Vannes, Brittany – SOS Mains, the hand surgeryโ branch of SOS Mรฉdecins Vannes, is drawing patients from across Brittany and beyond, establishing itself as a regional โreference center for complex hand and upper limb trauma and pathologies. A โvisit from regional health officialsโ on Thursday, October 30, 2025, highlighted the associationS growing impact and capacity.
The center, serving a population of over 800,000 โคinhabitants including areas beyond Morbihan like Quimperlรฉ, has โbecome a crucial resource for specialized hand surgery. Other medical centers regularly consult with SOS Mains for expert opinions,with โpatients traveling from cities like Concarneau andโ Brest,notably during โฃpeak summer months. “They send us patients โคfor opinions, some come from Concarneau and Brest. During the summer, they come from everywhere,” explains surgeon Catherine Hemon.
Founded in February 2013 with just two surgeons – Catherine Hรฉmon andโ Pierre Poirier – SOS Mains has rapidly expanded to โa team of five specialists. In 2014, the team managed 1,130 emergency โคcases and nearly 1,330 scheduled interventions, demonstrating a meaningful unmet need for hand pathology treatment in the region. Today, โคtheโข surgeons treat conditions affecting the hand, โwrist, forearm, and elbow.
“It works well because we do โrapid surgery, sometiems for big trauma and also for smaller โฃthings,” Hemon stated, underscoringโค the center’s ability to handle a wide range of cases. The organization’s success is attributed to its rapid surgicalโข approach and the expertise of โits team, solidifying its position as aโฃ vital component of โขBrittany’s healthcare โขinfrastructure.