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David Simms Ruch

Virginia Flowers Baker Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Orthopaedic Surgery
5601 Arringdon Park Dr., Suite 300, Morrisville, NC 27560
5601 Arringdon Park Dr., Suite 300, Morrisville, NC 27560

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Virginia Flowers Baker Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery · 2022 - Present Orthopaedic Surgery, Clinical Science Departments
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery · 2005 - Present Orthopaedic Surgery, Clinical Science Departments
Professor in the Department of Surgery · 2018 - Present Surgery, Plastic, Maxillofacial, and Oral Surgery, Surgery

In the News


Published February 14, 2025
Back on the Bike Following Hand Surgery at Duke
Published May 18, 2022
University Awards 24 New Distinguished Professorships
Published June 9, 2016
N.C.'s first hand transplant goes to man from Texas

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Recent Publications


MRI for Scaphoid Nonunion: Utilization Rates, Factors Associated With Utilization, and Subsequent Vascularized Bone Graft Use.

Journal Article The Journal of hand surgery · February 2025 PurposeThe use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for evaluation of scaphoid nonunion may be an example of low-value imaging for the treatment of scaphoid nonunion. The purpose of this study was to investigate variation in MRI use for scaphoid no ... Full text Cite

Development of International Quality Measures Targeting Low-Value Care in Hand Surgery

Journal Article Journal of Hand Surgery · January 1, 2025 Purpose: Low-value care, defined as care in which there is no evidence of benefit, increases the risk of harm, or adds unnecessary costs, persists in hand and upper extremity care globally. To date, there are no quality measures to measure low-value care f ... Full text Cite

The Use and Downstream Associations of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Lateral Epicondylitis.

Journal Article J Hand Surg Am · December 2024 PURPOSE: Low-value imaging is associated with wasteful health care spending and patient harm. The routine use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the work-up of lateral epicondylitis is an example of low-value imaging. As such, our aim was to investiga ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


A Biomechanical Evaluation of Nitinol Memory Staple Augmentation for Internal Fixation of Transverse Humeral Shaft Fractures

ResearchCollaborator · Awarded by Piedmont Orthopedic Foundation · 2021 - 2025

Dorsal Lunate Facet and Dorsal Carpal Subluxation: A Biomechanical Study

ResearchCollaborator · Awarded by Piedmont Orthopedic Foundation · 2021 - 2023

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Education, Training & Certifications


Wake Forest University · 1988 M.D.