Pediatric Spine Experience

Washington University has a strong history and tradition in pediatric and adult spine surgery. Pediatric orthopedic fellows can expect a broad experience in all aspects of pediatric orthopaedic spinal care, focusing on spinal deformity. Brian Kelly, MD, Blake Montgomery, MD, and Scott Luhmann, MD, comprise the faculty working with the pediatric fellows. The fellow will be clinically active at both St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children–St. Louis, which house high-volume spine programs.There are 150+ spine cases at Shriners and 160+ at St. Louis Children’s Hospital annually. 

Fellows will gain experience in the operative and non-operative management of idiopathic, neuromuscular, syndromic and congenital scoliosis, with significant exposure to early onset scoliosis, as well as kyphosis and spondylolysis/spondylolisthesis. Frequently performed procedures include derotational casting, traditional and magnetically controlled growing rods, growth guidance systems, and vertebral body tethering and stapling. Fellows can also expect exposure to osteotomy techniques including hemivertebra resection and vertebral column resection. Operative experience can be extensive. At the completion of the training, the fellows will be skilled in preoperative assessment, surgical planning, free-hand pedicle screw placement, osteotomies, pelvic fixation, decompressions, transforaminal interbody fusions, and thoracoscopic surgery. Biweekly pediatric spine indications conference, in addition to regular didactic sessions throughout the year, help round out the spine education. Significant opportunity also exists to become involved in the pediatric spine research program. The faculty are active academically and present research and lectures at national and international meetings. 

» Deformity Correction/Limb Reconstruction
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