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Pediatric Orthopedics

One of the Nation’s Best and Most Experienced Pediatric Orthopedics Programs

University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s is consistently ranked as one of the top pediatric orthopedics programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, and we are the top ranked program in northern Ohio. Our care team is supported by a rich history of innovation and excellence. For more than 100 years, we have conducted groundbreaking research, developed new therapies, advanced standards of quality care and put new techniques into practice every single day.

A Legacy of Innovation, Safety & Excellence

As an academic medical center, our team is dedicated to advancing standards of care for pediatric orthopedics. We have designated teams on the forefront of research, from surgical procedures to pain management to blood loss management. Our research has been published extensively, and many pilot studies have occurred right here at Rainbow.

We have an extensive history of making spine surgery safer for children as one of the earliest programs in Ohio to use magnetically controlled growing rods (MAGEC) to replace invasive spine surgeries. Our team was also the first in northeast Ohio to use Firefly, an advanced navigational guide that assists in the placement of pedicle screws, anchor points for rods used in spine surgery.

Since our program was founded more than 100 years ago, our team has established a track record of innovation and groundbreaking research. A few of the milestones we’ve achieved include:

  • Developed spinal cord monitoring, a system used worldwide to help make spinal surgery safer.
  • Created a revolutionary “growing rods” program, so that very young children with spine deformities can have a much better chance of growing to a normal height with their organs developing more fully.
  • Pioneered the use of Amicar®, a medication that helps reduce blood loss and the possibility of complications in patients undergoing spinal surgery.
  • Established a less invasive approach to spinal surgery, by operating through the chest rather than from the back to improve mobility of the spine and guide spinal growth.

Same Day Availability for Acute or Urgent Injuries

Families have 24/7 access to our pediatric orthopedic experts through our accredited trauma center – the only level one pediatric trauma center in northern Ohio. Much of pediatric trauma involves the musculoskeletal system, from minor falls to sports injuries to more serious traumatic injuries, which often require orthopedic expertise. Unlike other trauma centers, we don’t just stabilize the patient. With orthopedic expertise embedded within the trauma center, we follow our patients as long as there may be orthopedic health concerns to achieve the best outcomes possible.

As a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, we are held to an extremely high standard of care for both short-term treatment and long-term follow up. We pride ourselves on our speedy response to mobilize a team of pediatric surgical experts in all specialties needed as soon as a patient arrives at the hospital. We additionally ensure a continuity of treatment and the same level of responsiveness whenever families call – whether that’s one month, one year or ten years after the injury.

Specialized Care for a Wide Range of Bone, Muscle & Joint Conditions

We offer dedicated and specialized care programs to treat all pediatric orthopedic conditions, including the most rare. Our programs and services include:

UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s is also home to the only surgical facility in Cleveland designed solely for pediatric patients. Our very skilled pediatric orthopedic surgeons are surrounded by a full team of pediatric surgical experts to care for our patients pre-, intra- and post-operatively. This includes pediatric anesthesiologists, pediatric neurophysiologists who monitor spinal cord function, highly trained nursing teams and, in rare instances, pediatric intensive care unit physicians who are on-hand if needed.

Award-Winning Pediatric Orthopedic Care Team

Our pediatric orthopedic specialists are not only members of the nation’s leading orthopedic societies, but they have also been selected to serve in leadership positions and on dedicated committees. These groups include the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America (POSNA), Scoliosis Research Society (SRS), Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society (LLRS), American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) and American Orthopedic Association (AOA). In addition, Our award-winning experts are represented on the editorial boards of many major orthopedic publications.