23 Surgeons Focusing on Pediatric Spine Surgery

Spine

Here are 23 spine surgeons whose practice focuses on pediatric spinal surgery.

We are constantly updating this list. If you would like to recommend a spine surgeon for this list, please contact Laura at lmiller@beckershealthcare.com.

Afshin Aminian, MD (Children's Hospital of Orange County, Orange, Calif.).
Dr. Aminian is the program director for the Children's Hospital of Orange County Spine Center. He has a special interest in scoliosis surgery and treating spinal deformities in children. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Aminian's research examines innovative ways to surgically correct spinal deformities and outcomes for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. He has also given presentations based on his research at national and international meetings. He is affiliated with the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North American, Scoliosis Research Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.  Dr. Aminian earned his medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. His additional training includes a fellowship in pediatric orthopedics at San Diego Children's Hospital.

Randal R. Betz, MD (Shriners Children's Hospital, Philadelphia).
Dr. Betz is the chief of staff and medical director of the spinal cord injury unit at Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. He also serves as a professor of orthopedic surgery at Temple University School of Medicine and clinical assistant professor at Drexel University College of Medicine, both in Philadelphia.  Throughout his career, Dr. Betz has received several research grants, and he holds six patents mainly focusing on new methods and treatments for spinal deformities.  He is also the co-author of The Child with a Spinal Cord Injury and author of several peer-review articles on pediatric spine surgery. He serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics and is an associate editor of Spinal Frontiers. Dr. Betz is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Scoliosis Research Society, for which he has served as president. Dr. Betz earned his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Temple University Hospital and Shriners Hospital. His additional training includes a fellowship in pediatric orthopedics at the Alfred I. duPont Institute in Wilmington, Del., and three traveling fellowships.

Jonathan Camp, MD (Children's Bone & Spine Surgery).
Dr. Camp established the Children's Bone & Spine Surgery to serve patients in southern Nevada in need of pediatric orthopedic and scoliosis care. He has a professional interest in operative and non-operative care for spinal disorders, with an emphasis on examining alternative treatment methods to surgery. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Camp is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America. He earned his medical degree at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of California in San Francisco. His additional training includes a fellowship in pediatric orthopedic and scoliosis surgery at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas.  

Alvin H. Crawford, MD (Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center).
Dr. Crawford is the co-director of the Crawford Spine Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and a professor of pediatric orthopedic surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Dr. Crawford is among the leaders of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and neurofibromatosis. Throughout his career, Dr. Crawford has authored several publications that are used widely for instructing new physicians today, as well as more than 200 articles in professional publications. In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Crawford has served as vice president of the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society and received the Diversity Award from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is a member of several professional organizations, including the Scoliosis Research Society.  Dr. Crawford earned his medical degree at the University of Tennessee in Memphis and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at the US Naval Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital, all in Boston. He also completed fellowships at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston and the Alfred I. duPont Institute in Wilmington, Del.

Geoffrey Cronen, MD (Shriners Hospital for Children, Tampa).
Dr. Cronen is the chief of spinal deformity surgery at Shriners Hospital for Children in Tampa and an associate professor of orthopedics at the University of South Florida. He has a special interest in pediatric and adult spinal surgery and treating deformities. He is also affiliated with Florida Medical Clinic, which is the official team physician for the Tampa Bay Lightning. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Cronen is focused on research and has presented on spine-related topics across the world. Dr. Cronen earned his medical degree at the University of Louisville (Ky.) and completed his residency at West Virginia University in Morgantown. His additional training includes an adult and pediatric spine surgery fellowship at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

John Emans, MD (Children's Hospital, Boston).
Dr. Emans is the director of the division of spine surgery at Children's Hospital in Boston and a professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School. He has a special interest in treating patients with spinal deformity. At Children's Hospital, the spine team performs procedures that include expansion thoracostomy, dual posterior growing rods for early onset scoliosis and mono-segmental reduction and fusion for severe spondylolisthesis. He is also a member of the Scoliosis Research Society, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Emans earned his medical degree at Harvard Medical School in Boston and completed the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency program. His additional training includes a residency in general surgery at the Peter Bent Hospital in Boston.

Kim Hammerberg, MD (Shriners Hospitals for Children, Chicago).
Dr. Hammerberg is the chief of spine surgery at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Chicago and has a professional interest in treating patients with complex pediatric spine deformities. His current research includes a prospective pediatric scoliosis study, spine deformity registry and VEPTR implantation to treat patients with early onset scoliosis. Dr. Hammerberg earned his medical degree at the University of Illionis Medical School in Chicago and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago. His additional training includes a spine fellowship at Rush as well as two traveling spine fellowships in Germany and France.

Brian Hasley, MD (Children's Specialty Physicians, Omaha). Dr. Hasley is a pediatric spine surgeon at Children's Hospital & Medical Center and assistant professor of pediatric orthopedic and spine surgery at the University of Nebraska. He has a professional interest in pediatric orthopedic and spine surgery, with a focus on scoliosis and spinal deformity. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and a member of the Scoliosis Research Society and Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America. Dr. Hasley earned his medical degree at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Nebraska and Creighton University, also in Omaha. His additional training includes fellowships in pediatric orthopedic and spine surgery as well as scoliosis research at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and the University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

Howard King, MD (St. Luke's Clinic-Intermountain Orthopaedics, Boise). Dr. King has a professional interest in pediatric spinal deformity, scoliosis and reconstructive spine surgery. Throughout his career, he has participated as a guest lecturer and surgeon at several spine centers around the world. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. King is a member of the Scoliosis Research Society, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and American Orthopaedic Association. He was previously on the academic and clinical faculty of the University of Washington in Seattle. Dr. King earned his medical degree from Northwestern University in Chicago and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. His additional training includes a fellowship in scoliosis and spinal deformity surgery at Twin Cities Scoliosis Center in Minneapolis.

Wally Krengel, MD (Seattle Children's Hospital). Dr. Krengel is the chief of spine surgery at Seattle Children's Hospital. He has a special interest in treating pediatric spinal deformity, pediatric cervical spine instability and congenital deformity as well as general pediatric orthopedic trauma. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Krengel is an associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle and a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Scoliosis Research Society and North American Spine Society. He also participates in research and has authored articles published in professional journals. Dr. Krengel earned his medical degree at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., and completed a residency at the University of Washington. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at the University of Washington.

Michael Mendelow, MD (Shriners Hospital for Children—Greenville, S.C.).
Dr. Mendelow is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Shriners Hospital for Children—Greenville with a special interest in pediatric spine deformity and cerebral palsy. He is a member of the Scoliosis Research Society, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is the chair-elect of the Growing Spine Committee of SRS and a member of the board of directors of the Foundation for Orthopaedics and Complex Spine, a non-profit organization providing complex spine deformity and orthopedic care to underserved populations in the developing world. Dr. Mendelow earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. His additional training includes a fellowship in pediatric orthopedic surgery at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

Peter Newton, MD (Children's Hospital and Health Center, San Diego). Dr. Newton is the president of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America. He has a special interest in treating pediatric patients with scoliosis and other spinal disorders.  Dr. Newton is also a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons and Scoliosis Research Society. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Newton focuses on research and is a journal reviewer for the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Spine. Dr. Newton earned his medical degree from the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and completed his residency at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center. His additional training includes a fellowship in pediatric orthopedics and scoliosis at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas.

George D. Picetti, III, MD (Sutter Medical Group, Sacramento).
Dr. Picetti is the medical director of pediatric spine surgery at Sutter Medical Group and the Children's Center at Sutter Medical Center. He has a professional interest in performing minimally invasive surgical approaches for scoliosis treatment and has participated in the development of new treatment options for pediatric patients with scoliosis and degenerative disorders. During his career, Dr. Picetti has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and traveled internationally to address modern advancement in spine surgery. Dr. Picetti earned his medical degree from Creighton University in Omaha and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at San Francisco Orthopedic Resident Training Program at St. Mary's Hospital. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Texas Back Institute in Plano.

Amer Samdani, MD (Shriners Hospital for Children, Philadelphia).
Dr. Samdani is chief of surgery and former director of spine surgery and medical director of Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. He has a special interest in pediatric spine care, including deformity and spinal cord injury.  During his career, Dr. Samdani has given spine-related presentations, including at the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies' Spine Committee bi-annual conference. Dr. Samdani earned his medical degree at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, where he also completed his residency. His additional training includes a fellowship at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Harry L. Shufflebarger, MD (Miami Children's Hospital).
Dr. Shufflebarger is the director of the division of pediatric spine surgery at Miami Children's Hospital. He previously served as a professor of orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery at the University of Miami School of Medicine. During his career, Dr. Shufflebarger has authored several publications on topics such as spinal deformity and spine degeneration and chaired several scientific courses focused on these topics around the world. He is a member of many professional organizations, including the North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and American Academy of Pediatrics. He has also served as president of the Scoliosis Research Society. Dr. Shufflebarger earned his medical degree at Emory University in Atlanta, where he also completed his residency.

David Skaggs, MD (Children's Hospital Los Angeles).
Dr. Skaggs is the endowed chair of pediatric spinal disorders and director of the Children's Orthopedic Center at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Throughout his career, he has published more than 80 papers and delivered in excess of 500 lectures in his subspecialty. He has also spent time working on minimally invasive techniques for surgery and developing the next generation of spinal implants to work with those procedures. The implants he is working on for the future are in contrast to the traditional fusion because they will straighten the spine while permitting motion between segments. Dr. Skaggs earned his medical degree at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and completed his residency at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, both in New York City. His additional training includes fellowships in orthopedic research at Columbia and in pediatric orthopedic surgery at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Peter Stasikelis, MD (Shrines Hospital for Children—Greenville, S.C.).
Dr. Stasikelis is the chief of staff for Shriners Hospital for Children—Greenville, where he has been the backbone of the spine program for more than 14 years. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and Scoliosis Research Society. Dr. Stasikelis has a special interest in treating patients with spine conditions, limb deformities and neuromuscular disease. He earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Medical Branch, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. Dr. Stasikelis' additional training includes a fellowship in pediatric orthopedics and spine deformity at Shriners Hospital for Children—Greenville.

Peter Sturm, MD (Cincinnati Children's). Dr. Sturm is the director of the Crawford Spine Center at Cincinnati Children's. He has a special interest in spinal deformities, scoliosis and early onset scoliosis. Dr. Sturm also serves as Alvin H. Crawford Chair of Spine Surgery and a professor in the division of pediatric surgery. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Sturm has published research on several spine-related topics, including pediatric deformity. Dr. Sturm earned his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine in New York City and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Ottawa Civic Hospital in Canada and an additional fellowship in pediatric orthopedic surgery at The Children's Hospital in Boston.

Daniel J. Sucato, MD (Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Dallas).
Dr. Sucato is the director of the Sarah M. and Charles E. Seay/Martha and Pat Beard Center for Excellence in Spine Research at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. During his career, he has served three International Traveling Fellows for the Scoliosis Research Society where he delivers research presentations, discusses landmark cases and observes surgery throughout Europe. In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Sucato has authored several articles on spinal deformity for professional publications and is a reviewer from the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. He is a member of several professional societies, including the North American Spine Society and Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America. Dr. Sucato earned his medical degree from State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. His additional training includes a fellowship in pediatric orthopedics and scoliosis at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

Rudolph Taddonio, MD (Stamford Hospital, Stamford, Conn.).
Dr. Taddonio is the chief of orthopedics and a pediatric spine surgeon at Stamford Hospital. He has also been also the director of scoliosis and spine surgery at New York Medical College and founder of his practice, Scoliosis and Spinal Surgery. Throughout his career, Dr. Taddonio has focused on staying at the cutting edge of pediatric spine surgery and was one of 40 spine surgeons who participated in the refinement of ScoliScore, a genetic test to predict the risk of progression of scoliosis in adolescents. Dr. Taddonio is a member of several professional organizations, including the North American Spine Society, American Spinal Injury Association, Spine Arthroplasty Society and Scoliosis Research Society. He completed his medical degree and residency at New York Medical College in New York City and his fellowship at Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago.

William Warner, MD (Campbell Clinic Orthopaedics, Germantown, Tenn.).
Dr. Warner is on the spine team at the Campbell Clinic Pediatric Spine Center and has been chief of orthopedics at Mississippi Crippled Children's Services in Memphis. He is also an orthopedic consultant for St. Jude Hospital and a member of the Scoliosis Research Society, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Warner is a professor at UT-Campbell Clinic in the department of orthopedic surgery. He has been on staff at Campbell Clinic since 1989 and serves as a consultant to the muscular dystrophy service, scoliosis and spinal bifida clinics. Dr. Warner earned his medical degree at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans and completed his residency at UT-Campbell Clinic. His additional training includes a fellowship in pediatric orthopedic surgery at Scottish Rite Children's Hospital in Atlanta.

Stuart Weinstein, MD (University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Iowa City).
Dr. Weinstein focuses on pediatric orthopedic surgery and spinal deformity at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. He also serves as a professor of orthopedic surgery and is a past president of several professional societies, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Association and Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America. Throughout his career, Dr. Weinstein has held leadership positions with several other groups, including the board of directors for the Scoliosis Research Society and associate editor of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. He has received several awards and recognitions from these groups and serves as an honorary member and corresponding member of at least 13 international orthopedic and spine organizations. Dr. Weinstein earned his medical degree from the University of Iowa, where he also completed his residency.

Michael G. Vitale, MD (New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital , New York City).
Dr. Vitale is the chief of the pediatric spine and scoliosis service at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital a professor of clinical orthopedic surgery at Columbia University. He has a special interest in pediatric spine surgery, scoliosis and lumbar spine problems, focusing on early onset scoliosis and the use of vertical expandable titanium rod devices. In addition to his clinical work, he leads a clinical research team and is a member of the Spine Deformity Study Group. Dr. Vitale earned his medical degree at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York City and completed his residency at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. His additional training includes a fellowship at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.

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