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We engage our multidisciplinary team to effectively diagnose your injury and present options that best serve to restore your function and well-being.
– Neill Y. Li, MD

Neill Y. Li, MD

Hand and Upper Extremity Surgeon, Orthopaedic Surgeon, Peripheral Nerve Surgeon

Duke Health Provider question
Accepting New Patients
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Areas of Expertise
Where I See Patients
Duke Ambulatory Surgery Center Arringdon - Morrisville, NC
Duke Orthopaedics Arringdon - Morrisville, NC
Duke University Hospital - Durham, NC
We engage our multidisciplinary team to effectively diagnose your injury and present options that best serve to restore your function and well-being.
– Neill Y. Li, MD

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About Me

I am an orthopedic surgeon with additional training in hand, peripheral nerve, and microvascular surgery. My practice, in particular, focuses on the treatment of acute and chronic peripheral nerve injuries in patients of all ages, from birth to adult. These encompass injuries in both the arms and legs, the brachial plexus, as well as extremity dysfunction that result from stroke, traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy, or spinal cord injuries. In our clinic, we strive to listen and systematically work to diagnose the injury in order to present treatment strategies. Treatment may include careful observation with therapy or surgical options that involve nerve decompression, repair, or reconstruction or extremity reanimation through muscle, tendon, or bone-based surgeries. In providing comprehensive multi-disciplinary care to achieve the best outcome, we have established a peripheral nerve team with providers from neurosurgery, plastic surgery, neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, radiology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. Understanding that recovering from nerve injuries takes time, my team and I will be alongside you at each step in your journey toward restoring function and well-being.

Current Appointments and Affiliations
Languages I Speak
English

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Areas of Expertise

  • Nerve Transfer Surgery
  • Upper Extremity Nerve Injuries
  • Peripheral Nerve Disorders and Injuries

Ratings and Reviews

The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our nationally-recognized Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. Learn more about our survey process. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.

Overall Provider Rating
4.74 out of 5
201 ratings, 16 reviews

Training and Education

Fellowship
Hand, Peripheral Nerve, and Microvascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic (Minnesota), 2021-2022
Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery, Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital, 2020-2021
Residency
Orthopaedic Surgery, Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital, 2015-2020
Education
MD, Loyola University Chicago (Illinois), 2015

Clinical Focus and Research

My Research Interests

I lead a peripheral nerve regeneration lab that strives to understand the genetic, cellular, and immunologic responses and interactions that occur following nerve injury and during nerve regeneration. With our aging population, we are further interested in understanding how these changes in the context of aging. Through this understanding, we are seeking to develop immunomodulatory interventions and biologics that enhance nerve regeneration and preserve muscle viability for reinnervation to provide our patients with cutting-edge therapies.

Publications and Grants

Insurance Accepted

Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.

    • 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
    • Ambetter of North Carolina
    • Blue Advantage
    • Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
    • Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
    • Blue Select
    • NC State Employees Health Plan
    • *Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.

    • Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
    • Cigna Choice Plus
    • Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
    • Cigna Open Access
    • Cigna Open Access Plus
    • *Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.

    • Duke Basic
    • Duke Select
    • Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
  • Gateway Health Alliance
  • Healthgram
    • 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
    • First Medicare Direct
    • Medicare Part A
    • Medicare Part B
    • AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
    • Carolina Complete Health
    • Healthy Blue
    • NC Medicaid Direct
    • WellCare of North Carolina
    • TRICARE Prime
    • TRICARE Prime Remote
    • TRICARE Select
    • 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)
    • *Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.

    • **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

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies or institutions listed below. This information has been reported to the health system leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.
  • Alafair Biosciences
  • Checkpoint Surgical