A photo of Kevin Little.

Kevin J. Little, MD


  • Director, Pediatric Hand and Upper Extremity Center
  • Associate Fellowship Director, Mary S. Stern Hand Surgery Fellowship
  • Associate 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.

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

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

Services and Specialties

Orthopaedic Surgery, Brachial Plexus, 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. 2018; 43:81.e1-81.e8.

CORR Insights®: What Is the Risk of Postoperative Neurologic Symptoms After Regional Anesthesia in Upper Extremity Surgery? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Trials. Little, KJ. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 2022; 480:2390-2391.

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. 2022.

Nonunion of the Clavicle Among Children: A Review of the Literature and a Report of Three New Cases. Yahya, A; Mehlman, CT; Kim, J; Little, KJ; Parikh, SN. Orthopedics. 2022; 45:e190-e195.

Multiple Continuous Y-to-V-Plasties for Excision and Reconstruction of Constriction Band Syndrome: Case Series and Description of Surgical Technique. Chan, AH W; Zeitlinger, L; Little, KJ. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2022; 149:774e-778e.

Acromioclavicular Dislocation. Little, KJ; Messana, J. Congenital and Acquired Deformities of the Pediatric Shoulder Girdle. 2022.

The prevalence of Vickers' ligament in Madelung's deformity: a retrospective multicentre study of 75 surgical cases. Farr, S; Martínez-Alvarez, S; Little, KJ; Henstenburg, J; Ristl, R; Stauffer, A; Soldado, F; Zlotolow, DA. Journal of Hand Surgery: European Volume. 2021; 46:384-390.

Bizarre Parosteal Osteochondromatous Proliferation (Nora Lesion) in Pediatric Phalanges. Martínez Álvarez, S; Azorín Cuadrillero, DL; Little, KJ. Journal of Hand Surgery. 2021; 46:344.e1-344.e9.

Humerus Rotation Has a Negligible Effect on Baumann Angle in a Wide Range of Rotational Positions. Segal, D; Emery, K; Zeitlinger, L; Rosenbaum, JA; Little, KJ. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. 2020; 40:e822-e826.

Pin placement may be more important than fracture type in predicting failure. Response to: fracture obliquity is a predictor for loss of reduction in supracondylar humerus fractures in older children: an answer to a commentary. Segal, D; Little, KJ. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics Part B. 2020; 29.

Patient Ratings and Comments

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4.6
Overall Patient Rating