Dr. Ankit A. Patel

I am a hand and upper extremity surgeon specializing in the care of arthritis, nerve conditions, sports injuries, and fractures. I love being a hand surgeon because I get to help people return to the activities they enjoy, be it playing sports, playing an instrument, cooking, or just being free of pain during daily life. My mission is to listen to each patient’s story and together, create a plan that fits their goals. There is no greater reward than helping a patient overcome injury or resolve pain in order to have the life they desire. Duke Health is unique because here, there is no problem too complex for our team to solve. Dr. Saltzman is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Erb's Palsy. Her top areas of expertise are Brachial Plexopathy, Scaphoid Non-Union, Hereditary Neuralgic Amyotrophy, and Erb's Palsy.

I am an orthopaedic surgeon who is the chief of hand surgery at Duke. Although we are referred to as “hand surgeons,” I treat many people with wrist and elbow conditions. Because the hand is so complex, patients who see me can have complaints that range from numbness and weakness to issues with range of motion. My grandfather, my grandmother, my mother and my father were all health care workers. I have wanted to be a surgeon since I watched M*A*S*H on the television as a child. I obtain great satisfaction from treating someone who has a very severe hand or arm injury, reconstructing the part and restoring its basic function. Duke has been the strongest hand surgery program in the country for the past 50 to 75 years. As chair of the program, I want patients to know that the best and the brightest providers are seeing them when they come to Duke. Dr. Ruch is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Erb's Palsy. His top areas of expertise are Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tennis Elbow, Rhizarthrosis, Osteotomy, and Bone Graft.