Dr. Diao is a great doctor and did a good job repairing my wrist and shoulder. He was attentive. He listened to my needs. He was always on time. I would recommend him to any and everyone. read more

I hope this review will be of help to anyone needing hand surgery. Before deciding to proceed: ALWAYS GET A SECOND OPINION. ASK: 1. How many and how recently have you performed this specific procedure? 2. WHAT exactly will surgery entail? 3. HOW LONG I will be immobilized? 4. WHEN will I start hand therapy and WHO will I see for therapy? 5. What will a good result look like? I had tendon transfer surgery to repair a ruptured EPL tendon. At our initial meeting, Dr. Diao stated assuredly that 90% I could expect very good function post-surgery and be able to perform all my usual activities well. I unfortunately trusted and deferred to his 'expertise', did not get 2nd opinions or ask the above questions. A year and a half post-surgery, I still have adhesions, significant limitations in thumb function I am completely unable to lift my thumb away from my palm (retropulsion). Some of this is due to an apparently POORLY EXECUTED SURGERY (he did not create the necessary tension in the tendon for me to activate the muscle to straighten and lift my thumb) and the inexcusable LACK OF NECESSARY POST-SURGERY TREATMENT. Therapy after EPL tendon transfer surgery is essential to protect the healing tissue, reduce adhesions, retrain brain to use the donor muscle for a new thumb movement, and restore hand function, while also protecting the integrity of the repair. It turns out that Dr. Diao does NOT believe in hand therapy. You can listen to one of the videos on his website where he says moving your hand in a bag of rice is preferable to hand therapy. I was kept completely immobilized 24-7 in one static position in a commercial split for 5-6 weeks, then told me to just go use my hand and only at my request did he hand me a list of locations for therapy. It took another 5 weeks to get an appointment (now 10 weeks post-surgery). The first therapist was not knowledgeable about my surgery and a complete waste of time.. At my multiple requests Dr. Diao was not able provide a specific place or name of an experienced hand therapist to address the concerns that I repeatedly shared with him. I should have immediately been referred to and started seeing a hand therapist WITHIN 2-3 WEEKS POST SURGERY who would have placed me in a CUSTOMIZABLE SPLINT allowing for adjustments in position, controlled movement to prevent severe joint stiffness and scar tissue buildup. I should have started doing passive movements with my thumb, gradually increasing to active mobilization. I should have been given progressive exercises to safely rebuild muscle strength and coordination. This process all should have started within 3 weeks post-surgery. NONE of this happened. I eventually called another doctor who immediately referred me to an experienced hand therapist. It was a now a full 6 months post-surgery before I began therapy. I am grateful that I did eventually got some pain reduction and improvement in function, but it is far from a good outcome. I am still completely unable to retropulse my thumb away from my palm, still always have some degree of pain or discomfort and limited function. The combination of a poorly executed procedure (He did not create the right amount of tension in the tendon) and the inexcusable lack of appropriate post-surgery follow-up has left me with continued adhesions, pain, and a poorly functioning thumb. I am now consulting with another doctor at the Buncke Clinic to see if at this late stage there is some way to improve my function. Do your due diligence before proceeding with any doctor. Do not just trust credentials and reviews. Many reviews are curated. One star for a friendly and helpful office staff. read more

Went to him day after an injury; saw urgent care first. Appointment felt rushed with him; he didn't catch a fracture and refused ordering an MRI. The fracture was caught 2 days later by a PA at a different ortho as they were much more exhaustive and less rushed than Dr. Diao. I called to let the office know and Dr. Diao didn't follow up with me. read more

I absolutely love Dr. Diao! He is kind, professional and an excellent surgeon. I have had 2 surgeries with him. Both have been successful and pain free. I highly recommend him. read more

i highly recommend Dr.Diao.! I fractured my elbow and an xray showed the bone (ulna) was displaced and that I needed surgery. Fortunately, I was referred to Dr.Diao. His staff worked with my insurer to get approval within a few days. I was nervous, but Dr Diao and the staff at the surgery center were terrific and all very reassuring. Surgery went smoothly, with little pain. It's been 6 weeks post op and my elbow is recovering mobility much quicker than I anticipated. read more

Dr. Diao recently performed minor rotator cuff surgery on my left shoulder. Excellent surgeon with great professional manners. Very positive, Excellent friendly and efficient staff. read more

If you've been seeking a compassionate and competent surgeon for your hand surgery, look no further! My MIL had hand surgery 7 days ago, many thanks to Dr. Diao, for she is finally pain free after suffering for a year. read more

I had a cyst at the between my middle finger and palm that was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.. It started to press against my nerve and cause some tinging/numbing sensations. I thought it would go away on it's own, but after 8 months, I decided to see a specialist. I reached out to Dr. Diao's office because it is so close to my work and I'm so happy I did! I had such a wonderful, pain-free experience. I emailed to schedule an appointment and was contacted promptly. Shayne and Sergio were so friendly and helpful with setting up my appointment and the entire check in process. Dr. Diao recognized my issue right away, explained what it was, and asked me if I wanted him to take care of it.. He numbed the area, grabbed a needle and sucked whatever was in there out! Why did I wait so long?! What a relief! Thank you so much Dr. Diao! read more

Completely blessed to have met Dr. Diao. I had met Dr. Diao through my Fiancé who had previously been seen by him. At the time of my incident he had video chatted with me to assess the severity of my injury. Wasn't to bad at the time of the chat and scheduled me first thing in the morning to be seen. Such a pleasant experience read more

There appear to be haters out there, but Dr. Diao is about as good as it gets. Broke my thumb riding my bike, got it splinted on a Wednesday. Saw Dr. Diao on Thursday and Friday morning had surgery. Within a week I was using my right hand to type (important for folks who do knowledge work for a living). Having worked with dozens of doctors, Dr. Diao has a few things that stand out: - Competent and knowledgeable without being arrogant - Gives you only the knowledge you need; as a hypochondriac this helps - Advice that's easy to follow and simple - On time, easy follow-ups - Delightful staff I had a Bennett Fracture and 2 pins in my thumb for a few weeks. With Dr. Diao I had a good sense for what was normal and what wasn't, and haven't needed physical therapy. I've kept my x-ray printout and pins as souvenirs. Every time I came in, he made me feel more confident with my limitations as well as what I could and couldn't do. When I accidentally knocked a pin inside my thumb that created a sore, he fixed it easily. It's hard to find someone with the skillset of Dr. Diao - the competence without arrogance + the ability to explain things in ways that have you intuitively help your hand heal without massive checklists. Finally a reminder: doctors are human. People looking for 100% procedure success will inevitably be disappointed. He's also giving his advice having seen literally hundreds of cases. You can of course get different opinions from different doctors. As importantly, Doctors don't control your insurance reimbursement. Overall, I'd find it hard to recommend the experience with a doctor more highly. Competent, direct, and very good at patient care. Dr. Diao is highly recommended. read more

Recently Dr. Diao repaired my torn ulnar collateral ligament this is the forth procedure I have trusted Dr. Diao to preform. The procedure was performed in the surgery center and everything was performed professionally. My recovery has been great returned to work I do protect the surgery with splints when doing jobs that may strain but my strength is good and no pain. 2019 pleased with my progress. My third procedure that Dr. Diao did was set a broken finger. I have full mobility and no lingering weakness. 2008 happy as a clam! My second procedure was repair to the base of my thump injured in a fall accident in which I was holding on to hand hold and crushed my Cartledge he replace Cartledge and after this stabilize my joint and stopped the arthritis process. 2008,Bravo! My first surgery and another highly recommended hand surgeon referred me was not taken lightly by Dr.Diao we tried many conservative measures. In order to restore full mobility to my left hand he suggested a surgery developed during WWII. He removed hardware from earlier stabilization done in emergency surgery (not by Diao) done by capable surgeons (SFGH). Dr. Diao took me and my life style into consideration in each and every procedure. He protected his work knowing I might want to over do a thing or two. My thanks to Dr.Diao for keeping me active as I work with my hands every single day. My introduction to Dr. Diao was when I had a life changing work related injury that detached my hand from my ulna and nearly from my radius. I would never know I had an injury now after this more than capable surgeon performed his artistry. I have also never had a problem with work comp or my private insurance. Dr. Diao's office staff are on top of the insurance and scheduling. I do believe having faith in your surgical team is important to your outcome. I have faith in Dr. Diao, born out of experience. read more

I think Dr. Diao was nonchalant, condescending and disrespectful. He rushed through my appointment and did not explain my diagnosis. He gave me an injection that I had to ask what it was for and how it would help. I was so overwhelmed by his brashness, that I didn't bother asking anymore questions, and left with a painful wrist not knowing the pain would last 6-8 hours later. Then he said if it still hurt in a month I should make another appointment. I definitely did not do that, and went to another doctor who treated me much more humanely. I felt like if I wasn't young, Asian and female Dr. Diao would have treated me with a bit more respect. The only decency I was shown was from the staff member who took my vitals and whatever preliminary tests. She was kind and helpful. Also, the office sent me a bill several months later, which I had already paid (I have the proof on my credit card bill with the date of my visit). I didn't want to have to deal with them again, but now I must. [Final update, turns out the injection Dr. Diao administered was done poorly, because when I got a similar injection from the second doctor he told me it shouldn't be painful, and it actually relieved my symptoms. Must've been the right drugs this time in combination with an accurate shot that cured my painful wrist in one fell swoop. Thank you Dr. William Green!] read more

I went to Dr Diao to repair two Trigger fingers ( a simple O.R. I had done by another Dr. (retired) with great success.) Dr. Diao realized I had numb fingers I had treated with no success....Dr. Diao said he could fix my trigger fingers and gave me a 90% chance he could cure my numb fingers by operating and doing a carpel tunnel O.R. on my left wrist.... again repeating a success rate of 90%. The operation did NOTHING to help the numbness.........and he messed up the trigger fingers that I can no longer straighten and they are weak and cause pain..... I would never recommend Dr. Diao.....I would be better off if I had never walked through his office doors.....There is a 90% chance you will be very disappointed with your results........R.S. read more

Thankfully I went to get a second opinion before following his suggestion. I went there one day and automatically he said I needed surgery. I said no and that I would try to rehab. I went again a month later and he said surgery and I asked for cortisone. He didn't even check me but his injected me where he "thought" was the right place. The cortisone shot eased the pain for a week and then came back. I was about to go in a third time and finally do surgery when thankfully I ran into a doctor friend of mine who told me cortisone is all you need. He referred me to another specialist (Dr. Green) in the city. This new doctor actually did an MRI to find where I needed to get injected. He then injected me and all the pain has been gone for 6 months. Oh and then I get a bill for over $1000 from Dr. Diao and including over 10 charges for things he didn't even do (the visits were like 10 minutes long). read more

My experience with Edward Diao was a nightmare in every sense of the word. I fell on my palm and developed a small ganglion cyst (i.e. "fluid filled sack"). I was told my insurance would cover the "minor" procedure to carve out the cyst. My insurance did not. The misleading information I was provided cost me $1,000 and a massive headache from all the back and forth phone calls with Diao's office and Diao's billing company. What's more, the procedure did not even resolve the cyst. The cyst came back within a couple months. I was told follow-up consultations in connection with the initial surgery would not cost me anything. I later found out that this statement was true up until a certain number of days following the procedure. I was not told this, and therefore ended up paying more money for worthless consultations lasting 5 minutes. Diao proposed a second surgery and offered to reduce the price. I did not get the second surgery done because it was a headache to even begin to understand how I was going to be charged for this follow-up procedure. Perhaps my experience was one-off. Regardless, I would never return to Diao's practice. read more

After falling down a small staircase, I broke my left wrist in four places. Dr. Diao was recommended as a hand/wrist specialist. In a very busy office with many patients coming and going, I was pleased with the friendly and accommodating staff. Dr. Diao immediately removed the cast that was put on in the emergency room as this was causing severe swelling. I was put into a much gentler removable splint , given instructions on how to care for my wrist, and went into surgery a few days later. There is a surgery unit conveniently located at the office location. No hospital. My attending nurse was an absolute angel and the rest of the staff, great. With four pins in my wrist, waiting time for healing was much shorter than a cast would have been. I am very happy with the outcome. Yes, there are times when you must wait in doctor's offices, but I find this to be the norm. I did not find Dr. Diao to be anything but professional in his demeanor. Doctors have many expenses and Insurance companies pay the minimum. This explains why most doctors rush and see many patients. read more

I saw Dr. Diao per a recommendation and did not enjoy my experience either. Besides overhearing him yelling @ his front office staff member, I already knew I won't like the guy. He rushed through my appointment and came off Rude. I would search on Yelp for a better Hand Doc in SF. read more

I first saw Dr. Diao in 1999 long before he had his own practice. I was a referred to him by a trusted surgeon in Boston. I had a good experience with him then. I recently had need of a hand surgeon, again. A decade and a half later, he's still a pleasure to work with. This time around, I ended up with a billing issue and I'm pleased to report that his office worked through it with integrity. Recommended. read more

It's been two years since my last visit with Dr. Diao and I have to say that the service continues to be great! I am volunteer cheerleader with Cheer San Francisco and occasionally sprain my digits from our stunts. My first visit with Dr, Diao was great. He accessed my injury to my thumb and recommended therapy vs. surgery. This week I saw him again for another injury to my thumb. i was able to schedule a visit the next day and the staff provided me with all the information I needed prior to my visit. I arrived 10 minutes early and the staff had my information ready. Dr. Diao promptly saw me at my scheduled time. I have a follow up visit in a month and will report back on my experience. So far it is a 5 star for service! read more

Dr. Diao and his Fellows, Residents, etc. left me TOTALLY DISABLED when I was sent to see him with Basal Joint Arthritis, Carpal Tunnel and DeQuervains Syndrome. I had a family family who had good outcome, but had a minor issue compared to mine. Fifteen years later, ( and back at Kaiser with a great medical team,) we are dealing with the complete failure of the FIVE surgeries I underwent- practice for the team? I found him to be completely devoid of compassion, always in a hurry, and not at all interested in the cause of the injury. After 10 visits, he failed to identify my husband in a waiting room with just two people, but luckily, my husband easily recognized him. We found the staff to be cold and methodical, wait time often up to an hour, for which we would pay at the lot that was nearly always full, and I see he has now moved on to the Work Comp QME cracker jack job. The reason I write- if he suggests surgery ASK whether he will do it, or someone whom he will 'supervise.' It is too late for me- there is no way to repair the experiment which gets worse each year. If given a list of Hand Specialists, have a consult first- take all of your questions. Just because someone has a reputation, does not mean he is the right surgeon. I will live to regret ever going to UC, and would NEVER return. read more

I wanted to get a second opinion on a hand issue so decided to see Dr. Diao. Although the receptionist was nice and professional, the doctor himself was not. First off his office is so small, you basically see and hear everything. You'd think the doctor would be more discrete in an office as small as his but during the half hour that I was there, I heard and saw him make social plans with another patient to dictating his diagnosis on yet another as I waited in a room next door to his. When it came time for my appointment, he seemed friendly at first but refused to look at my MRI report which another doctor had ordered. He said that it wasn't the route that he would've taken and just assumed that my issue was because of another ongoing issue that I had told him about. Instead of offering me preventative solutions or address the more recent issue, Dr. Diao said he would give me another steroid shot but that I may probably end up needing surgery at some point. I had to press him for more preventative actions like hand therapy which he had the receptionist give me a list as he himself quietly packed up his things in the other room to call it a day. So if you would like your diagnosis loudly dictated and heard by other patients, go ahead and see Dr. Diao. I am also an Asian female but not sure that has to do with it or it could be that Dr Diao is the kind of doctor whose main focus is performing surgeries and doesn't like to be bothered with preventative measures nor bedside manners. This review should really have one star but his receptionist was extremely professional and sweet so now it's two. read more

When my primary doctor gave me several suggestions for an orthopedist for my own medical problem, I immediately OKed Dr. Diao because of the good results some of my acquaintances had had with him. I worked in the medical insurance business so I was familiar with this doctors good results. From start to finish, I was pleased with the doctor and his staff. I am troubled by the negative reviews which certainly do not match my experience. I see complaints about the office being small which I believe come from people who haven't treated at 450 Sutter. It's an older (and wonderful) building, and there are very few people in SF who haven't seen a doctor in that building. Certainly, offices in the building aren't spacious, but Dr. Diao's office wasn't cramped by a long shot. I was very comfortable there, and I hadn't considered the office small until I read some of the picky reviews. I suspect that the complaints about small offices at 450 Sutter are from residents who are used to medical offices in industrial parks. Give me the old school, way cool offices at 450 Sutter any day. (Does the building have an Egyptian decor motif? I'm too lazy to look it up, but I like the ambience). I was treated with respect and efficiency by Dr. Diao's staff. Sergio, an assistant of the doctor, is a wonder. This guy is good at his job. Courteous, knowledgeable. The office is a smooth operation. The appointment for which I was scheduled was within a week of my call. My wait in the office was short. Five minutes after I registered at the front desk and filled out forms, I was interviewed by Sergio. 5 minutes after that, I was seen by the doctor. As to the doctor, I found him to be professional and friendly. It was obvious that he had read the medical forms I had filled out, and he gave me his full attention. His exam was short but thorough. He's a pleasant man with a sense of humor. I came away thinking that this guy is a good doctor. He gave me a concise diagnosis and treatment plan. I have years of experience in the medical insurance business so I know that some patients get all tensed up when they don't get a lengthy, dramatic exam. I see that complaint in some of the negative reviews of this doctor, and the reviews of many other doctors. Hey people, your medical problem is very important to you and you might want a team of surgeons to stand around and mull over you for an hour and conduct MRI's, xrays and blood/urine/stool specimens being sent to Zurich, Switzerland. Well guess what. Your problem is probably something these medical professionals see every day. You should be worried if the physician takes too long. Must be just out of med school or the doc is getting paid by the hour. So I discount the complaints that Dr. Diao's exams are rushed. He knows what he's doing and he gets right to the point but I never had the impression that he was rushing or that he was preoccupied. If you want a good doctor, book an appointment with this one. If you want a lot of attention and strokes, call your Mom. read more

I went to Dr Diao for carpel tunnel-like symptoms, and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to talk to him. He was super friendly, listened patiently, and examined me thoroughly (including xrays). (I usually feel with doctors that I have to spit everything out quickly, and that it's a race for them to get me out the door.) That was not the case with Dr Diao; I was there for a full hour. As for the office staff, I left a message one evening after hours, and they called me back at 8:30am the next morning, and got me in by 11:30am the same day. What a GREAT experience. I look forward to working with Dr Diao for my on-going treatment. read more

This surgeon worked on my hand while at UCSF. He sold me on the procedure, but it turns out he did not use that procedure. He blamed the drill, and left my finger in worse shape than when it was broken. I since had another surgeon do remedial work. MY ADVICE: RUN AWAY and FIND ANOTHER SURGEON read more

I had contracted tendons in both hands. Dr. Diao was very patient and respectful in discussing options. He was never condescending, but would make recommendations: surgery for one and injections for the other, which I did and am pleased with the result. I waited too long for surgery, and my finger did not fully straiten. When I told Dr. Diao that it was functional just a little uncomfortable he said there was no need to re-set it if it wasn't a problem for me. I also found Dr. Diao to be very mindful of my financial concerns and insurance coverage. read more

Wow what a delight my experience was last week. All the staff were excellent, doc extremely informative, compassionate, and generous with information. Great visit. Thanks so much. read more

I would like to give him a zero but needed to mark one. Im a longshoreman and Homeport Insurance requested/demanded that i see him as part of a Workers Comp claim. I was called out of my name. With a crushing injury and 0 treatments his office gave me a work status form to go back to work. My union would not accept its form. Also it was stamped and not signed. Ive been asking for a record and or documentation for weeks and told there are non yet or not available??? . Where this is an injury im told that i will have to pay full fledge union dues loose time and benefits for this and due to greed and negligence. Where i was already hurt and it didn't begin or end with me i understand that THIS IS NOT CONSSTITUTIONAL. iTS UNACCEPTABLE. and that these matters need to be examined investigated and corrected by the Labor Department, Congress and It's Representatives, Both Republicans, Democrats and the Whole Healthcare Industry NOT JUST THE POLITICAL ASPECTS OF IT. At this point i have no information on my health and how to heal regarding this doctor and have gotten bills with bills to come aand no treatment read more

Before you read further, I want to point out that of the four reviews currently posted for Dr. Diao, three poor reviews were written by women and the one positive review was written by a man. As a woman, I feel it is necessary to point this out because it supports a suspicion I had on my first visit when I was kept waiting 70 minutes in the waiting room before being shuttled into an interior exam room for another long wait. While waiting in the exam room, I couldn't help but overhear the conversation going on in the next exam room, where Dr. Diao chatted energetically about sports for a good twenty minutes with a male patient. By contrast, when he finally appeared to see me, the initial exam was very quick. The information he offered was cursory, and he seemed annoyed that I asked questions. At the time, I assumed the disparity was because the previous patient was more acquainted with the doctor. But I received no more of the doctor's attention on my second, followup visit, where I waited for 50 minutes despite the fact my appointment was at 10am. How can a doctor possibly be so far behind, so early in the morning? Most importantly, I didn't learn until 6 months and 20+ physical therapy sessions later that his initial diagnosis, based on X-rays taken in his office during my first visit, was incorrect. He didn't see the broken bone, and diagnosed me with a sprain and broken join capsule. The physical therapists following his therapy instructions for a sprain were baffled that I wasn't improving after the predicted 2 months' recovery period. In fact, the exercises he prescribed for me would have made it worse. Luckily, I listened to my intuition and didn't do them. Even my physical therapists advised me not to do them, and they didn't know my hand was broken. The excellent doctor who finally diagnosed me correctly saw the broken bone on the X-rays from Dr. Diao's office, so the X-rays weren't the issue ... dismissive treatment was the issue. Be afraid. Be very afraid. read more

I have been treated for Dupuytren's disease, several times in last 20 years. Lately my condition has become so severe that I have been told by various hand specialists that I no longer qualify for nonsurgical procedures. For this reason, when I approached Dr. E. Diao I had very low expectations. I was very pleased when Dr. Diao agreed to see me; he treated my hand with Xiaflex injections, and was able to straighten my four effected fingers to the degree that they are now 100% functional. read more

Dr. Diao and his staff are amazing! Three years ago I broke my collarbone. Dr. Diao showed me the x-rays and explained my options. His staff worked with Surgery Center of SF to quickly coordinate my surgery date, accommodating the urgency of the break in terms of my pain levels and husbands schedule. They also worked with my insurance company to take care of approval and billing. It was seamless on our end. I ended up with a plate and six screws. Not a fun recovery, but healing and surgery went perfectly and as expected. I recently had the hardware taken out. Again Dr. Diao and his staff made it simple. Found a surgery date so I had only one day off work and handled the insurance side. I truly cannot say enough positive things about my experience. Everyone is polite, funny, accommodating, professional and kind. read more

Please save yourself serious disappointment and agony and heed the previous reviews about this doctor. I am a male, so this is not a male-female thing. This guy is TERRIBLE. Highway robbery is a term used by another reviewer below, and indeed that is spot on. In addition, he is simply unprofessional. I cannot understand how a doctor that is this unprofessional has gotten this far. There were two doctors my primary care physician initially recommended for my wrist injury; Dr. Edward Diao and Dr. Richard Sherwood. I went to Dr. Diao first simply because his office was physically closer. Huge mistake. After my initial visit and the subsequent $750 consultation for a five minute tops visit (during which he stepped out to take a personal call I might add), I couldn't go back. Went to Dr. Sherwood subsequently andf he was AWESOME. Could not have been more than night and day between these two doctors. Please, please trust these reviews. I honestly wish I had checked first. read more

Dr. Diao is very disrespectful, impatient, and unprofessional doctor I have never seen. He rushed thru my appointment like someone has mentioned. And he was yelling at me because I was asking why there's pain and no improvement after having the surgery for more than 5 months. I will never recommend him to anyone. BTW, I'm also female and Asian. (Agreed with Merri K) read more

Background on my injury - I fell from about an 8ft height onto a concrete walkway and broke my scaphoid bone and dislocated my hand. The injury is technically called a 'trans-scaphoid perilunate dislocation.' Scary, and painful. After a night in the ER I went to the SF Hand Clinic the next day - Dr. Kyle Bickel's practice - and he told me that I had suffered an extremely traumatic injury and diagrammed how he would fix it. He would place a pin in the bone and heshowed the complicated pin-and-suture technique he would use to fix all the ligaments I had torn in the dislocation. After surgery Dr. Bickel told me I would be in a cast for 6 weeks, a removable splint for another month or two while I began physical therapy, and then after 6 months to a year I could return to physical activity i.e. workouts, my sports (basketball, skiing, ultimate frisbee). The best I could hope for was about 75% of the abilities in my wrist back. Needless to say I was pretty upset at this outcome and I sought a second opinion with Dr. Diao. This was the best decision I could have made. He diagnosed the exact same injury but his outcome was very, very different. He would pin the bone just like the other doctor, but he would allow the ligaments to heal themselves rather than using any pin/suture or other technique. I'd have two weeks in a soft cast after surgery, then a removable splint for another couple of weeks while I began PT. After a month or six weeks, I could return to my sports and workouts if all went well. This is exactly what happened - I was back on the field playing ultimate literally four weeks after the surgery, wearing a splint and playing mostly with my other hand, but just being out there was so much better than I would have hoped for initially. Dr. Diao's technique allowed me to begin regaining my range of motion after just two weeks post-operation, while the other doctor would have had me in a cast for six weeks creating stiffness and really limiting my long term outcome. I'm two months out now, and totally free of restrictions i.e. I can do any activities involving my wrist. With the first opinion, I would be working really hard right now just to shed stiffness and regain range of motion, and I'd be limited to stationary bike workouts or jogging. Dr. Diao is not a businessman, he's just a great doctor. The diagnosis and recommendation he gave me wasn't about what 'the book' says about medical care. He knew that I was an active patient, that I would be diligent in following PT instructions and rehabilitating myself, and that he could use a more aggressive approach with me. The other doctor recommended the 'by the book' conservative solution, which would have limited my long-term ability to use my wrist, but would have resulted in the largest possible insurance claim and revenue for his business. I couldn't recommend Dr. Diao more highly, I just feel that this is the absolute best-case outcome for me, that he did a terrific job really understanding my injury and my unique case. He's extremely well regarded in the academic and medical worlds as well - I found him through a recommendation by one of the top hand surgeons in New York City, and he teaches about wrist and hand surgeries to medical students as he's a leader in the field. In summary - overall, always seek a second opinion, I learned that lesson from this situation. And if you need wrist or hand surgery in the Bay Area you should absolutely pay a visit to Dr. Diao. read more

At the end of March, 2010, Dr. Diao surgically "repaired" a ruptured tendon (L) elbow. During the Pre-Op visit, he indicated recovery time was 4 weeks, 6 at the very outside. It's now July 13, and the pain & dysfunction is exponentially worse. After the initial wound check, I saw him again some time in late June, where I told him my symptoms were worse. He reviewed his surgical notes by: "Did that, did that...yeah....check, yep, I did everything we discussed and planned." After this first go-'round, he repeated himself 4 more times, as if to reassure himself that at least he "covered his derriere." When asked about why I was still in so much pain, he replied, "well, you might just be a "slow healer, and it can take up to 6 months," rather than the initially projected 4-6 weeks. Ultimately, he said, "Well, maybe I could have been 'more aggressive' with the surgical repair," and that, "we might consider a 're-do'." FWIW, Dr. Diao's assisting anesthesiologist was unequivocally the most unprofessional physician I've encountered. Not only did he not personally introduce himself (but rather flopped down in a distant chair like he was at a Fraternity party), but was over 10 minutes late to the O.R. When he did arrive sans apologies, he carried in an open cup of what appeared to be coffee into the Operating Room. Inexcusable behavior. When he graced me with his perfunctory appearance in Recovery, I complained I hadn't been given sufficient pain meds. The ensuing "conversation" became vitriolic to such degree that he lost all composure blurting out, "Yeah, well "I'm" not the one whose been jacked-up on Methadone for years and years!" Indeed, other Pain Control doctors have prescribed methadone, borne from many years in professional cycling including the 17 orthopedic surgeries arising from numerous accidents and wear & tear. All & all, Dr. Diao & his cohort joined forces, resulting in what I can only describe as a colossal failure and a patent affront to basic civility. Caveat Emptor!! read more

When I found Dr. Diao (at the recommendation of another respected surgeon who treated a friend) it was just in the nick of time. I was 27 years old, and 1 week away from a "Permanent Disability" diagnosis ending my 6 year career as a Registered Nurse. After tearing the cartilage in my wrist when lifting a patient, I had already gone through a TFCC (wrist cartilage) repair and 10 months of pain, PT/OT, and an unsuccessful recovery. My previous surgeon had told me the only option to help the pain, and attempt to return my mobility enough to go back to work was an ulnar shortening (sawing the arm bone in half, taking out a wedge, and putting the 2 pieces of bone back together with a plate and screws). Resistant to another painful, invasive surgery, I went to Dr Diao for a second opinion. He was very confident that a simpler procedure and less invasive approach would get me back to work. Fast forward to today (almost a year later)- I was back to work 3 months post-surgery and was able to keep my position as an RN, with no limitations! I am more grateful than words can express to have my wrist back, keep my job, and return to my previously active and athletic lifestyle. In response to some of the other comments- Dr Diao (and his staff) has been nothing but friendly, patient, and professional. Regardless, I think competency and surgical skill is far more important than a doctor making you feel warm and fuzzy. I think my own experience in the medical field (majority as a critical care nurse) should add validity to my review, as well as the fact that my husband is also an orthopaedic surgeon and was equally impressed with Dr Diao. read more

I haven't see Dr. Diao in a while, mostly because my arm is still good. In fact, it's stronger than ever. It's been more than a year since my surgery...I should make an appointment to see him. Looking forward to squeezing the hell out of that dynamometer! read more

Dr Diao did not perform the procedure as he told me it would be done. He blamed the drill for malfunctioning. I went to Dr William Green and he expertly repaired my hand...largely remedial work from the damage done by Dr Diao's treatment. One word comes to mind: runaway read more

A very thoughtful and comprehensive physician. He is careful to review the entire patient context, and not focus solely on the upper extremity. As one with knowledge of such things, Edward Diao is a doctor's doctor. Stephen Becker, MD read more

Great. Dr. Diao discussed all the options. He recommended surgery based upon the tests (discussed below) and the extent of the pain and numbness. The process was painless, quick and easy. I have had some soreness in my palm for a couple of weeks afterward but nothing compared to what I had been experiencing. It has decreased to the point I can use my hand for everything except really squeezing something hard. I'm looking forward to the surgery on my other hand because in another couple of months I'll be able to do things I haven't been able to do for years. Also, I have put off the surgery for years due to what I had read about the pre-test (a different doctor) using electricity. Everything I read and almost everyone with whom I spoke said it was very painful and some doctors said not even useful. The hand numbness and pain finally got me to take the test and it's much less painful than I read. If you have carpal tunnel, just do it. The surgery completely ended the numbness and pain so it's way worth it. read more

I'm a middle aged guy with Dupuytren's Contracture. I have a high deductible insurance plan which means I am personally on the hook for some of the costs and thus, I am trying to be a good consumer...seeking good quality at a reasonable price. I'm going to volunteer my data, so you can be a better consumer too. I found Dr. Diao's credentials to be impeccable and made an appointment last October. The result of that short appointment was a bill to my insurer for $620. Of that billed amount, the insurance disallowed most of the bill and based on contracted rates brought the bill to $240. (I believe the $240 to be a fair price.) In the appointment, Dr. Diao performed the examination of my hand and recommended open surgery to correct my hand at a surgery center (in the same building as his office) . Dr. Diao disclosed he has a financial interest in the surgery center, as appropriate. I asked for a quote of the expected costs related to my procedure. His office manager sent me a surgical fee estimate which came to $11,089. (Note, this figure is based on his rates and my insurance contracted rates are most likely lower. I tried to price this through my insurers website but was unsuccessful.) In addition to his fee, there would be fees for the surgery center and anesthesiologist. The surgery center quoted $3,286 (based on the maximum they believed I would pay under my remaining annual deductible, not really answering my question about what the actual facility cost would be). I later learned that this surgery center fee excluded the anesthesiologist. I obtained the names of several of those doctors and ran them through my insurer's website to find that none of them were in-plan, thus I was exposed to paying their full fee and not a contracted rate. In the end, I was unable to determine what this would cost on an "all in" basis. This probably says more about the Healthcare system in general than it does Dr. Diao's office. I decided to move on to another provider and learned that there is a non-surgical option to correct my condition at much lower cost. I hope that consumers can bring more pressure to the system to be transparent about costs. Good luck Yelp Reader. read more