Linda Carime Cendales, MD
Hand Surgeon, Hand Transplant Surgeon
My Locations
About Me
I am a hand transplant surgeon with formal training in hand and microsurgery and transplant surgery. I enjoy working with adults and children who need hand surgery and/or upper extremity reconstruction. I treat conditions that involve the hand, including occupational related injuries and trauma. That can include carpel tunnel, tendon and nerve injuries and hand transplants. I'm fortunate to work with a team that provides outstanding patient care.
- Professor of Surgery, Surgery, Plastic, Maxillofacial, and Oral Surgery 2023
- Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery 2023
Call for an Appointment
Areas of Expertise
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Dupuytren's Contracture
- Hand Pain and Injury
- Hand Transplant
- Tendon and Nerve Injuries
Ratings and Reviews
The ratings and reviews are based on patient responses to the overall provider rating question from the survey. The question reads: “Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst provider possible and 10 is the best provider possible, what number would you use to rate this provider?” Responses are converted to a 5-point rating system and applied consistently to all providers. Learn more about our survey process. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.
Training and Education
In the News
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Clinical Focus and Research
I am actively engaged in research and study the field called vascularized composite allografts (VCA). VCA is the transplantation of multiple tissues like bone, skin, muscle, vessels, nerve, and tendon as one functional unit. Hand transplantation is an example of a VCA for those who have lost one or both hands. My investigation includes how patients do after a hand transplant, understanding rejection, as well as less morbid therapies for hand transplant patients. Our team uses preclinical models and receives samples from recipients to better understand VCA.
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Abdominal Wall TransplantIRB# PRO00084054 , NCT# NCT03310905
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VCA Biorepository & Database Study (Body Tissue Transplantation)IRB# PRO00062115
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Hand transplantationIRB# PRO00056079 , NCT# NCT02310867
- Freitas, A. M., K. P. Samy, A. B. Farris, F. V. Leopardi, M. Song, L. Stempora, E. A. Strobert, J. A. Jenkins, A. D. Kirk, and L. C. Cendales. “Studies Introducing Costimulation Blockade for Vascularized Composite Allografts in Nonhuman Primates.” Am J Transplant 15, no. 8 (August 2015): 2240–49. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajt.13379.
- Cendales, L., R. Bray, H. Gebel, L. Brewster, R. Elbein, D. Farthing, M. Song, et al. “Tacrolimus to Belatacept Conversion Following Hand Transplantation: A Case Report.” Am J Transplant 15, no. 8 (August 2015): 2250–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajt.13217.
- Cendales, L., D. Granger, M. Henry, J. Jones, A. Langnas, D. Levi, J. Magee, et al. “Implementation of vascularized composite allografts in the United States: recommendations from the ASTS VCA Ad Hoc Committee and the Executive Committee.” Am J Transplant 11, no. 1 (January 2011): 13–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-6143.2010.03374.x.
- Cendales, L. C., D. E. Kleiner, and A. D. Kirk. “Translational research in composite tissue allotransplantation.” In Transplantation of Composite Tissue Allografts, 43–54, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-74682-1_5.
- Kirk, Allan D., Douglas A. Hale, Elizabeth Ford, David E. Kleiner, Robert L. Kampen, Eric A. Elster, S John Swanson, et al. “Solid organ transplantation at the National Institutes of Health: development of a research-based transplantation practice.,” 131–44, 2005.
- Steinbrink, J. M., T. L. Pruett, and L. C. Cendales. “Vascular Composite Allografts (VCA): New Transplants, New Infections.” In Emerging Transplant Infections: Clinical Challenges and Implications, 1513–32, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25869-6_61.
- Samy, K., A. Freitas, A. Farris, F. Leopardi, M. Song, E. Strobert, J. Jenkins, A. Kirk, and L. Cendales. “Costimulation Blockade Prolongs Rejection-Free Survival of Vascularized Composite Allografts in Non-Human Primates.” In Transplantation, 98:410–410. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), 2014. https://doi.org/10.1097/00007890-201407151-01355.
- Swanson, J., D. Hale, L. Cendales, A. Kirk, and R. B. Mannon. “Monitoring immunosuppression following kidney transplantation: Experience with the Cylex (TM) immune cell function assay.” In JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY, 13:370A-370A. LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS, 2002.
- Cendales, L., W. Breidenbach, D. K. Granger, and J. W. Jones. “Evaluation of function following human hand transplantation.” In TRANSPLANTATION, 69:S295–S295. LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS, 2000.
Insurance Accepted
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.
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Aetna
- Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
- Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
- Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
- Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
- Aetna Open Choice PPO
- Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
- Aetna Select HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice
- Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
- Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
- Aetna/CVS Health
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Ambetter
- Ambetter of North Carolina
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
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Cigna
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
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*Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
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Duke Group Plans
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
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Experience Health
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
- Gateway Health Alliance
- Healthgram
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Humana
- Humana Choice (PPO)
- Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
- Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
- MedCost
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Medicare
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
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NC Medicaid
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
- Carolina Complete Health
- Healthy Blue
- NC Medicaid Direct
- WellCare of North Carolina
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TRICARE
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
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United Healthcare
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
- AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
- AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
- All Savers Alternate Funding
- All Savers Fully Insured
- United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)**
- United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
- United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
- United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
- United Healthcare Option PPO
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
- United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
- United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
- United Medical Resources (UMR)
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.
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**Duke Health does not participate in UHC plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.
External Relationships
- One Lambda/Thermo Fisher