Ida K. Fox, MD

Phone: 314-362-7388

Ida Keiko Fox is nationally and internationally known for her work to restore hand and upper extremity function in the setting of mid-cervical level spinal cord injury (SCI). Her expertise extends more generally to include the care of complicated surgical problems in complex populations.

Dr. Fox is professor of surgery and hand fellowship program director in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at WashU Medicine, and a staff physician at the VA St. Louis Health Care System. After receiving her bachelor’s in biology from Haverford College in 1994, Fox earned her medical degree at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY. She completed her residency training in plastic surgery there and did a fellowship in the Peripheral Nerve Laboratory at WashU Medicine. Finally, she completed a fellowship in hand, peripheral nerve and microsurgery at WashU Medicine and was invited to join the faculty. She is board certified in plastic surgery with a sub-specialty certificate in hand surgery.

Expertise

Specialty Areas

Hand surgery
Nerve surgery
Tendon and nerve transfer surgery in spinal cord (Tetraplegia)
Chest wall reconstruction
Sternal reconstruction
Wound coverage and closure
Reconstructive Surgery

Common Procedures

Nerve transfer surgery
Tendon transfer surgery
Nerve repair
Nerve decompression (carpal tunnel release, cubital tunnel release)
Trigger finger release
Skin cancer removal
Lipoma removal
Mass removal

Common Diagnoses Treated

Tetraplegia
Quadraplegia
Cervical level spinal cord injury (upper extremity and hand construction)
Carpal tunnel
Cubital tunnel
Trigger finger
DeQuervain’s tendonitis
Lipoma
Neurofibromatosis
Skin cancer

Education

Board Certifications

American Board of Plastic Surgery

Subspecialty Certification in Hand Surgery

Degrees

Medical School: University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY 1999

Residency

2002 Plastic Surgery Residency, University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, NY

Fellowship

2004 Peripheral Nerve Research Fellowship, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

2007 Hand and Microsurgery Fellowship, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

Professional Memberships

American Association for Plastic Surgery

American Spinal Injury Association

American Association for Hand Surgery

American Society for Surgery of the Hand

American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery

Fellow of the American College of Surgeons

American Society of Plastic Surgeons

American Society for Peripheral Nerve

Awards and Honors

2019 Member of the American Association for Plastic Surgery

2017 The Paul M. Weeks, MD Resident Education Award, Division of Plastic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO

2005-2020 Best Doctors in America list for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Best Doctors, Inc.) and “Best Doctors in St. Louis Magazine” list member

2005 Dr. Joseph M. Serletti Resident Award for Excellence in Academic Plastic Surgery, University of Rochester Division of Plastic Surgery, Rochester, NY

2005 First Prize for Best Resident Paper Presentation, American Society for Peripheral Nerve Annual Meeting, Puerto Rico

2004 First Prize for Best Research Paper Presentation, Washington University Division of Plastic Surgery Resident Research Day, Saint Louis, MO

2004 J.K. Hardesty, MD Best Poster Award (Co-Author), Plastic Surgery Research Council 58th Annual Meeting, Santa Monica, CA

2003 First Prize for Best Resident Paper Presentation, American College of Surgeons Missouri Chapter Annual Meeting, Lake of the Ozarks, MO

Research

Areas of Research Interest

Restoring upper extremity function in the setting of spinal cord injury

Clinical Trials

I am currently conducting research to study the outcomes after nerve transfer, tendon transfer or no surgery in the setting of cervical spinal cord injury– this is funded by my grant entitled: “Supporting Patient Decisions About Upper-Extremity Surgery in Cervical Spinal Cord Injury” Department of Defense office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) Fiscal Year 2016 Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award. SC160046 : W81X