The Complex Paediatric Upper Limb Service provides highly specialised input for children with complex upper limb problems. Most of our patients have neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, among others. In this clinic we look at functional difficulties the child may experience in using their upper limbs. Our assessments guide the child’s intervention plan that we organise together with local therapy teams, aiming to improve the child’s bimanual skills.

Patients are assessed in a multidisciplinary setting by expert clinicians.  We give advice and treatment depending on the concerns and problems the child or young person may have.  We may recommend treatment with therapy and associated interventions, such as botulinum toxin injections, surgery and referral to other services, where appropriate.

Meet the Team

Mr Marcos Katchburian is an orthopaedic surgeon specialising in hand surgery and in children’s (paediatric) orthopaedics. He is a member of the British Society for Surgery of the Hand and an Executive Board Member of the British Society for Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery.

He developed the Paediatric Service at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) that serves as the regional referral centre. He treats children with the whole range of paediatric orthopaedic conditions. He has initiated the upper limb service for children at MTW where he provided assessment and treatment for these children.

Heidi Furr has been a paediatric occupational therapist for over 20 years, working in the community and in children’s hospitals. Her specialist area is motor disorders, such as cerebral palsy.

She is part of the team developing the Complex Upper Limb Service at MTW.

Part of her role is liaison with community therapists; planning, goal setting and being a source of specialist advice – working collaboratively with the child or young person at the centre of our practice.

She provides specialist assessment through play based and functional tools, measure outcomes of interventions and guiding future decision making using a coaching approach, to enable the child or young person to be as independent and fulfilled as possible.

Contact

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust Paediatric Orthopaedic Department Complex Upper Limb Clinic

Telephone: 01622 729000