Dr. James Saucedo, hand surgeon

James M. Saucedo, MD, MBA

  • Associate Professor
  • Program Director, Hand Fellowship
Contact
713-486-8800

Biography

Hand Surgeon James M. Saucedo, MD, MBA, is an associate professor and the Hand Fellowship Program Director in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston (external link). He focuses on hand and wrist fractures, dislocations, nerve compression, tendon disorders, and arthritis.

Education and training

A Houston-area native, he completed his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine, his orthopedic surgery residency at Northwestern University, and a Hand and Microvascular Surgery Fellowship at the University of Washington Harborview Medical Center.

Clinical interests

Dr. Saucedo’s clinical expertise includes complex hand and wrist fractures, sports-related injuries, and soft-tissue trauma. This includes injuries involving the tendons, nerves, and ligaments. He also treats common and chronic conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, and de Quervain’s tendonitis. In addition, he cares for patients with tennis elbow, thumb arthritis, and chronic wrist pain. Across these conditions, his goal is simple: relieve pain, restore mobility, and help patients return to the activities they enjoy.

Central to his approach is patient-centered care and clear communication. Whenever possible, Dr. Saucedo recommends non-operative treatments to ease symptoms and support recovery. However, when surgery offers the best path forward, he uses advanced, evidence-based techniques to provide precise treatment and promote recovery. Through this approach, he provides comprehensive care for both acute injuries and chronic hand and wrist conditions throughout the Houston community.

Community and advocacy

In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Saucedo is interested in improving healthcare delivery. He earned an MBA from Rice University to support his work in patient access and system innovation. Before joining UTHealth Houston, he practiced at The Hand Center of San Antonio and the Audie Murphy VA Hospital. During that time, he cared for patients of all ages while also training residents and fellows. Outside of work, Dr. Saucedo lives in The Woodlands with his family and enjoys teaching, music, and coffee roasting.

Locations and appointments

Education

Undergraduate Degree
Baylor University, Waco, Texas
Graduate Degree
Masters of Business Administration, Rice University, Houston Texas
Medical Degree
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
Residency
Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
Fellowship
Hand and Microvascular Surgery University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington

Areas of Interest

Clinical Interests

Hand & Wrist Trauma

  • Hand and wrist complex fractures and dislocations

  • Scaphoid fractures and other carpal bone fractures

  • Hand and wrist lacerations

  • Hand, wrist, and elbow tendon and nerve injuries

Nerve Compression & Sensory Symptoms

  • Hand numbness and tingling

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome

  • Cubital tunnel syndrome

Arthritis & Chronic Pain Conditions

  • Thumb arthritis

  • Hand and wrist arthritis

Sports-Related & Overuse Injuries

  • Hand and wrist sports injuries

Tendonitis conditions, including:

  • Trigger finger
  • de Quervain’s tendonitis
  • Tennis elbow

Research Interests

  • Hand and wrist trauma (treatment, outcomes, biomechanics, prevention)
  • Improving access to upper extremity care for vulnerable populations
  • Practice management and business education for medical students, residents and physicians
  • Cost and quality in health care
  • Understanding patient and provider experience
  • Optimizing education and training of residents and fellows

Publications

Visit the PubMed profile page

Peer-Reviewed Journals

  • “Bridge plating in the setting of radiocarpal instability: Does distal fixation to the second or third metacarpal matter? A cadaveric study.”Tabeayo E, Saucedo JM, Srinivasan RC, Shah AR, Karamanos E, Rockwood J, Rodriguez-Merchan EC Published by World Journal of Orthopedics April 2023
  • “Providing Orthopaedic Care to Vulnerably Underserved Patients: AOA Critical Issues” Handcox JE, Saucedo JM, Rose RA, Corley FG, Brady CI Published by Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery American June 2022
  • “Incorporating Office-Based Surgery Into Your Practice with WALANT.”E Tan, HM Bamberger, J Saucedo Published by Journal of Hand Surgery American October 2020
  • “Providing Hand Surgery Care to the Vulnerably Uninsured Patient” CI Brady, JM Saucedo Published by Hand Clinics May 2020
  • “Bridge Plating for Distal Radius Fractures in Low-Demand Patients with Assist Devices” BT Hyatt, DP Hanel, JM Saucedo Published by the Journal of Hand Surgery American June 2019
  • “Screw Fixation Alone for Scaphoid Fracture Nonunion” SMC Ernst, DP Green, JM Saucedo Published by the Journal of Hand Surgery American June 2018
  • “Bedside Procedures in Hand Surgery” BT Hyatt, JM Saucedo Published by the Journal of Hand Surgery American May 2018
  • “Total Elbow Arthroplasty in Hemophilia” TM Dale, JM Saucedo, EC Rodríguez-Merchán Published by Haemophilia April 2018
  • “Integrating Business Education in Medical Schools: A Multicenter Survey” TR Wanke, JL McDevitt, MJ Jung, M Meyer, L Puri, CM Gonzalez, JM Saucedo Published by Physician Leadership Journal November/December 2015
  • “Hemophilic Arthropathy of the Elbow: Prophylaxis, Imaging and the Role of Invasive Management.” TM Dale, JM Saucedo, EC Rodríguez-Merchán Published by The Journal of Shoulder & Elbow Surgery October 2015
  • “Surgical Techniques for Correction of Traumatic Hyperextension Instability of the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint: A Biomechanical Study” A Micev, JM Saucedo, D Kalainov, L Wang, M Ma, M Yaffe,  Published by the Journal of Hand Surgery American August 2015
  • “Firework-Related Injuries of the Hand: Evaluation and Management” JM Saucedo, NB Vedder Published in the Journal of Hand Surgery American February 2015
  • “Understanding Readmission After Primary Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty: Who’s at Risk?” JM Saucedo, GS Marecek, TR Wanke, J Lee, SD Stulberg, L Puri Published in The Journal of Arthroplasty February 2014
  • “How accurately are we coding readmission diagnoses after total joint arthroplasty?” JM Saucedo, GS Marecek, J Lee, L Huminiak, SD Stulberg, L Puri Published in The Journal of Arthroplasty August 2013
  • “Platelet-Rich Plasma” JM Saucedo, M Yaffe, J Berschback, W Hsu, D Kalainov Published in the Journal of Hand Surgery American March 2012
  • “Non-locked and Locked Plating Technology for Hand Fractures” M Yaffe, JM Saucedo, D Kalainov Published in the Journal of Hand Surgery American December 2011

Book Chapters / Sections

  • “Revision Shoulder Arthroplasty: Epidemiology and Causes” ED Tabeayo, KI Gruson, JM Saucedo Revision Total Joint Arthroplasty Edited by E Carlos Rodriguez-Merchan Accepted and In Press with Springer Nature Switzerland AG
  • “Common Errors of Volar Plate Fixation” RJ Medoff, JM Saucedo IFSSH 2019 Instruction Book: Distal Radius Fractures and Carpal Instabilities Edited by Francisco del Pinal Accepted and In Press, International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand
  • “Treatment of the Chronically Unstable Elbow: Coronoid Reconstruction with Radial Head and Olecranon Osteochondral Grafts” JM Saucedo, C Kalbakdij, R Barco, SA Antuna Surgical Techniques for Sports-related Injuries of the Elbow Edited by Gregory Bain Accepted and In Press, International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery & Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS)
  • “Treatment of the Chronically Subluxated Elbow (Persistent Elbow Instability)”C Kalbakdij, JM Saucedo, R Barco, SA Antuna The Unstable Elbow: An Evidence-Based Approach to Evaluation and Management Edited by Robert T. Tashjian Published by Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017
  • “Nail and Nail Bed Injuries”  S Jensen, A Perreira, JM Saucedo, RC Srinivasan, DP Green Clinical Decision Support: Sports Medicine Edited by D Drez and J DeLee Published by Decision Support in Medicine, LLC, Wilmington, DE 2015.
  •  “Scaphoid Fractures” F Ahmad, A Perreira, JM Saucedo, RC Srinivasan, DP Green  Clinical Decision Support: Sports Medicine  Edited by D Drez D and J DeLee Published by Decision Support in Medicine, LLC, Wilmington, DE 2015.
  • “Other Carpal Fractures (Including hook of hamate, pisiform)”  JM Saucedo, T Wiedrich Comprehensive Care of the High Level Athlete: A Master Skills Publication Edited by C Goldfarb Published by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand 2014.
  • “Introduction to Tumor.” JM Saucedo Pocket Orthopaedic Surgery. Edited by J Boughanem and RR Shah. Published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 2015.