Dr Steve Carter
ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON
Dr Steve Carter
Orthopaedic Surgeon
Dr Steve Carter is an orthopaedic hand surgeon with 20 years' experience in the surgical treatment of hand conditions. He obtained his MBChB in 1990 and FCS (SA) Orthopaedic Fellowship in 1999. He is also a Gold Medal Fellowship Candidate (Top Orthopaedic Candidate in South Africa).
Beyond his attendance at The Cape Hand Clinic, Dr Carter is a senior lecturer in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Cape Town where he is involved in postgraduate teaching at Red Cross Children's Hospital.
Sports Science
Dr Carter is also affiliated with the Sport Science Institute, performing day case surgery at the Life Sports Science Orthopaedic Surgical Day Hospital and is a lecturer of their master's students.
Arthroscopic Hand Service
My interest in wrist Arthroscopy hand led me to offering a full arthroscopic and endoscopic service:
- Completed Training in Micro-aire Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release System, Johannesburg, May 2004
- Completed Segway Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release System, Cape Town, Nov 2016
To date, I have performed more than 600 Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Releases.
Results presented at SASSH (South African Society of Surgery for Hand) Sep 2016.
- Completed the European Wrist Arthroscopy Course, Nov 2016
- Completed the Advanced European Wrist Arthroscopy Course, Nov 2018
European Accredited Wrist Arthroscopist.
Congenital Hand Surgery Service, Red Cross Children's Hospital, Cape Town, 2003 - 2020 (17 years)
I have been head of Congenital Hand Surgery at Red Cross Hospital for 17 years. The Red Cross Congenital Hand Unit is the only one of its kind in South Africa. Referral centre for Sub Saharan Africa.
The unit sees approximately 700 patients a year and does 100 major congenital cases and 200 minor cases a year.
I am affiliated with the Plastic Surgery Department and is responsible for training of Senior Registrar in Plastic Surgery.
Post Burnt Hand Reconstruction Unit - Red Cross Children's Hospital
Under the auspices of the Congenital Hand Unit, I have created the Post Burnt Hand Reconstruction Unit. Working in conjunction with the occupational therapy dept, we see, treat and operate on approximately 50 patients a year.
Microvascular Service Red Cross Children's Hospital
With advancement in Micro surgical techniques and clinical demand, we now offer in conjunction with 2 plastic surgeons and myself the ability to do free toe to hand/thumb transfers. Started in 2018. We do approximately 1 case every 6 months.
Congenital Hand Anomalies Study Group (CHASG)
This is an international group of the world's leading Congenital Hand Surgeons. Membership is by invitation only. I was acknowledged as the leading expert in South Africa and was invited as a member in September 2019. I am the only member from South Africa and the only representative from Africa.
Surgical Innovations:
Development of a new technique in conjunctions with Dr N. Kairinos of resurfacing the webspace in congenital syndactyly. The use of double transposition flaps "Marilyn Monroe" flaps to resurface the webspace in syndactyly release - Presented at SASSH Conference 2010.
Instituted the use in 2014 of Ligaclip application for the removal of duplicated digits as an outpatient procedure at Red Cross Hospital. Analysis of the first 960 digits removed, indicating a cost-saving of greater than R1 million rand. To date, more than 3 000 accessory digits removed using this technique.
- MBChB (University of Cape Town) 1990
- FCS (SA) Orth (University of Cape Town) October 1999
- Professional Registration & Associations
- Health Professions Council of South Africa (Reg No: MP0364061)
- Registered as a Medical Practitioner – 01/01/1992
- Registered as an Orthopaedic Specialist – 20/01/2000
- General Medical Council (UK) – 3636905 Registered in Aug 1992
- Member of South African Orthopaedic Association
- Member of South African Society for Surgery of the Hand
- "Sciwora of the Cervical Spine in Children with Associated Head Injuries" Dr SL Carter, Dr EB Hoffman
- Presented at the South African Orthopaedic National Congress, September 1996 "Effect of ACL Resection, Denervation and Immobilisation on the Rate Quadriceps Muscle" Dr SL Carter, Dr A Gibson
- Presented at the South African Orthopaedic National Congress, 1997 "Dynamic EMG Changes in Cerebral Palsy Patients Requiring Rectus Femoris Transfers" Dr SL Carter, Dr E Hoffman
- Presented at the South African Orthopaedic National Congress, 1997 "Dynamic EMG Changes in Cerebral Palsy Patients Requiring Rectus Femoris Transfers" Dr SL Carter, Dr E Hoffman
- Presented at the South African Orthopaedic National Congress, September 1998 "Outcomes Following Surgical Management of the Rheumatoid Knee" Prof. J Walters, Dr SL Carter
- Presented at the International Rheumatology Conference, September 1999 "Management of Low Back Pain in the Rheumatoid Patient" Dr P Makan, Dr SL Carter
- Presented at the International Rheumatology Conference, September 1999
- "Orthopaedic Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Shoulder" Presented at the December 1998 Annual Registrar Conference, 1998
- "Tenofix in Flexor Tendon Repairs" Dr M Solomons, Dr SL Carter
- Presented at Cambridge Hand Conference, March 2003 "APL Interpositional Arthroplasty in CMC Arthritis"
- Presented at SASSH Congress, Johannesburg, September 2004 "Four Corner Arthrodesis as a Salvage Technique - Retrospective review at Groote Schuur"
- Presented at Johannesburg SASSH Congress, September 2004 "Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release – a Revision"
- Microaire Surgical Course Johannesburg, 2005 "Kleinert Neurovascular Island Volar Oblique Finger Tip Injuries"
- Presented at SASSH Congress, 2006 "The use of the Snow & Littler Procedure in the Management of the Cleft Hand"
- Presented at the SASSH Congress, 2007 "Radial Tunnel Syndrome – Review of Current Experience with the Transbrachioradialis Approach"
- Presented at the SASSH Congress, 2007 "Surgical Management of the Duplicated Thumb"
- Presented at the SASSH Congress, 2009 "The Windblown Hand: A Retrospective Review of the Result of Surgical Treatment at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital"
- Presented at the SASSH Congress, 2011 "A Retrospective Review of the use of Non-Vascularised Free Toe Phalangeal Grafts in the treatment of Symbrachydactyly and Constriction Ring Syndrome"
- Presented at SASSH Congress, 2012 "Acute Hand Injuries in Sports"
- Masters Lecturer Sport Science Institute of SA – 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013 "The Red Cross Children's Hospital experience with the use of the Evans Bilobed Flap in the management of Radial Club Hand" Presented at SASSH Congress, 2014
February 2016 SASSH - Annual Refresher Course, Gateway Durban
August 2016 SASSH - Annual Conference, CSIR Pretoria
October 2016 IFSSH (International Federation of Society for Surgery of the Hand), Beunos Aires, Argentina
November 2016 European Wrist Arthroscopy Course, Cape Town
February 2017 SASSH - Annual Refresher Course, Vineyard Hotel, Cape Town
August 2017 SASSH - Annual Conference, Irene Country Hotel, Pretoria
February 2018 SASSH - Annual Refresher Course, Pretoria
March 2018 World Symposium of Congenital Malformations of Hand and Upper Limb, Hong Kong
August 2018 SASSH - Annual Conference
November 2018 Advanced European Wrist Arthroscopy Course, Cape Town
February 2019 SASSH - Annual Refresher Course, Pretoria
July 2019 IFFSH (International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand), Berlin Germany
September 2019 SASSH - Annual Conference, Elangeni Durban
February 2020 SASSH - Annual Refresher Course, Cape Town
- 1996 - Research prize for best research by Orthopaedic Registrar
- 1999 - Charles Edelstein Gold Medal – Top graduate in South Africa for the final FCS (SA) Orth Examination
- 1999 - Mathys most successful registrar in the final year of training at University of Cape Town Orthopaedics
- 2011 - Stratmed Prize – Best paper presented at the SASSH Congress