James Clarkson MD
Heritage Hand
and Plastic Surgery
Surgical traditions guide modern solutions
Our Services
Hand Surgery
Plastic Surgery
About Dr James Clarkson
I am a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. I was born in Canada and raised in England where I trained in Plastic Surgery and worked in the British National Health Service. Following my US wife, I moved to the US in 2008 after completing a 13-year surgical training in England and Scotland. I completed a 2 year Hand and Microvascular Surgery Fellowship in Kentucky.
In Lansing since 2010 I have offered a wide spectrum of Plastic and Hand Surgery including Hand, body contour and skin cancer.
Since 2016 I have focused 85% of my practice to patient-centered, simplified care, offering hand surgery in the office setting using the WALANT technique (Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet).
I pioneered Wide Awake VR, introducing virtual reality to enhance the proven and painless office based WALANT surgery technique since 2016. Backed by extensive medical evidence, WALANT and office-based surgery offer a safer, cheaper, more effective and convenient alternative to traditional methods—no general anesthesia or operating room needed. Patients can drive themselves to and from surgery after breakfast, without an escort, enjoying greater independence. As an active member of the WALANT surgical community, I collaborate nationally to advance this innovative approach, blending technology and expertise to transform patient care and recovery in hand surgery.
I am also experienced in the management of skin cancer and body contour surgery which I also offer.
Making use of Technology
I transitioned from traditional surgical care delivery to pioneering a new approach. Disenchanted with the conventional health system-centric maximal treatments, I embraced a technique that avoids the need for anesthesia and the main operating room. Since 2016, I’ve spearheaded the integration of a groundbreaking virtual reality experience into this practice, introducing Wide Awake VR. This innovation has not only transformed the surgical journey for my patients but also allowed them the unprecedented convenience of driving themselves to and from surgery post-breakfast, without the need for an accompanying adult. My work has redefined patient care, blending technology with traditional surgical care to enhance recovery and autonomy in hand surgery
30
Years of Experience
4000+
awake Hand Surgeries since 2016
More that 10,000 hand and plastic surgical procedures since 2010, following 15 years of training.
WALANT
Wide Awake Local Anesthetic No Tourniquet
WALANT is Wide Awake Local Anesthetic No Tourniquet surgery. It is well established with over twenty years of successful outcomes and is now practiced regularly in hand, wrist, and minor surgeries all over the world.
The advantages of awake surgery in the office setting
Why Choose Us?
Each patient is different, and I use a simple and thorough method to figure out what’s causing hand pain. Most times, we can treat hand pain with easier surgeries than you might think, and a lot of these can be done right in the office.
Heritage
Guided by heritage from the past looking ahead to the Future.
Minimalism meets innovation
Introducing up to date awake surgical protocols including the use if Immersive technology
Quality of experience
Focusing on the physician patient relationship and the patient experience.
Liberating the patient
Patient choices start in the surgeons office, freeing them when possible from the need for anesthesia and institutional healthcare
Tailored Solutions for Thumb Basal Joint Arthritis
From Therapy to Advanced Procedures
View Our Services
Heritage
I believe in the power of stories to transcend time. It is through stories that history can be alive, it makes us who and why we are. I listen to my patients’ stories to understand who they were, who they are now are and what drives them towards their dreams.
My journey into medicine was inspired by a rich family legacy of innovation and compassion. From Sir William Bowman’s pioneering work in ophthalmology and nursing education to Sir William Arbuthnot Lane’s contributions to sterile technique Patrick Clarkson’s transformative contributions to wartime plastic surgery and beyond, my ancestors shaped the medical field through collaboration, curiosity, and a dedication to improving patient care. Their stories, values, and achievements continue to guide my practice and commitment to advancing the physician-patient relationship.
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Get in Touch with Heritage Hand and Plastic Surgery.