Dr. Neal C. Chen brings a wide breadth of expertise to his practice, from advanced arthroscopy to complex extremity reconstruction. He has a balanced approach towards novel technologies and evidence-based medicine.
In 2002, Dr. Chen's father was in an accident, which broke both his arms and legs. At Mass General, Dr. Jesse Jupiter cared for his father's complex elbow and forearm fractures. As a result of his care, his father had an exceptional result. From this experience and the tutelage of Dr. Jupiter, Dr. Chen developed an interest in hand and upper extremity surgery.
Dr. Chen received his BS in Biological Sciences at Stanford University and his MD from Yale University. He completed residency at the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program, the Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship at Mass General and the Sports Medicine and Shoulder Fellowship at Hospital for Special Surgery.
He returned to Mass General after six years of both academic and private practice. He was previously a Sports Medicine Attending at the University of Michigan and subsequently was a partner at the Philadelphia Hand Center, P.C. while serving as an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. As a fellow in New York, Dr. Chen was an assistant team physician for the New York Mets. In Ann Arbor, he served as a consultant to University of Michigan Athletics, a consultant to USA Hockey and team physician for Eastern Michigan University.
He has received a prestigious Basic Science Grant from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand/American Foundation for Surgery of the Hand. He has research sponsored by the AO Foundation for the study of shoulder fractures.
Dr. Chen has a clinical practice that encompasses complex problems of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand. He performs shoulder and elbow replacement, tendon transfers, arthroscopy of the shoulder, elbow, and wrist, and repair of malaligned or unhealed fractures.
Labral injuries and shoulder instability (SLAP, Bankart)
Nerve injuries
Rotator cuff repairs
Shoulder arthroscopy
Shoulder replacement
Tendon injuries
Treats:
Adult
Locations
Hand & Arm Service 55 Fruit St. Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care Suite 2C Boston, MA02114 Phone: 617-726-4700
Hand & Arm Service at Mass General Waltham 52 Second Ave. 3rd Floor, Suite 3300 Waltham, MA02451 Phone: 617-726-4700
Medical Education
MD, Yale University School of Medicine
Fellowship, Hospital for Special Surgery
Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital*****
American Board Certifications
Hand Surgery, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Orthopaedic Surgery/General, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Accepted Insurance Plans
Aetna Health Inc.
Beech Street
Blue Cross Blue Shield - Blue Care 65
Blue Cross Blue Shield - Indemnity
Blue Cross Blue Shield - Managed Care
Blue Cross Blue Shield - Partners Plus
BMC HealthNet Mass Health MCO/ACO
Centene/Celticare
Cigna (PAL #'s)
Commonwealth Care Alliance
Fallon Community HealthCare
Great-West Healthcare (formally One Health Plan)
Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan - ACD
Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan - PBO
Health Care Value Management (HCVM)
Humana/Choice Care PPO
Maine Community Health Options (MCHO)
Mass General Brigham Health Plan - ACD
Mass General Brigham Health Plan - PBO
MassHealth
Medicare
Medicare - ACD
Medicare ACO - ACD
Medicare ACO - PBO
OSW - Connecticut
OSW - Maine
OSW - New Hampshire
OSW - Rhode Island
OSW - Vermont
Private Health Care Systems (PHCS)
Railroad Medicare
Railroad Medicare - ACD
Senior Whole Health
TriCare
Tufts Health Plan
Unicare
United Healthcare (non-HMO) - ACD
United Healthcare (non-HMO) - PBO
Well Sense Pediatrics
Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.
Research
Dr. Chen's research interests include:
Advanced wrist and elbow arthroscopy
Arthroscopic assisted fracture repair
Improving treatment of complex upper extremity fractures
Improving elbow and wrist replacement
Publications
Select publications:
Chen NC, Jupiter JB, Steinmann SP, Ring D. Non-acute treatment of elbow fracture with persistent ulnohumeral dislocation or subluxation. J Bone Joint Surg 2014; 96(15):1308-1316.
Chen NC, Jupiter JB: Current Concepts: Treatment of distal radius fractures. J Bone Joint Surg 2007; 89: 2051-62.
Smith MV, Bedi A, Chen NC. Surgical treatment for osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum. Sports Health. 2012;4:425-32.
Chen NC, Shauver MJ, Chung KC. Cost-effectiveness of open partial fasciectomy, needle aponeurotomy,and collagenase: injection for Dupuytren contracture. J Hand Surg Am. 2011; 36:1826-1834.
Chen NC, Bedi A. Rotator cuff defect: acute or chronic? J Hand Surg Am. 2011; 36:513-5.
Chen NC, Culp RW, Osterman AL, Chung KC. "Wrist Arthroscopy" in Hand Surgery Update 5. ed. Chung KC. American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Rosemont, 2011.
Chen NC, Cohen MS. "Total Elbow Arthroplasty" in Green's Operative Hand Surgery 7th Edition. Churchill Livingstone.
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Numbness and tingling of the fingers and hands are often related to common nerve compressions. Dr. Neal Chen discusses the common problems, treatment for mild symptoms, and when to see a provider for medical care.
Specialists from Mass General’s Department of Orthopaedic Surgery offer timely advice on creating an ideal work-from-home setup for relaxed and sustainable productivity.
Mientras trabajaba, David se lesionó gravemente la mano derecha, cortándose los tendones del dorso. En busca de una solución, David abordó un vuelo de dos horas de las Bermudas a Boston para reunirse con un equipo de médicos de Mass General.
David Scraders traveled to Mass General for complex hand surgery in the hospital’s Plastic and Orthopaedic Hand Surgery Services, with care coordination by the International Patient Center.
من جانبه قال ديفيد: "عندما أخبرني أطبائي بمدى خطورة الإصابة، أُصبتُ بانهيار وبكيت. لو انتشر الالتهاب أكثر، كانوا سيبترون يدي وهو أمر كان سيمثل مصيبة لي باعتباري محبًا لرياضة التاي تشي وعملي صانعًا للوحات."