For Dr. Kael Nahikian, hand and wrist surgeon at Northern Arizona Orthopaedics (NAO), hand surgery represents the intersection of science, creativity, and craftsmanship, a specialty where technical precision and problem-solving come together to restore something deeply personal: a person’s ability to use their hands.
His path to hand surgery began during residency, when he discovered a field that combined many of the disciplines he enjoyed most, including orthopedics, vascular surgery, neurosurgery, microsurgery, reconstructive surgery, and plastic surgery.
“Hand surgery was a wonderful way to combine all of the things I enjoyed about the different fields I was working in,” Dr. Nahikian says.
That same appreciation for combining different disciplines has shaped another important part of his life: art. Growing up in an artistic environment, Dr. Nahikian initially pursued pre-medical sciences in college but found himself looking for a creative outlet. That search led him to sculpture, which became a lifelong passion.
“I was doing a lot of math and science, but I felt like something was missing,” he recalls. “When I found sculpture, it was a really wonderful fit.”
Today, his background in sculpture, woodworking, and medical illustration continues to influence the way he approaches surgery. For Dr. Nahikian, both art and medicine require visualization, precision, and the ability to translate an idea into reality.
“There’s a creative component to surgery, especially when you’re developing solutions to problems you see in the clinic that are a little less common,” he explains. “When you’re working on a sculpture, you have to translate what you’re doing with your hands into a result that matches what you’re planning mentally. That’s the case in the operating room as well.”
Whether reconstructing a complex fracture or treating a challenging hand condition, Dr. Nahikian approaches each procedure by first envisioning the desired outcome and determining the steps needed to achieve it.
“When you’re working on a sculpture, you have different components or materials that you’re working with, and you have to find ways to bring everything together to achieve the goal you’re looking for,” he says. “In surgery, it’s very similar.”
That connection is especially meaningful because of how much people rely on their hands every day. Many of the activities Dr. Nahikian enjoys outside of medicine, including art, engineering projects, and playing piano, depend on the ability to use his hands.
“Almost everything I enjoy outside of medicine involves creativity, design, problem-solving, and using my hands,” he says. “Being able to help patients get back to doing the things they love is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.”
Becoming a parent has further shaped his perspective as a physician. After welcoming his daughter, Dr. Nahikian says he has gained an even deeper understanding of the trust patients place in their doctors.
“Becoming a parent has given me a different perspective,” he says. “You naturally begin imagining your own family in the position of the people sitting across from you in the clinic. It creates an additional level of commitment to making sure people have the best possible outcomes.”
For Dr. Nahikian, being a surgeon is more than technical skill, it is about connecting with patients as people.
“I’ve always tried to be as complete a person as I can,” he says. “Not just complete from a technical standpoint as a surgeon, but complete in my interests, my family, and my community. You can be a good technical surgeon and help people, but to really make a difference in people’s lives, you have to be able to reach them as well.”
For Dr. Nahikian, restoring hand function means helping patients return to the activities, relationships, and passions that make their lives meaningful.
For additional information or to schedule an appointment with Northern Arizona Orthopaedics, call 928.226.2900
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Annebeth Ahrenholz, Senior Communications Specialist for Healthcare Outcomes Performance Company (HOPCo)
