Orthopedic hand surgeon Dr. Jonathan Macknin treats traumatic injuries and other conditions from the elbow to the fingertips
By Ken McEntee
The position fits him like a glove.
That’s why orthopedic hand surgeon Jonathan Macknin, MD, left a busy practice in sunny Phoenix, Arizona to come home and join University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center as medical director of hand and upper extremity orthopedics.
The addition of Dr. Macknin at the beginning of the year completed the medical center’s orthopedic specialty team, which already included an orthopedic shoulder and sports medicine surgeon, an orthopedic hip and knee replacement surgeon and an orthopedic spine surgeon.
“It’s wonderful to be home,” the Beachwood native reveals. “The opportunity to join this team here at UH Geauga Medical Center was a big factor in the decision for my wife and I to return to Ohio.”
As an orthopedic hand surgeon, Dr. Macknin treats traumatic injuries and other conditions from the elbow to the fingertips, including arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendon problems and lesser known conditions like Dupuytren’s contracture, which causes fingers to become permanently bent in a flexed position.
“Treatment of hand problems can include conservative measures like bracing, anti-inflammatory medication and injections, as well as surgical treatments, including joint replacements and fusion,” Dr. Macknin explains.
Dr. Macknin says he has always been fascinated by the intricate anatomy and function of the human hand.
“Hands are such an important part of everything we do in our daily life,” he says. “It’s gratifying to be able to restore my patients’ ability to use their hands.”
After attending medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Macknin did orthopedic training and a research fellowship at Case Western Reserve University. He then did a hand fellowship at the University of Connecticut, studying under Dr. Kirk Watson, a renowned surgeon.
“Dr. Watson originated many of the techniques that are used for wrist arthritis,” he says. “To learn from the surgeon who actually developed some of these techniques was a very special experience.”
After practicing in Phoenix, Dr. Macknin says he was attracted to UH Geauga Medical Center’s intimate environment, which is supported by a world-class health organization.
“One of the unique things about UH Geauga Medical Center is our setup, where I see people from different specialties all the time, and having everybody so close that we’re actually able to talk to each other,” he says.
“Having worked in multiple other hospitals, that isn’t always the case. I think it helps us to provide high-level care from multiple aspects. It’s also nice to be surrounded by people who are happy to be at work. It makes a big difference, and I think the patients benefit from that as well.”
Other advantages of UH Geauga Medical Center’s team include the availability of a hand therapist just down the hall, as well as the availability of an interventional pain management specialist.
Along with Dr. Macknin, the orthopedic services team at UH Geauga Medical Center includes:
- John Martin Leland, MD, orthopedic shoulder and sports medicine surgeon
- Benjamin Silver, MD, orthopedic hip and knee replacement surgeon
- Zachary Gordon, MD, orthopedic spine surgeon
- Lisa Brown, MD, interventional pain management
You can learn more about University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center orthopedic services by visiting UHOrtho.com or by calling 440-285-5004. The center is located at 13207 Ravenna Road in Chardon.