A photo of Kevin Little.

Kevin J. Little, MD


  • Director, Pediatric Hand and Upper Extremity Center
  • Fellowship Director, Mary S. Stern Hand Surgery Fellowship
  • Professor, UC Department of Orthopedic Surgery
I try to make kids and their parents comfortable and laugh during their visits. I believe that keeping children calm and happy decreases their anxiety and improves their overall results from treatment.
Kevin J. Little, MD

About

Biography

As a pediatric hand surgeon, I work with kids of all ages with hand and upper limb malformations, diseases and injuries. I specialize in treating brachial plexus injuries, congenital hand malformations, thoracic outlet syndrome and cerebral palsy.

I have always enjoyed working with children, and I love the complexity and problem-solving skills needed to restore function to the hand, including expert care for microvascular and peripheral nerve problems.

We have specialty clinics for many of the children I treat, including cerebral palsy, brachial plexus injuries and thoracic outlet syndrome. I also have many clinics for all types of patients at Cincinnati Children’s Burnet, Green Township and Liberty campuses.

In my practice, I try to make kids and their parents comfortable and laugh during their visits. I believe that keeping children calm and happy decreases their anxiety and improves their overall results from treatment.

I am proud to be one of Cincinnati Magazine’s Top Doctors for hand surgery, from 2015 to 2020. I was also in the American Society for Surgery of the Hand’s Young Leaders Program in 2014-2015 and am currently the fellowship director for the Mary S. Stern Hand Surgery Fellowship.

In my research, I’m working to improve patient care by designing orthopaedic and nerve implants that are bioresorbable. These implants can improve recovery from injury and then will be reabsorbed by the body over time. This will eliminate the need for a second surgery for hardware removal.

In my free time, I enjoy fencing — especially with my daughter — and I coach youth sports for my kids' teams. Participating in the Cincinnati Children’s choir games gave me the opportunity to sing onstage at the Cincinnati Music Hall. I volunteer on yearly international mission trips with Cincinnati Children’s and have helped kids with hand and upper limb problems in India, Honduras and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

MD: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 2004.

Residency: Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 2004-2009.

Fellowship: Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 2009-2010; Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, 2010-2011.

Board Certification: Orthopaedic Surgery, 2013; Hand Surgery, 2014.

Interests

Clinical hand and upper extremity trauma; congenital hand malformations; peripheral nerve injuries; upper extremity reconstruction from cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, brachial plexus injuries; and thoracic outlet syndrome

Services and Specialties

Orthopaedic Surgery, Brachial Plexus, Hemangioma and Vascular Malformations, Hand and Upper Extremity

Interests

Enhancing muscle recovery following peripheral nerve injuries

Research Areas

Orthopaedics

Additional Languages

German

Insurance Information

Cincinnati Children's strives to accept a wide variety of health plans. Please contact your health insurance carrier to verify coverage for your specific benefit plan.

View Insurance Information

Publications

Selected

Outcomes of Isolated Radial Osteotomy for Volar Distal Radioulnar Joint Instability Following Radial Malunion in Children. Miller, A; Lightdale-Miric, N; Eismann, E; Carr, P; Little, KJ. Journal of Hand Surgery-American Volume. 2018; 43:81.e1-81.e8.

MRI Features That Contribute to Decision-Making for Treatment of Capitellar OCD Lesions: An Expert Consensus Using the Delphi Method. Kostyun, RO; Nguyen, JC; Chhabra, B; Todd, J; Polousky, JD; Saper, M; Uquillas, C; Albright, J; Bae, D; Bohn, D; Saluan, P; Wilson, P; Nissen, CW; Ganley, T. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 2024; 12:23259671241252813.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome in the Pediatric and Young Adult Population. Bach, K; Miller, MA; Allgier, A; Al Muhtaseb, T; Little, KJ; Schwentker, AR. Journal of Hand Surgery-American Volume. 2024; 49:337-345.

Galeazzi and Essex-Lopresti Injuries. Little, KJ; Gause, C. The Pediatric Upper Extremity. : Springer Nature; Springer Nature; 2024.

A response to a letter to the editor: Predictors for operative treatment in pediatric proximal third both-bone diaphyseal forearm fractures in children include age and translation, but not initial angulation. Williams, K; Whyte, N; Carl, JR; Marks, J; Segal, D; Little, KJ. Journal of Children's Orthopaedics. 2023; 17:628-629.

Nerve Regeneration with a Scaffold Incorporating an Absorbable Zinc-2% Iron Alloy Filament to Improve Axonal Guidance. Ron, T; Leon, A; Kafri, A; Ashraf, A; Na, J; Babu, A; Banerjee, R; Brookbank, H; Muddaluri, SR; Little, KJ; Aghion, E; Pixley, S. Pharmaceutics. 2023; 15.

Presentation and Management of the Pediatric Trigger Finger: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study. Jia, L; King, JD; Goubeaux, C; Belardo, ZE; Little, KJ; Samora, JB; Marks, J; Shah, AS. Journal of Hand Surgery-American Volume. 2023; 48:665-672.

International Pediatric Multidisciplinary Management Using Telemedicine to Promote Equitable Care. Mena, R; Mendoza, E; Mangano, FT; Henrickson, M; Scott, M; Defoor, WR; Little, KJ; Ruschman, J; Prada, CE. Telemedicine Journal and e-Health. 2023; 29:674-685.

Predictors for operative treatment in pediatric proximal third both-bone diaphyseal forearm fractures in children include age and translation, but not initial angulation. Williams, K; Whyte, N; Carl, JR; Marks, J; Segal, D; Little, KJ. Journal of Children's Orthopaedics. 2023; 17:156-163.

Effects of Altering Magnesium Metal Surfaces on Degradation In Vitro and In Vivo during Peripheral Nerve Regeneration. Tatu, R; White, LG; Yun, Y; Hopkins, T; An, X; Ashraf, A; Little, KJ; Hershcovitch, M; Hom, DB; Pixley, S. Materials. 2023; 16.

Patient Ratings and Comments

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4.6
Overall Patient Rating