Children's Orthopedics Gets Kids Back in their Game

The Children's Hospital Orthopedics Department is considered the premier provider of pediatric treatment in the Rocky Mountain region. The 30,000 children annually treated on an outpatient basis are fans. Even Child Magazine recently reinforced the department's clinical excellence when the editors ranked it third nationally.

Orthopedics is led by specialized physicians who work closely with the community to provide a comprehensive continuum of care. And, a Board-certified pediatric orthopedist is on-call to support cases entering the emergency department.

Orthopedics Always a Step Ahead

Children's Orthopedics Department is regionally renowned for treating patients with challenging conditions, including limb deformities, scoliosis and cerebral palsy.

"Our pediatric orthopedic physicians and staff are experts in their fields and nationally recognized for their innovative approaches to care and treatment of orthopedic problems," explained Vince Mock, director of business development, department of orthopedics.

A recent innovation is the utilization of the Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib surgery (VEPTR).  Children's recently became one of the few U.S. pediatric institutions to perform VEPTR surgery to treat children with Thoracic Insufficiency Syndrome (TIS). TIS-a disease marked by severe deformities of the chest, spine, and ribs that prevent normal pulmonary development-is relatively rare. However, nearly a dozen TIS patients are seen at Children's annually.

"This is an exciting time for Children's Orthopedics Department," said Mark Erickson, MD, chair of Orthopedic Surgery and Medical Director of the Spine Center. "We have an absolutely outstanding faculty, which paves the way for these new programs and our continued success."

Frank Chang, MD, director of orthopedic surgery and the medical director for the Center for Gait and Movement Analysis (CGMA), holds the only endowed chair in the country in pediatric orthopedic movement analysis. Supported by multidisciplinary staff and state-of-the-art instrumentation, CGMA provides special focus on children with CP, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, limb deficiencies, amputations and congenital and genetic abnormalities.

Today, the facility continues to be the only clinical gait lab for children and adults in the Rocky Mountain region. During the course of his 24-year tenure, Dr. Chang has treated thousands of patients, and was selected last March's "7 Everyday Hero" by the ABC Network affiliate.

Orthopedics instituted the Musculoskeletal Research Center (MRC) in 2005 to promote advanced outcomes research in pediatric orthopedics through a dedicated team of physicians, engineers, scientists and clinicians. Headed by Dr, Erickson, the center's medical director, and James Carollo, PhD, PE, MRC and CGMA director, the center is co-directed by renowned researcher Nancy Miller, MD.

Partnering with the MRC, the department's pediatric orthopedists and providers are involved in clinical research studies for the advancement of pediatric orthopedic treatment protocols. Currently, Dr. Erickson represents Children's on the Spinal Deformity Study Group, an international coalition of 50 centers focused on the development of multi-center studies advancing surgical techniques, education and patient care.

And, the team continues to grow. In just the last year alone, orthopedics has welcomed three additional physicians.  Programs also are expanding: the Bone Tumor and Sports Medicine programs recently have been added.

The Team that Stays Together

Orthopedics' wealth of expertise may be attributed to the fact that many staff have been with Children's for two or more decades. David Henning, OPA-C, has been a cast technician for 32 years and counting.

"One of my first memories at Children's was when I was sent to the newborn center to remove a cast on a child that was smaller than the cast saw," he recalled.  "Both child and tech made it through without any scratches," he added with a smile. "Then, I met her 20 years later when she brought her own child to Children's!"

"We rarely have turn-over except for retirement. That says a lot about our environment of care," added Mock.

An employee for 18 years, Jaci Klas, a registered nurse in an outpatient clinic devoted to helping children overcome limb deformities, recently received a note from a family noting, 'We want you to know that we appreciate you and your team. You listen well, explain things clearly and work with care and kindness for your patients and their families.  We are fortunate to be working with you.' 

With remarkable clinical experience, focus on program development, and a stellar environment of care, orthopedics' future is bright. "With children always in mind, we thoughtfully design and adjust our comprehensive programs to benefit patients," said Mock. "At Children's, they truly do have access to the most advanced pediatric orthopedic care in the Rocky Mountain region."