Brian Harley, MD

Upper Extremity Surgery

Trauma and Microvascular Reconstruction

Dr. Harley is an orthopaedic hand surgeon who treats all types of problems in the hand, wrist, and elbow in both adults and children. He is the regional expert in congenital and acquired pediatric upper extremity conditions.

Working out of the Golisano Children's Hospital at Upstate Medical University, Dr. Harley also has special training and interest in traumatic injuries and post-traumatic reconstruction in the upper and lower extremities. He is a specialist in bone and soft tissue reconstruction, including skin grafts, muscle flaps, and Ilizarov techniques.

Education and Training

Undergraduate: BSc, Medical Sciences, University of Alberta, 1993
Medical School: MD, University of Alberta, 1995
Residency: Orthopaedic Surgery at University of Alberta, 2000
Fellowship: Hand Surgery at Upstate Medical University, 2001
Fellowship: Paediatric and Congenital Hand Surgery – Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, 2001

Board Certifications

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada - Orthopaedic Surgery
American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery

Hospital Appointments

Upstate University Hospital
Crouse Hospital

Faculty Appointments

Professor/Instructor - Orthopaedic and Hand Surgery, SUNY Upstate Medical University

Professional Affiliations

Fellow, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
American Orthopaedic Association
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
AAOS Evaluation Committee, 2003-2011
American Society for Surgery of the Hand
Canadian Orthopaedic Association
Onondaga County Medical Society
SUNY Upstate Medical University:
- Hand Surgery Fellowship Director, 2001-present
- Resident Education Committee - Department of Orthopedic Surgery, 2009-present
- Co-Chair - Resident Research Committee, 2001-present
- Hospital Trauma Advisory Committee, 2003-2006

Clinical Interests

Pediatric hand surgery; hypoplastic thumb, syndactyly, polydactyly, cerebral palsy, deformity. Adult hand surgery: elbow, forearm and wrist fracture, wrist sprains/instability, wrist arthroscopy, hand fractures, hand reconstruction, tendon and nerve injury, brachial plexus injury, microvascular techniques. Trauma and extremity reconstruction: lower extremity fracture repairs and reconstruction, free flaps, nonunions of long bones, bone and soft tissue infections, bone reconstruction and Ilizarov techniques.

Meet Dr. Harley

Click here to learn more.

Publications

Articles

Debottis, D.P., Werner, F.W., Sutton, L.G., Harley, B.J., “4-corner arthrodesis and proximal row carpectomy: A biomechanical comparison of wrist and tendon forces, J Hand Surg., 38A:893-8, 2013.
Farr, L.D., Werner. F,W., McGrattan, M.L., Zwerling, S.R., Harley, B.J., “Wrist tendon forces with respect to forearm rotation,” J Hand Surg.38A:35-9, 2013.
Werner, F.W., Taormina, J.L., Sutton, L.G., Harley, B.J., “Structural properties of 6 forearm ligaments,” J Hand Surg.36A:1981-87, 2011.
Sherman, G.M., Spath, C., Harley, B.J., Weiner, M.M., Werner, F.W., Palmer, A.K., “Core decompression of the distal radius for the treatment of Kienbock’s disease: A biomechanical study,” J Hand Surg.33A:1478-1481, 2008.
Ratcliff, J.R., Werner, F.W., Green, J.K., Harley, B.J., “Medial buttress versus lateral locked plating in a cadaver medial tibial plateau fracture model,” J Orthop Trauma. 21(7):444-448, 2007.
Bille, B., Cohen, H., Harley, B.J., “A comparison of CT arthrography of the wrist to findings during wrist arthroscopy, J Hand Surg 32A:834-841, 2007.
Harley, B.J., Brown, C., Cummings, K., Carter, P.R., Ezaki, M., “Volar ligament release and distal radius dome osteotomy for correction of Madelung’s deformity,” J Hand Surg, 31A:1499-1506, 2007.
Brutus, J.P., Rajkumar, J.S., Rust, E., Harley, B.J., Palmer, A.K., Werner, F.W., “Bone density comparison of selected carpal and tarsal bones: Validation for their use in compression fracture fixation studies of scaphoid screws,” Chir Main, 25(2):77-80, 2006.
Brutus J.P., Palmer, A.K., Mosher, J.F., Harley, B.J., Loftus, J.B., “Use of a headless compressive screw for distal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis in digits: Clinical outcome and review of complications,” J Hand Surg, 31A:85-89, 2006.
Harley, B.J., Scharfenberger, A., Beaupre, L.A., Johma, N., Weber, D.W., “Augmented external fixation versus percutaneous pinning and casting for unstable fractures of the distal radius-A prospective randomized trial,” J Hand Surg., 29(A): 815-824, 2004.
Harley, B.J., Werner, F.W., Green, J., “A biomechanical modeling of injury, repair, and rehabilitation of ulnar collateral ligament injuries of the thumb,” J Hand Surg., 29(A): 915-920, 2004.
Harley, B.J., Palmer, A.K., Boles, S.D., Werner, F.W., “Arthroscopic resection of arthrosis of the proximal hamate: A clinical and biomechanical Study,” J Hand Surg., 29A:661-667, 2004.
Harley, B.J., Dulai, S.K., Jones, C.A., Beaupre, L.A., Weber, D.W., “The effect of time to definitive treatment on the rates of infection and non-union in open fractures,” J Orthop Trauma, 16(7): 484-490, 2002.
Harley, B.J., Carter, P.R., Ezaki, M. “Volar surgical correction of Madelung’s deformity,” Tech Hand Upper Extremity Surg., 6(1):30-35, 2002.
Harley, B.J., Beaupre, L.A., Jones, C.A., Cinats, J.G., Guenther, C., “Effect of epsilon aminocaproic acid on blood loss in patients undergoing primary total hip replacement,” Can J Surg, 45:185-190, 2002.
Cheeseman, C.I., Harley, B.J., “Adaptation of glucose transport across rat enterocyte basolateral membrane in response to altered dietary carbohydrate intake,” J Physiology (London), 437:563-575, Jun 1991.

Textbook Chapters

Harley, B.J., Palmer, A.K., “Arthroscopic Resection of Arthrosis of the Proximal Pole of the Hamate” in Wrist & Hand Arthroscopy: A Practical Approach, Eds: Slutsky, D.J., Nagle, D., Elsevier, Philadelphia, PA, 2007.
Harley, B.J., Bergman, J.W., “Anatomy, Biology and Biomechanics of Tendon and Ligament” in Orthopaedic Essentials - Oncology and Basic Science, Eds: Damron, T.A., Morris, C.D., Lippincott and Williams, Philadelphia, PA, 2007.
Sethi, S., Harley, B.J., Custodio, C., Stubblefield, M., “Peripheral Nerve Physiology, Anatomy and Pathology” in Orthopaedic Essentials - Oncology and Basic Science, Eds: Damron, T.A., Morris, C.D., Lippincott and Williams, Philadelphia, PA, 2007.
Smallman, T.V., Shekitka, K., Flemming, D., Harley, B.J., “Infectious Disorders of Bone and Joint” in Orthopaedic Essentials - Oncology and Basic Science, Eds: Damron, T.A., Morris, C.D., Lippincott and Williams, Philadelphia, PA, 2007.
Harley, B.J., Palmer, A.K., “Distal Radius Malunion” in Complications of Wrist Fractures, Ed: Friedman, S. AAOS Press, Rosemount, IL, 2005.
Harley, B.J., Palmer, A.K., “Distal Radius Nonunion” in Complications of Wrist Fractures, Ed: Friedman, S. AAOS Press, Rosemount, IL, 2005
Harley, B.J., Palmer, A.K., “The Distal Radioulnar Joint” in Complications of Wrist Fractures, Ed: Friedman, S. AAOS Press, Rosemount, IL, 2005

Presentations

Articles

Debottis, D.P., Werner, F.W., Sutton, L.G., Harley, B.J., “4-corner arthrodesis and proximal row carpectomy: A biomechanical comparison of wrist and tendon forces, J Hand Surg., 38A:893-8, 2013.
Farr, L.D., Werner. F,W., McGrattan, M.L., Zwerling, S.R., Harley, B.J., “Wrist tendon forces with respect to forearm rotation,” J Hand Surg.38A:35-9, 2013.
Werner, F.W., Taormina, J.L., Sutton, L.G., Harley, B.J., “Structural properties of 6 forearm ligaments,” J Hand Surg.36A:1981-87, 2011.
Sherman, G.M., Spath, C., Harley, B.J., Weiner, M.M., Werner, F.W., Palmer, A.K., “Core decompression of the distal radius for the treatment of Kienbock’s disease: A biomechanical study,” J Hand Surg.33A:1478-1481, 2008.
Ratcliff, J.R., Werner, F.W., Green, J.K., Harley, B.J., “Medial buttress versus lateral locked plating in a cadaver medial tibial plateau fracture model,” J Orthop Trauma. 21(7):444-448, 2007.
Bille, B., Cohen, H., Harley, B.J., “A comparison of CT arthrography of the wrist to findings during wrist arthroscopy, J Hand Surg 32A:834-841, 2007.
Harley, B.J., Brown, C., Cummings, K., Carter, P.R., Ezaki, M., “Volar ligament release and distal radius dome osteotomy for correction of Madelung’s deformity,” J Hand Surg, 31A:1499-1506, 2007.
Brutus, J.P., Rajkumar, J.S., Rust, E., Harley, B.J., Palmer, A.K., Werner, F.W., “Bone density comparison of selected carpal and tarsal bones: Validation for their use in compression fracture fixation studies of scaphoid screws,” Chir Main, 25(2):77-80, 2006.
Brutus J.P., Palmer, A.K., Mosher, J.F., Harley, B.J., Loftus, J.B., “Use of a headless compressive screw for distal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis in digits: Clinical outcome and review of complications,” J Hand Surg, 31A:85-89, 2006.
Harley, B.J., Scharfenberger, A., Beaupre, L.A., Johma, N., Weber, D.W., “Augmented external fixation versus percutaneous pinning and casting for unstable fractures of the distal radius-A prospective randomized trial,” J Hand Surg., 29(A): 815-824, 2004.
Harley, B.J., Werner, F.W., Green, J., “A biomechanical modeling of injury, repair, and rehabilitation of ulnar collateral ligament injuries of the thumb,” J Hand Surg., 29(A): 915-920, 2004.
Harley, B.J., Palmer, A.K., Boles, S.D., Werner, F.W., “Arthroscopic resection of arthrosis of the proximal hamate: A clinical and biomechanical Study,” J Hand Surg., 29A:661-667, 2004.
Harley, B.J., Dulai, S.K., Jones, C.A., Beaupre, L.A., Weber, D.W., “The effect of time to definitive treatment on the rates of infection and non-union in open fractures,” J Orthop Trauma, 16(7): 484-490, 2002.
Harley, B.J., Carter, P.R., Ezaki, M. “Volar surgical correction of Madelung’s deformity,” Tech Hand Upper Extremity Surg., 6(1):30-35, 2002.
Harley, B.J., Beaupre, L.A., Jones, C.A., Cinats, J.G., Guenther, C., “Effect of epsilon aminocaproic acid on blood loss in patients undergoing primary total hip replacement,” Can J Surg, 45:185-190, 2002.
Cheeseman, C.I., Harley, B.J., “Adaptation of glucose transport across rat enterocyte basolateral membrane in response to altered dietary carbohydrate intake,” J Physiology (London), 437:563-575, Jun 1991.

Textbook Chapters

Harley, B.J., Palmer, A.K., “Arthroscopic Resection of Arthrosis of the Proximal Pole of the Hamate” in Wrist & Hand Arthroscopy: A Practical Approach, Eds: Slutsky, D.J., Nagle, D., Elsevier, Philadelphia, PA, 2007.
Harley, B.J., Bergman, J.W., “Anatomy, Biology and Biomechanics of Tendon and Ligament” in Orthopaedic Essentials - Oncology and Basic Science, Eds: Damron, T.A., Morris, C.D., Lippincott and Williams, Philadelphia, PA, 2007.
Sethi, S., Harley, B.J., Custodio, C., Stubblefield, M., “Peripheral Nerve Physiology, Anatomy and Pathology” in Orthopaedic Essentials - Oncology and Basic Science, Eds: Damron, T.A., Morris, C.D., Lippincott and Williams, Philadelphia, PA, 2007.
Smallman, T.V., Shekitka, K., Flemming, D., Harley, B.J., “Infectious Disorders of Bone and Joint” in Orthopaedic Essentials - Oncology and Basic Science, Eds: Damron, T.A., Morris, C.D., Lippincott and Williams, Philadelphia, PA, 2007.
Harley, B.J., Palmer, A.K., “Distal Radius Malunion” in Complications of Wrist Fractures, Ed: Friedman, S. AAOS Press, Rosemount, IL, 2005.
Harley, B.J., Palmer, A.K., “Distal Radius Nonunion” in Complications of Wrist Fractures, Ed: Friedman, S. AAOS Press, Rosemount, IL, 2005
Harley, B.J., Palmer, A.K., “The Distal Radioulnar Joint” in Complications of Wrist Fractures, Ed: Friedman, S. AAOS Press, Rosemount, IL, 2005