.

Research Interests

Dr. Wright has significant experience in both clinical and basic science research, with a focus on advancing understanding changes at the neuromuscular junction following nerve injury, biomechanics, and surgical education. He has published more than 20 peer-reviewed articles. His work has been selected for presentation as national meetings for the American Society for Surgery of the Hand as well as the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery. He is also a reviewer for the American Journal of Hand Surgery.

Background

Dr. Wright attended medical school at the University of California Irvine in Irvine, CA. During medical school, Dr. Wright obtained an additional Master’s Degree in Biomedical and Translation Science. During his orthopedic surgery residency at University of California Irvine, Dr. Wright traveled internationally to complete the Microsurgical Training Program at Ganga Hospital in Coimbatore, India. He was selected as chief resident and received the inaugural Resident Teaching Award at the completion of his residency training. He was also selected as a resident board member for the Western Orthopedic Association.

Following his orthopedic surgery residency, Dr. Wright completed a fellowship in hand and microvascular surgery at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, where he focused on treatment of complex hand and wrist disorders as well as complex microsurgical reconstruction.

Board Certifications

  • Board-certified, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery

Medical Degree

  • University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA

Residency

  • Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA

Fellowship

  • Hand and Microsurgery, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO

Graduate Degree

  • Biomedical and Translational Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA

Honors and Awards

  • 2022 Resident Teaching Award
  • 2021 AOA: McCollister Evarts Resident Leader 
  • 2019 Neer Award Manuscript Co-Author: "Analysis of Human Muscles of the Shoulder and Upper Extremity: A Temporal Profile of Human Motor Endplate Degradation after Nerve Injury"
  • 2018 AO Trauma North America Resident Research Grant Recipient: “Supplemental Fixation of Supracondylar Distal Femur Fractures: A Biomechanical Comparison of Dual Plating and Combined Nail-Plate Fixation Techniques”
  • 2014 Scoliosis Research Society Grant Recipient: “Investigating Cost Variation within Spinal Fusion Payment Groups”

Professional Memberships

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