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photo of Dan A. Zlotolow, MD, FAOA

Dan A. Zlotolow, MD, FAOA

Lerner Children's Pavilion at Hospital for Special Surgery logoHand and Upper Extremity, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery
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About Dr. Zlotolow

Dr. Zlotolow is a pediatric and adult upper limb and peripheral nerve surgeon specializing in the care of brachial plexus and peripheral nerve injuries, spinal cord injuries, spasticity due to stroke, brain injury, or cerebral palsy, complex post-traumatic deformities, congenital differences, arthrogryposis, and limb deficiencies. At HSS, he leads a team of the only fellowship-trained Pediatric Hand Surgeons in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Internationally, he leads medical outreach missions to Havana, Cuba and Kigali, Rwanda and has founded 3 professional societies including PlexusNexus and the Pediatric Hand International Society of Surgeons (PHISOS). 

He travels nationally and internationally as a visiting professor and lecturer and has published extensively. He is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Hand Surgery, Managing Editor of www.LittleArms.org, Co-Editor of The Pediatric Upper Extremity textbook, Co-organizer of the Pediatric Upper Limb and Microsurgery (PULM) Lecture Series, and Emeritus Chief Editor of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand Hand-e educational platform. He was also a team leader for Zion, the first pediatric hand transplant.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he is also fluent in Spanish and travels routinely to Spain and Latin America to provide patient care and physician education. He has also traveled throughout Asia and Europe in search of new and innovative techniques, some of which he was the first to perform in the United States.

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Departments

Specialized Centers

Congenital Hand and Arm Differences
Osseointegration Limb Replacement Center

Special Expertise

Arthrogryposis
Brachial plexus and peripheral nerve injuries
Complex post-traumatic deformities
Limb deficiencies
Pediatric traumacongenital differences
Spasticity due to stroke, brain injury, or cerebral palsy
Spinal cord injuries (tetraplegia)
Virally mediated neuropathies

Procedures

Arthrogryposis elbow release and carpal wedge osteotomy
Brachial Plexus Reconstruction
Computer-modeling for couple deformity correction
Cleft hand closure
Fracture fixation
Nerve repair and nerve transfer
Osteochondral Autograft Transplantation (OAT) for OCD
PollicizationThumb reconstruction
Selective denervation for spasticity
Sympolydactyly reconstruction
​​​​​​​Syndactyly release
Tendon transfers
Wrist, elbow, and shoulder arthroscopy

Patient Stories

Insurance

If your insurance is not listed, please call our office if you have questions regarding your insurance coverage. If you have out-of-network benefits, then your insurance may reimburse you for a portion of your office visit. We will work with you and your insurance to minimize your out-of-pocket costs. Financial assistance may be available for patients in need.

Credentials

Appointments

Assistant Attending Orthopedic Surgeon, Hospital for Special Surgery
Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College
Assistant Attending Orthopedic Surgeon, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital 

Affiliations

Pediatric Hand International Society of Surgeons
Plexus Nexus
Manus Club
Pediatric Upper Limb and Microsurgery Group
Shriners Children's

Certification

American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery with Added Qualification in Hand Surgery

Awards

Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctors 2021
ASSH/AFSH Adrian Flatt Award for best pediatric/congenital abstract 2020
Honorary Rosalind Member of London Journals Press 2020
AOA ABC Travelling Fellowship Finalist 2020
Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctors 2020
Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctors 2019
Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctors 2018
Best Poster and Abstract Award: American Academy of Pediatrics 2018
Honorary membership, Rotary International 2018
AOA ASG Travelling Fellowship, alternate 2017
AOA Emerging Leaders Program 2016
AOA ABC Traveling Fellowship Finalist 2016
ASRM Microsurgical Case of the Year: Zion, the First Pediatric Bilateral Hand Transplant 2016
Best "Surgical Pearl" Paper: Pediatric Hand Study Group Annual Meeting 2014
AOA/JOA Traveling Fellowship 2014

Education

Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 1998
Internship: Montefiore Medical Center, 2000
Residency: Montefiore Medical Center, 2004
Fellowship: St. Lukes/Roosevelt C.V. Starr Hand Surgery (Columbia University), 2005
Shriners Hospital for Children Pediatric Hand, 2010

State Licensure

Languages

English, Spanish

For My Patients

Publications by Dr. Zlotolow

Patient Education

Selected Journal Articles

Selected Books/Chapters

Dan A. Zlotolow, Scott H. Kozin. Arthrogryposis. Green's Operative Hand Surgery. Elsevier 2021.

Kozin SH, Zlotolow DA, Soldado F. Priorities and Rational of Treatment in Brachial Plexus Birth Injuries. Operative Brachial Plexus Surgery. Elsevier 2021

Zlotolow DA, Ramirez R. Pediatric Fractures of the Elbow, Forearm, and Wrist. ASSH Textbook of Hand Surgery. ASSH. 2020

Zlotolow, DA. Arthrogryposis. Pediatric Hand Rehabilitation. Eds: Abzug J and Kozin SH. Elsevier. 2020

Kozin SH, Zlotolow DA. Nerve Injury and Repair in Children. Green's Skeletal Trauma in Children, 6th ed. Eds: Gregory Mencio and Steven Frick. Elsevier Inc, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2020; pp. 140-156.

Dan A. Zlotolow. Pediatric Elbow Fractures, in The Elbow and its Disorders. Eds: Morrey BF and Sanchez-Sotelo. Elsevier 2017.

Letourneau P, Zlotolow DA. Acute Scaphoid Fractures in Children. In Scaphoid Fractures, Yao J Editor. Springer, New York 2015.

Scott H. Kozin, Dan A. Zlotolow. Thumb Hypoplasia. The Pediatric Upper Extremity. Abzug JM, Scott H. Kozin, Dan A. Zlotolow, Editors. Springer, New York, 2015.

Scott H. Kozin, Dan A. Zlotolow, Joshua M. Abzug. Secondary Procedures About the Elbow, Forearm, Wrist, and Hand. The Pediatric Upper Extremity. Abzug JM, Scott H. Kozin, Dan A. Zlotolow, Editors. Springer, New York, 2015.

Dan A. Zlotolow, Josh Abzug, Scott H. Kozin: Arthrogryposis, Madelung Deformity, Synostoses, and Multiple Hereditary Exostosis. ASSH Textbook of Hand Surgery, 2013.

Selected Presentations

Morley M, Gilbert G, Zlotolow DA. Neonatal Compartment Syndrome of the Forearm: A Commonly Missed Diagnosis. Orthopaedic Research Society, Poster #1595. February 4-8, 2022.

Russo S, Kozin SH, Zlotolow DA. Supinator to Anterior Interosseous Nerve Transfer to Restore Pinch and Grasp for Patients with Tetraplegia. ASPN Annual Meeting. 2022.

Hoffman R, DeWolf M, Kozin SH, Zlotolow DA. Use of Intercostal Nerve Transfer for Restoration of Shoulder Function After Virally-Induced Spinal Cord Injuries. ASPN annual meeting January 2021.

Aversano M, Kozin SH, Zlotolow DA. Abstract #SPP0525 Scientific ePoster. Flexor Digitorum Superficialis Tendon Transfer for Wrist Extension in Brachial Plexus Birth Injury. 75th Annual ASSH Meeting, San Antonio, TX. October 1-3, 2020.

Ali S, Goldbach A, Awan O, Zlotolow DA. Congenital Forearm Dysplasias. 119th Annual Meeting of the ARRS, May 5- 10, 2019, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Lindholm E, Grewal H, Latreille J, Zlotolow DA. Thoracoscopic intercostal to phrenic nerve transposition for diaphragmatic reanimation in the quadriplegic child. American Academy of Pediatrics Annual Meeting, Section on Advances in Therapeutics and Technology, Orlando FL, November 5, 2018.

Greenhill DA Trionfo A, Ramsey F, Kozin SH, Zlotolow DA. Postoperative Loss of Midline Function in Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy. Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America Annual Meeting, Austin, TX, May 2018.

Frizzell K, Kozin SH, Zlotolow DA. Bipolar Latissimus Transfer for Restoration of Active Elbow Flexion in Patients with Amyoplasia. World Congenital Meeting, Hong Kong. March, 2018.

Daluiski A, Trehan S, Zlotolow DA, Zhang Y, Do H. Incidence of polydactyly in New York State, USA. World Congenital Meeting, March 2018. Hong Kong.

Richards C, Ramirez RN, Zlotolow DA. Does Age Contribute to Outcomes for Elbow Release in Arthrogryposis. The 2017 AAHS Annual Meeting, January 11-14th, Waikeloa, HI.

Research

Research Interests

Outcomes of brachial plexus birth injury nerve reconstruction
Outcomes of shoulder procedures in glenohumeral dysplasia
Outcomes of combined tendon and nerve transfers in spinal cord injury
Outcomes of carpal wedge osteotomy in patients with arthrogryposis
Outcomes of thumb reconstruction in patients with arthrogryposis
Biomechanical strength of plating for distal radius fractures
A critical analysis of the brachial plexus birth injury literature
Clinical practice guidelines for brachial plexus birth injury

Industry Relationships

Industry Relationships

HSS has a long history of supporting appropriate relationships with industry because they advance HSS's mission to provide the highest quality patient care, improve patient mobility, and enhance the quality of life for all, and to advance the science of orthopedic surgery, rheumatology, and their related disciplines through research and education.

Below are the healthcare industry relationships reported by Dr. Zlotolow as of March 28, 2023.

  • Accumed - Consultant; Royalties
  • AMDT Holdings - Consultant
  • Arthrex, Inc - Royalties
  • RTZ Consultling - Founder

HSS and its physicians make this information available to patients and the public, thus creating a transparent environment for those who are interested in this information. Further, the HSS Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Policy prohibits physicians from collecting royalties on products they develop that are used on patients at HSS.

Patients should feel free to ask their HSS physicians questions about these relationships.