Edward A. Athanasian, MD

Edward A. Athanasian, MD

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Titles

Attending Surgeon

Clinical Expertise

Bone Cancer; Ewing Sarcoma; Osteosarcoma; Soft Tissue Sarcoma; Hand Surgery; Hand and Upper Extremity Disorders; Upper Limb Reconstruction; Nerve Tumors

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New Patient Appointments

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Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., (Eastern time)
Accepted Insurance Providers

Dr. Athanasian accepts the following list of insurance providers. Select your insurance provider to see more details.

Aetna

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, EPO PPO, POS, Transplant

Aetna Medicare Advantage (City of NY retirees only, starting 9/1/23)

Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee Program

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, PPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield New York

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Blue Cross Blue Shield states outside of NY/NJ

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, EPO PPO, POS

Blue Cross Health Plus

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

Carrum Health

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): Supplemental

Cigna

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, HMO

Connecticare

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): POS, EPO, HMO

Emblem

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

Emblem Essential

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

Emblem Medicare Advantage

Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO

Empire Blue Cross Medicare Advantage

Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO, DSN

Empire Essential

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

Empire Plan / NYSHIP (Blue Cross/UnitedHealthcare split plan)

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO

Fidelis

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, EPO

Fidelis Managed Medicaid & HARP

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

Fidelis Medicare Advantage

Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

First Health

Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO

Healthfirst

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): EPO, HMO, PPO, POS

Healthfirst Managed Medicaid

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

Healthfirst Medicare Advantage

Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, PPO

Healthsmart

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (HMO)

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey (PPO)

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier I (EPO)

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): EPO

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Omnia Tier II (EPO)

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): EPO

Horizon Medicare Advantage

Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO

Husky CT Medicaid

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government

Magnacare

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO

Straight NJ Medicaid

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government

Straight NY Medicaid

Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government

Medicare Part A&B (traditional Medicare)

Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): Federal Government

Multiplan/Beech Street/PHCS

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): Supplemental

MVP

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO/OAP

Non-Participating Plans with Out of Network Benefits

Payor Type: Other
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO, HMO

NYC Medicare Advantage Plus for City Employees

Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): TBD

Oscar

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO/EPO

Oxford

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, EPO

World Trade Center Health Program (WTC)

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government

Qualcare

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, HMO

Tricare

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO

UMR

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS

United Healthcare

Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, HMO

Contact and Location

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Find a Convenient Location

Memorial Sloan Kettering has locations throughout New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, and Westchester. These locations offer many services, including screening, chemotherapy, and medical testing.

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About Me

Education

MD, Columbia University

Residencies

Orthopaedics - Hospital for Special Surgery

Fellowships

Hand and Microvascular Surgery - The Mayo Clinic; Orthopaedic Oncology - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Board Certifications

Surgery; Orthopaedic Surgery

Please note that this doctor’s office has recently moved. All patient appointments are now taking place at the Rockefeller Outpatient Pavilion at 160 East 53rd Street in Manhattan.

As an Attending Surgeon on MSK’s Orthopaedic Service, I specialize in caring for people with upper extremity bone and soft tissue tumors. I use advanced limb salvage and reconstruction techniques.

I am also Chief Emeritus of the hand and upper extremity service at the Hospital for Special Surgery, where I perform surgery to treat bone and soft tissue conditions of the hand and upper extremity.

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My research includes a study to develop and test a validated survey that measures patients’ expectations after treatment for basilar joint arthritis. I am also doing a pilot study of treatment for carpometacarpal osteoarthritis. My cancer-related research interests include the imaging characteristics of and biopsy techniques for upper extremity tumors. I have reported the largest series of patients with soft tissue sarcoma of the hand. I am currently extending the follow-up on these patients and adding additional patients for what will be a 25-year experience. I also study postsurgical quality of life and specialized reconstruction techniques after surgery to remove tumors of the hand.

I am a founding member of the American Society for Reconstructive Transplantation, a member of numerous other orthopedic and musculoskeletal oncology professional societies, and a faculty member of the annual joint Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center/Hospital for Special Surgery/Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli course Musculoskeletal Tumor Pathology and Clinical Oncology.

Awards and Honors

  • New York Magazine Top Doctors (2005-2016)

Colleagues

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.

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Clinical Trials

Smiling doctors in the lab
Find a Clinical Trial for You

Memorial Sloan Kettering's doctors and scientists are constantly developing new treatments for cancer. MSK is typically running hundreds of clinical trials at a given time.

You may be able to participate in a clinical trial even if you are new to MSK. Search our online directory to find trial information and see more about who can participate.

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Research and Publications

Selected Book Chapters
Athanasian EA. Soft tissue tumors. Jebson PJL, Kasdan ML, eds. Hand Secrets. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Hanley & Belfus; 2001: 310-315.

Athanasian EA. Tumors: general principles. Berger RA, Weiss APC, eds. Hand Surgery. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2004: 1721-1736.

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Athanasian EA. Synovial chondromatosis and pigmented villonodular synovitis. Schwartz HS, ed. Orthopaedic Knowledge Update: Musculoskeletal Tumors 2. 2nd ed. Rosemont, IL: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; 2007: 265-271.

Athanasian EA. Biopsy of musculoskeletal tumors. Damron TA, ed. Oncology and Basic Science (Orthopaedic Surgery Essentials). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008: 37-49.

Athanasian EA. Bone and soft-tissue tumors of the hand and forearm. Lieberman JR, ed. AAOS Comprehensive Orthopaedic Review. Rosemont, IL: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; 2009: 927-930.

Athanasian EA, Irons GB. Tumors of the wrist. Cooney WP III, ed. The Wrist: Diagnosis and Operative Treatment. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2010: 1187-1211.

Athanasian EA. Bone and soft tissue tumors. Wolfe SW, Hotchkiss RN, Pederson WC, Kozin SH, eds. Green’s Operative Hand Surgery. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2010: 2141-2196.

Athanasian EA. Tumors. Hammert WC, Calfee RP, Bozentka DJ, Boyer MI, eds. ASSH Manual of Hand Surgery. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2010: 460-470.

Athanasian EA. Treatment of enchondroma, bone cyst, and giant cell tumor of the distal upper extremity. Wiesel SW, ed. Operative Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2010: 3029-3041.

Puhaindran ME, Athanasian EA.  Malignant and Metastatic Tumors of the Hand.  Hand Surgery Update 5.  American Society for Surgery of the Hand.

Publications on PubMed

Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Athanasian’s journal articles. Pubmed is an online index of research papers and other articles from the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

See all on PubMed

Disclosures

Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.

MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.

Edward A. Athanasian discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

No disclosures meeting criteria for time period


If you’re a patient at MSK and would like more information about your doctor’s external relationships, please talk with your doctor.

The information published here is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.


This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2021 through disclosure submission in spring 2022). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.

Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].


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