Chris E. Wiggins, M.D.

Dr. Wiggins is a general orthopaedist with particular experience in trauma and the treatment of industrial injuries. He has considerable experience in knee arthroscopy being the first physician on the Mississippi Gulf Coast to perform that procedure, and he is one of a relatively few orthopaedic surgeons certified to use the CO2 laser.

Dr. Wiggins also writes for both the medical and lay press. His most recent book, Orthopaedic and Musculoskeletal Impairment Ratings: A Concise Guide, is equally of interest to practitioners in the areas of insurance and personal injury compensation as well as in the medical field. It simplifies the complex task of assigning value and importance to injuries.

In recent years, as a side interest, Dr. Wiggins has turned to inventing and improving upon existing medical products. He is developer and co-patent holder on an orthopaedic brace of his design in current use for hand injuries.

He maintains an active practice as a member of Bienville Orthopaedic Specialists, LLC, the largest orthopaedic group in Mississippi. Linda, his wife, is a school teacher. Two children are attorneys; Brice an assistant District Attorney; Meredith is currently raising children, and a third, Lindsay, is in medical school.

A detailed listing of his credentials is as follows:

EDUCATION

COLLEGE: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 1964-1967, Bachelor of Science Degree 1969

MEDICAL SCHOOL: University of Arkansas School of Medicine, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1967-June 13, 1971, M.D. Degree.

INTERNSHIP: Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas. Straight Surgery, 1971-1972.

RESIDENCY: Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Arkansas School of Medicine, September 1974-August 1977.

MILITARY

United States Air Force Captain, August 20, 1972-August 19, 1974; Chief of General Therapy Clinic, 1973-1974.

AWARDS

Robert Key - 1971, for the highest academic standing among graduating medical school seniors.

Outstanding Resident Teacher Award, Department of Orthopaedics, University of Arkansas, 1977, Charter Recipient.

HONORARY SOCIETIES

Alpha Epsilon Delta-honorary Premedical Society-1966
Alpha Omega Alpha-honorary Society-1970, President 1971

CERTIFICATION

American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, September 8, 1978
Arthroscopy Board of North America, November 21, 1989
American Board of Laser Surgery, October 6, 1990
Certified for use of CO2 Laser, 1990

FELLOWSHIP

Forensic Pathology - State Medical Examiner - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, July and August 1969

MEDICAL SOCIETY

  • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Fellow, March 1, 1981
  • American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Fellow, Nov. 11, 1990
  • Singing River Medical Society
  • Mississippi State Medical Association
  • American Medical Association
  • Southern Medical Association
  • Mississippi Orthopaedic Society
  • Southern Orthopaedic Association

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS

Clinical Instructor Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College 1996-Present

LICENSES

Arkansas - 1971
Mississippi - 1972
Texas - 1972
Alabama - 1995

EXPERIENCE AND HOSPITAL AFFILIATION

  • Private Practice - Orthopaedics - beginning September 1, 1977, Pascagoula.
  • Associate Staff Member, Singing River Hospital, 1977
  • Active Staff member, Singing River Hospital, 1978-present.
  • Courtesy Staff Member, George County Hospital, 1997-present.
  • Chairman Surgery Subspecialties Committee, Singing River Hospital, 1984-1985.
  • Chairman, Department of Surgery, Singing River Hospital, 1984-1985.
  • Member, Outpatient Surgery Center Committee, 1987.
  • Member, Surgery Ad Hoc Committee, 1989.
  • Chairman, Operating Room Committee, 1990.
  • Regional Consultant to Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical for Ultram 1997-1999.
  • Member, Quality Assurance Committee, 2000-2003.

PUBLICATIONS - MEDICAL

  1. The Pathology, Diagnosis and Medical-Legal Aspects of Death by Drowning, Christopher E. Wiggins and James L. Luke, "Journal of the Oklahoma State Medical Association", January, 1970.
  2. Pulmonary Embolus Prophylaxis in the Orthopaedic and Trauma Patient. Chris E. Wiggins, "Journal of the Arkansas Medical Society", January 1976.
  3. Double-Gloving, "Resident and Staff Physician", 23, 1:32s, January 1977.
  4. Nafcillin, Cefazolin and Gentamycin Concentrations in Normal Bone. Presented to the Orthopaedic Research Society, 44th annual meeting, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Las Vegas, Nevada, February 1, 1977.
  5. Antibiotic Concentration in Normal Bone, Chris E. Wiggins, "Orthopaedic Transactions", 1, 2:205, November 1977.
  6. Concentration of Antibiotics in Normal Bone After Intravenous Injection; Wiggins, et al. "Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery", 60-A:93, 1978.
  7. Beckwire for Passing Sutures Through Bone, Chris E. Wiggins, "Clinical Orthopaedics", 154:320, March 1981.
  8. Pronator Syndrome. Chris E. Wiggins, M.D. "Southern Medical Journal". 75, 2:240, February 1982.
  9. Office Video. Chris E. Wiggins, M.D. "Contemporary Orthopaedics", 71, 16:3, March 1988.
  10. A Useful Technique for Padding Slings and Hanging Arm Casts. "Surgical Rounds for Orthopaedics". 59, 2:8, August 1988.
  11. Hearing Protection and Cast Saw Noise, Chris E. Wiggins and Karen B. Read. "Journal of the Southern Orthopaedic Association." 5, 1:1 Spring 1996.
  12. Wiggins, C E: A Concise Guide to Orthopaedic and Musculoskeletal Impairment Ratings. New York, Lippincott. 2006.

PUBLICATIONS - NONMEDICAL

  1. Newspaper Column: Mississippi Press, 14 articles from 1993-1995, (primarily humorous)
  2. Noblesse. (inspirational article), Seek Magazine, November 23, 1997.
  3. A Private Park. (inspirational article), Christian Medical and Dental Society Healthwise, a special edition of Today's Christian Doctor magazine. Vol 28, No. 5, p.32.
  4. Blood Feud. (a medical mystery thriller) Publisher: PublishAmerica. April, 2001
  5. Move Up To An Aviary. (humorous how-to-do article) Bird Talk on-line magazine. Bird Breeder. April 7, 2001. www.animalnetwork.com
  6. Caring Stories: Tales of Faith, Hope, and Inspiration by healthcare workers and caregivers. (an anthology of medical-related stories). Chris Wiggins, editor. PublishAmerica. September 2002.
  7. Cat Fancy, “A Cat Artist’s Retreat” Dec 2007, p. 84-85

INVENTIONS

Hand Brace for Boxer's Fractures. Co-inventor, Tom Young, ATC, RPT. Marketed by AliMed, Dedham, Massachusetts. Patent #D477,410 S

Sterile Removable Lead Apron System. Co-inventor, Toy Young, ATC, RPT. Currently undergoing premarketing development. Patent Pending.