Dr. Kyle P. Kokko and Dr. Eric Angermeier of the Hand Institute of Charleston are proud to have partnered with East Cooper Medical and Novant Health to offer area residents the best in hand and wrist care.
“One of the main things that attracted me to East Cooper was the autonomy they allowed my partner and me to build a practice focused on our specialty,” said Dr. Kokko. “Rather than being a subspecialty in a big department or facility, the Hand Institute of Charleston focuses solely on hand and wrist problems.”
This practice excels at focusing on the complex network of bones, ligaments, muscles, tendons, blood vessels and nerves that make up the human hand.
“Working with the hand is such a mixed bag of pathology. The hand is so unique and there’s so much going on there,” said Dr. Kokko. “Dealing with the hand requires significant expertise. We manage pinched nerves, swollen tendons, broken bones, arthritic joints and contractures of the skin. Of course, it makes my job a lot of fun! It’s always interesting and there’s a great deal of variety during the day,” he laughed.
The practice was designed to be a “one-stop shop” as well as with the intention of being the best hand and wrist practice in the region.
“We have our own imaging equipment in the office and use a process called fluoroscopy, which is great because it allows our patients to see exactly what we’re talking about in real time. It’s so much better than sending them out for imaging services and maybe never seeing the image themselves,” said Dr. Kokko.
He is a fan of this process, as it allows him to get the precise image he needs, from all the right angles, exactly when he needs it.
“We get to sit right next to the patient, and we show them, you know, we actually are taking their X-ray, and we’re showing them the X-ray. It’s different than going into a radiology suite where you lay on a table and everybody runs out of the room,” Dr. Kokko laughed.
Dr. Kokko noted that this method allows their patients to actively participate in their care as well.
“It’s a great educational tool for the patient, to see things as I’m pointing things out and teaching them about their problem.”
“I find that an educated patient is a really good patient. I know there are physicians that, you know, don’t like ‘doctor Google,’ but I do find it helpful when patients take an interest in becoming knowledgeable about their care.”
The physicians at The Hand Institute of Charleston encourage you to visit their website at novanthealth.org/locations/clinics/hand-institute-of-charleston for more information.
By Amy Gesell
