Growing Spine Blog

3-12-2024 This is a 10 year old female with idiopathic scoliosis. Radiographs measured out a 64 degree right thoracic curve. To determine the treatment options some of the additional information is crucial. Specifically, the amount of growth remaining which is best determined by the Sanders classification. This patient is a 3- which means the spine […]

3-12-2024 [Slide 1] So you or your child just went through a four-hour posterior spinal fusion for scoliosis, a three-day hospital stay, has stopped their postoperative prescription pain meds, is finally sleeping and eating normally and your thoughts are about how to get back “to normal”. What is the next step in recovery? Commonly the […]

The case presented in this blog is an adolescent male, who is an active athlete and having back pain. It is easy to see the scoliosis in the upper part of the spine. The below picture demonstrates the impact of scoliosis on the shoulder and neck alignment. Due to the scoliosis which tips the head […]

Below is my list of the top 10 Pediatric Spine podium presentations presented at the last POSNA Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee (April 2023). The list is in no particular order. My disclaimer is that I most highly value the presentations, which affect clinical decision-making and patient outcomes from surgery. Topic #1: Anterior Vertebral Body […]

The patient presented with the below scoliosis, no prior treatment. The proximal thoracic curve measured 57 degrees, and the main thoracic 91 degrees in skeletally mature patient. The patient has developed daily back pain, which is interfering with school and sporting activities. Not only does scoliosis cause chest asymmetry and back pain, but it can […]

Post 8-9-2023 Take-away message: Regardless of fixation, whether it be the spine or the ribs, the spine will get stiffer over time with dual magnetically-controlled growing rods.

  First, I want to recognize Daphna Zaaroor-Regev for all of her hard work on this project and without her initiative and drive would not have been possible. Why do this project? To help answer the common parent question, “What will happen to my daughter’s scoliosis, now that we are stopping her bracing?”   To […]

The following post is an abridged version of a PowerPoint talk I recently presented to the Washington University School of Medicine Orthopaedics Residents on 3-21-2023. It is important to understand the purpose of this talk is to present these big treatment topics in a high-level manner, a 30,000 foot view, to provide a framework to […]

The following talk is one aimed at surgeons interested in learning how to place thoracic pedicle screws for spinal deformity surgical treatment.