Douglas Sammer, M.D., is a Professor in the departments of Plastic Surgery and Orthopaedic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He is also Chief of Plastic Surgery at Parkland Health & Hospital System, Medical Director of Parkland's Surgical Outpatient Clinics, and Director of the Hand Surgery Fellowship.
Dr. Sammer treats adult patients with acute injuries of the hand and wrist, as well as those with peripheral nerve compression, carpal and cubital tunnel syndromes, trigger finger, and hand and thumb-base arthritis, as well as other conditions affecting the hand or wrist.
Dr. Sammer graduated summa cum laude from Southern Adventist University in Tennessee. He earned his medical degree at UT Southwestern Medical School in 2001, finishing first in his class. He then completed a residency in plastic, hand, and reconstructive surgery at the University of Michigan Medical Center and a fellowship in hand surgery at the Mayo Clinic.
Board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, he joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2010.
Dr. Sammer’s hand and wrist research focuses on biomechanical techniques for repairing tendons, and he is exploring innovative treatments for distal radius fractures.
His research includes over 40 peer-reviewed publications in journals such as The Journal of Hand Surgery, The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Hand, and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He has authored chapters in numerous books, most notably The ASSH Manual of Hand Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Board Review, and The Michigan Manual of Plastic Surgery.
He is recognized internationally for his expertise on the hand and wrist, and he has spoken frequently at medical conferences all over the world. He is a member of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and the American Association for Hand Surgery.
Dr. Sammer has been included in D Magazine's Best Doctors list, and was named a Super Doctor by Texas Monthly.
Douglas Sammer, M.D., is a hand surgeon in Dallas at Parkland Memorial Hospital, the primary teaching hospital for UT Southwestern. At Parkland, he treats patients who have trauma and infection of the hand, fingers, or wrist. Dr. Sammer’s practice also focuses on disorders such as carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, and thumb arthritis.
Dr. Sammer was drawn to hand surgery because of its challenging and mechanical nature. The hand contains various tissue types, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels, so a hand surgeon has to be part vascular, orthopedic, plastic, and neurosurgeon.
Not all hand and wrist disorders require surgery. Dr. Sammer also specializes in a comprehensive range of nonsurgical solutions, which include steroid injections, enzyme injections, splinting, and therapy.
“With advancements in technology, hand surgery is becoming less invasive and sometimes not even necessary,” he says. “We often can now effectively treat more hand injuries and conditions with small incisions, cameras, and medications and avoid large-scale operations.”
For some situations, Dr. Sammer can offer treatment options for the hand, fingers, and wrist that take less than an hour and provide immediate relief and improved function.
Dr. Sammer notes that UT Southwestern’s Hand Program is at the forefront of new treatments for upper extremity and peripheral nerve disorders and often among the first in North Texas to provide many of the latest treatments.
For example, for carpal tunnel syndrome, UT Southwestern offers the newest techniques that require only a mini-incision or endoscopic carpal tunnel release.
“This option minimizes discomfort from surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome and reduces the recovery time for patients,” Dr. Sammer says.
He's among a handful of physicians in North Texas trained to offer new treatment options for Dupuytren’s contracture, a condition that affects the hand. Patients seeking relief from Dupuytren’s can receive either enzyme injections or a minimally invasive release procedure performed with a needle in his office.
Dr. Sammer is also leading groundbreaking work to reattach fingers using advanced microscopic and microsurgery techniques.
Results: 1 Locations
