About us
Specialist treatment for hand, wrist, forearm and elbow conditions in the Garden Route.
Welcome to our practice
Welcome to the Garden Route Hand Unit
The Garden Route Hand Unit was established in 2016 and is based in George in the Western Cape. As an integrated unit for the specialised management of all diseases and injuries affecting the hand and upper limb, it hosts highly specialised hand surgeons and hand therapists.
At the Garden Route Hand Unit, we treat all conditions of the upper limbs, including the hand, wrist, forearm and elbow, as well as peripheral nerve conditions.
Our Hand Surgeons and Hand Therapists work together, taking a team approach to provide the highest standard of care. We aim to ensure cost-effective, complete and comprehensive management, which is individualised for each patient.
George Surgical Centre
27 Gloucester Avenue, George
At the Garden Route Hand Unit, we believe that optimal results are achieved through ongoing communication, involvement and collaboration between the treating surgeon and specialised hand therapists. Our friendly and cooperative environment brings specialist hand surgeons and dedicated hand therapists together to provide coordinated, patient-centred care.
We focus on restoring the functional, occupational, sporting and recreational use of the hand, while recognising the important aesthetic and communicative role that the hand plays in everyday life.
George Mediclinic
Room 214, 2 Heron Street, George
Our practice at Mediclinic George provides patients with convenient access to specialist care for conditions affecting the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow and peripheral nerves. From initial assessment and diagnosis to follow-up appointments and ongoing management, each patient receives individualised care based on their condition, lifestyle and recovery goals.
Working within the Mediclinic environment also allows for seamless coordination between specialist consultations, hospital-based treatment and the broader multidisciplinary team.
George Mediclinic
Room 214, 2 Heron Street, George
Our practice at Mediclinic George provides patients with convenient access to specialist care for conditions affecting the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow and peripheral nerves. From initial assessment and diagnosis to follow-up appointments and ongoing management, each patient receives individualised care based on their condition, lifestyle and recovery goals.
Working within the Mediclinic environment also allows for seamless coordination between specialist consultations, hospital-based treatment and the broader multidisciplinary team.
Meet the team
Dr Petrus Cornelius Pelser
(Surgeon)
Dr PC Pelser obtained his MBChB degree from the University of Pretoria and continued to specialize in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of the Free State, where he worked as consultant in the Hand Surgery Department. He did further training under Hand Surgeons in Cape Town in 2013, and in 2014 completed a Fellowship in Hand Surgery and Peripheral Nerve Surgery at the Royal North Shore Hospital and University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia. Being a clarinettist and keen outdoor sportsman, dr Pelser has good first-hand experience of the unique and extreme demands that are placed on a person’s hands. Almost all procedures are done as day-cases, meaning that admission to hospital is limited to 1 to 2 hours pre-operatively with discharge within 1 to 3 hours after the procedure. Surgery is performed under different types of local or regional anaesthetic techniques with the addition of sedation or general anaesthetic as needed. This is done with the help of a specialist anaesthetist and helps to keep post-operative pain and discomfort to a minimum.
Dr Pieter Willem Jordaan
(Surgeon)
Dr Pieter W Jordaan is a Specialist Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon with a practice dedicated to Surgery of the Hand, Wrist and Peripheral nerves.
Dr Pieter Jordaan is the first South African to become a Fellow of the European Board of Hand Surgery after successfully completing the European Board of Hand Surgery Examination and obtaining the European Diploma of Hand Surgery in 2021.
Pieter completed his medical degree, as top of his class, at the University of Stellenbosch in 2003. After that he worked in a variety of medical fields both locally, in South Africa, and in New Zealand and Ireland. During this time he completed his diploma in Anaesthesia through the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa.
In 2012 he started training as an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Groote Schuur Hospital and Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. He completed his training with a Cum Laude for his dissertation from the University of Cape Town. The JM Edelstein medal, for the top candidate in the country wide Colleges of Medicine of South Africa’s Orthopaedic examination, was awarded to him in 2016.
Pieter then decided to narrow his field of speciality to hand surgery and completed a hand and upper limb fellowship at the Martin Singer Hand Unit at Groote Schuur Hospital under the world renowned Professor Michael Solomons.
The following year he continued his hand surgery training at the prestigious Wrightington Hospital Upper Limb Unit. One of only 4 Orthopaedic centres of excellence in the United Kingdom.
In 2018 he moved to the Queen Elizabeth II hospital in Birmingham and had the privilege to work closely with a world leader in Peripheral Nerve Surgery, Mr Dominic Power, for a year. Apart from partaking in cutting edge nerve surgeries, he also participated in the newest research regarding nerve surgery.
During his time abroad Dr Jordaan attended training courses all over Europe and gained valuable skills, such as Microsurgical techniques, to enable him to provide the best service possible to patients.
Since returning to South Africa, he has joined the Garden Route Hand Unit in the lovely town of George. From here, he will be offering his expertise in Hand and Peripheral Nerve Surgery alongside Dr Pelser.
In 2023 he was awarded the Harold E. Kleinert travelling fellowship by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH). This travelling fellowship is awarded annually to only two surgeons outside of North America.
Since 2023 he has been serving on the faculty for the International Wrist Arthroscopy Society (IWAS) and will be serving as the course director for the South African wrist Arthroscopy course from 2026.
He started his first 3-year term as an Editorial Board member for the European Journal of Hand Surgery in 2025.
Dr Jordaan has a special interest in Peripheral nerve conditions, such as nerve trauma, nerve compression, neuroma and painful nerve conditions and especially nerve transfers surgery to restore motor function in paralysed muscles caused by nerve injury, spinal cord injuries (a certain level of upper limb function can be restored with a combination of nerve and tendon transfers) spinal root compression (post decompressive surgery) and neuritis.
Dr Jordaan believes in a team approach to treatment. He works closely with hand therapists, physiotherapist and specialist doctors, to ensure the best possible outcome for treatment. He is still active in medical research and education.
Dr Pieter Willem Jordaan
(Surgeon)
Dr Pieter W Jordaan is a Specialist Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon with a practice dedicated to Surgery of the Hand, Wrist and Peripheral nerves.
Dr Pieter Jordaan is the first South African to become a Fellow of the European Board of Hand Surgery after successfully completing the European Board of Hand Surgery Examination and obtaining the European Diploma of Hand Surgery in 2021.
Pieter completed his medical degree, as top of his class, at the University of Stellenbosch in 2003. After that he worked in a variety of medical fields both locally, in South Africa, and in New Zealand and Ireland. During this time he completed his diploma in Anaesthesia through the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa.
In 2012 he started training as an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Groote Schuur Hospital and Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. He completed his training with a Cum Laude for his dissertation from the University of Cape Town. The JM Edelstein medal, for the top candidate in the country wide Colleges of Medicine of South Africa’s Orthopaedic examination, was awarded to him in 2016.
Pieter then decided to narrow his field of speciality to hand surgery and completed a hand and upper limb fellowship at the Martin Singer Hand Unit at Groote Schuur Hospital under the world renowned Professor Michael Solomons.
The following year he continued his hand surgery training at the prestigious Wrightington Hospital Upper Limb Unit. One of only 4 Orthopaedic centres of excellence in the United Kingdom.
In 2018 he moved to the Queen Elizabeth II hospital in Birmingham and had the privilege to work closely with a world leader in Peripheral Nerve Surgery, Mr Dominic Power, for a year. Apart from partaking in cutting edge nerve surgeries, he also participated in the newest research regarding nerve surgery.
During his time abroad Dr Jordaan attended training courses all over Europe and gained valuable skills, such as Microsurgical techniques, to enable him to provide the best service possible to patients.
Since returning to South Africa, he has joined the Garden Route Hand Unit in the lovely town of George. From here, he will be offering his expertise in Hand and Peripheral Nerve Surgery alongside Dr Pelser.
In 2023 he was awarded the Harold E. Kleinert travelling fellowship by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH). This travelling fellowship is awarded annually to only two surgeons outside of North America.
Since 2023 he has been serving on the faculty for the International Wrist Arthroscopy Society (IWAS) and will be serving as the course director for the South African wrist Arthroscopy course from 2026.
He started his first 3-year term as an Editorial Board member for the European Journal of Hand Surgery in 2025.
Dr Jordaan has a special interest in Peripheral nerve conditions, such as nerve trauma, nerve compression, neuroma and painful nerve conditions and especially nerve transfers surgery to restore motor function in paralysed muscles caused by nerve injury, spinal cord injuries (a certain level of upper limb function can be restored with a combination of nerve and tendon transfers) spinal root compression (post decompressive surgery) and neuritis.
Dr Jordaan believes in a team approach to treatment. He works closely with hand therapists, physiotherapist and specialist doctors, to ensure the best possible outcome for treatment. He is still active in medical research and education.
Dr Nicole Delahunt
(Rheumatologist)
Dr Nicole Delahunt is a sub-specialist Rheumatologist with more than ten years’ experience in managing musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders.
She qualified with an MBBCh in 2003 from the University of Witwatersrand cum laude. She did her internship and community service at George Regional Hospital and then completed specialist physician training and qualified with an FCP in 2009. After spending a few years working as a physician in private practise and in the ICU at Chris-Hani Baragwanath Hospital she completed her sub-specialty training in Rheumatology in 2015. She spent three years in private practise in Johannesburg before relocating to the Garden Route in 2018 where she has been working at George Regional Hospital until joining the hand unit as a Rheumatologist in 2026.
She has a passion for animal welfare and enjoys running in the beautiful outdoors we are blessed to have in the Garden Route.
Ria Immelman
Hand Therapist
Claudine du Plessis
Hand Therapist
Kirsty van Stormbroek
Hand Therapist
Esté Pelser
Practice Clinical Assistant / Hand Therapist
Sanett van Aswegen
Practice Manager
Christél Maartens
Therapy Admin
Linda Bouwer
Admin Team
Qama Brown
Receptionist
Patricia Scwab
Admin Team
Merisha Pinto
Admin Team