Leading the future of hand and upper extremity surgery, sports medicine, and orthopedic innovation.
As Chief of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital, Dr. Lee leverages a unique dual-fellowship background in hand and sports medicine surgery. He combines this elite clinical expertise with pioneering implant design and biological therapies to restore patients to peak performance.
- Castle Connolly Top Doctor2014–Present
- NY Times Super DoctorsSince 2008
- Super Doctors Hall of FameSince 2019
- New York Magazine Best Doctors2014–Present
- U.S. News Top DoctorMultiple years
He didn't just learn the procedure. He helped design the hardware.
Dr. Lee has helped design orthopedic implants widely used by surgeons across the world, including plating and fixation systems for hand, wrist, elbow, and feet, and anchor and internal brace constructs used in both the upper and lower extremities.
Designing a wide range of orthopedic implants has given him a unique engineering perspective that directly shapes his surgical approach, ensuring that every construct is perfectly tailored, sized, and anatomically placed for the individual patient. The implants Dr. Lee helped design center around plating/fixation systems and anchor implants for:
- Fractures of the hand, wrist, elbow, and foot/ankle
- Revolutionized internal bracing for the upper extremity
- Tendon-to-bone fixation for tendon ruptures
- Ligament repair and reconstruction: elbow UCL (Tommy John) and LUCL, thumb/finger UCL and RCL, and scapholunate
- Basal joint arthritis surgery
- TFCC repairs
- US patent, surgical instrumentation
Surgery and sports medicine, from fingertip to knee to ankle.
Dr. Lee's practice spans upper extremity surgery, sports medicine, and advanced biologics, with particular depth in the procedures he helped pioneer.
Outcomes that speak for themselves.
Dr. Lee has literally saved my life and helps keep my body in top shape.
Shared with each patient's permission.
Read more patient storiesBeen told you need surgery? Get a real second look.
A second opinion from a world-class specialist is rarely wasted. Dr. Lee reviews imaging, records, and prior surgical plans for patients who have been told they need orthopedic surgery, and helps them understand whether an operation, a different operation, or no operation is the right call.
In-person in NYC or Scarsdale. Telemedicine consultations available for out-of-state and international patients.
Urgent and pre-surgical second opinions are accommodated quickly.
Virtual consults for patients outside New York or traveling for care.
Direct review of MRIs, X-rays, and prior surgical plans.
Understand your options before committing to surgery.
A surgeon at the leading edge of his field.
Dr. Steven J. Lee is Chief of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital, one of New York's premier medical centers. He is double fellowship-trained in Hand Surgery and Sports Medicine, and board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.
What sets Dr. Lee apart is his direct role in advancing the field. He has helped design orthopedic implants now widely used by surgeons around the world, including plating and fixation systems for the hand, wrist, elbow, and foot, as well as the anchor and internal-brace constructs used in sports medicine and trauma for both the upper and lower extremities. This gives him an unparalleled, in-depth knowledge and unique experience in translating clinical research into cutting-edge patient care.
An active leader in clinical research, Dr. Lee has authored 35+ peer-reviewed papers—including a recent landmark review on the use of peptides in orthopedics—and regularly instructs courses for practicing surgeons worldwide. Blending research with clinical excellence, his practice performs 250+ PRP and other advanced non-surgical biological procedures annually.
Read what your surgeon would tell you in the office, in your own time.
Comprehensive, physician-authored pages on every condition Dr. Lee treats, from diagnosis through surgery and recovery protocols. Patients are encouraged to revisit the relevant page after their visit.
Skip the call center. Book directly.
Same-week appointments are often available at both the NYC and Scarsdale offices. Telemedicine consultations available for out-of-state and international patients.
New York, NY 10021
Scarsdale, NY 10583
Common patient questions.
Dr. Steven J. Lee is widely regarded as one of New York City's top orthopedic hand and upper extremity surgeons. He serves as Chief of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital and Associate Director at NISMAT (Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma), is double fellowship-trained in hand surgery and sports medicine, and has been recognized by NY Times Super Doctors since 2008, Castle Connolly since 2014, and New York Magazine Best Doctors since 2014. He has helped design several orthopedic implants used in hand, elbow, and tendon-to-bone reconstruction, and was among the first surgeons in New York to perform PRP therapy for upper extremity injuries.