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Pediatric Orthopedics

The Montefiore Approach

The Division of Pediatric Orthopedics at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore is internationally renowned, providing both surgical and medical excellence as well as a tremendous sensitivity to the needs of patients and their families. The Division is equipped to provide the highest quality of care in the diagnosis and management of even the most complicated pediatric musculoskeletal conditions.

Children’s Hospital at Montefiore is one of the few freestanding hospitals in the region completely committed to the specialized needs of pediatric patients and their families. As one of the top NIH-funded children’s hospitals in the country, Montefiore is fully invested in the advancement of both pediatric care and pediatric research. These resources, combined with dedicated specialists, healthcare providers and support staff, allow us to deliver care of the highest caliber.

As an academic children’s hospital, we are always striving to develop innovations and advancements in pediatric orthopedic care. Together with our Albert Einstein College of Medicine, one of the highest NIH-funded institutions in the country, we are constantly engaged in a wide array of research projects with the goal of developing improved care within our own health system and beyond.

The experience of our patients and their loved ones—not simply their ailments—demands our full attention. Your child’s dedicated care team will be there to discuss their condition, answer questions, assess treatment options and develop a treatment strategy that is best for them. Our team of doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals works to ensure your child and your family is the central focus.

Pediatric musculoskeletal conditions present their own set of challenges. We understand that parents and caregivers may have anxieties, concerns, and questions that need to be thoroughly and carefully addressed. At Montefiore, we believe that optimal outcomes are achieved through thorough evaluations, accurate diagnoses, and intelligent patient-specific treatment plans developed through years of clinical experience and evidence-based medicine.

The hallmark of the Division is a coordinated and comprehensive approach. With the shared goal of providing exceptional care, our leading surgeons are supported by a team of subspecialists, physician assistants, research staff, and support staff. We continue to garner both national and international attention for our innovative research and leading-edge approaches, such as our treatments for growing limbs and spines, as well as limb and spine deformities.

As an academic medical center, we are deeply committed to advancing the science of medicine. Together with our Albert Einstein College of Medicine, one of the highest NIH-funded institutions in the country, we work toward excellence in pediatric orthopedic study and care. Our research efforts endeavor to better understand musculoskeletal conditions in children, and we aim to improve both operative and non-operative treatments. We routinely present our research findings in national and international forums and publish our results in peer-reviewed medical journals.

 

 

Conditions We Treat

The Pediatric Orthopedic Division at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore treats a vast spectrum of conditions, a selection of which are listed below. In addition to these, we have experience treating many other conditions. Please contact us today to schedule a consultation to review and discuss your specific healthcare needs.

Some Common Conditions
  • Legg-Calve-Perthes
  • Slipped capital femoral
  • Avascular necrosis
  • Congenital deformities of the hip
  • Post-traumatic deformities of the hip
  • Clubfoot (congenital talipes equinovarus)
  • Early-onset scoliosis
  • Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Neuromuscular disorders
  • Muscle contractions
  • Anterior cruciate ligament
  • (ACL) injuries
  • Osteochondritis dissecans
  • Patella subluxation/dislocation
  • Discoid meniscus
  • Shoulder instability
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a problem that makes it hard for a child to control movement. It's caused by damage to the brain. Usually this damage happens before birth. The brain injury that causes CP doesn't get worse over time, but symptoms may start, change, or become more severe as a child grows. CP is caused by a brain injury or problem that occurs during pregnancy or birth or within the first 2 to 3 years of life. It can happen if the baby doesn't get enough blood, oxygen, or other nutrients before or during birth. Other causes include premature birth and genetic problems. Read More
Avascular necrosis is bone death that occurs when the blood supply to the bones is decreased or stopped. Without an adequate blood supply, the bone breaks down and dies and collapses. If the bone affected is near a joint, the joint may also collapse. Although any bone can be affected, avascular necrosis most often affects ends of the long bones, such as the upper leg bone at the hip. Avascular necrosis is also called osteonecrosis, aseptic necrosis, or ischemic bone necrosis. Read More
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is pain in the front of the knee. It frequently occurs in teenagers, manual laborers, and athletes. It sometimes is caused by wearing down, roughening, or softening of the cartilage under the kneecap. Patellofemoral pain syndrome may be caused by overuse, injury, excess weight, a kneecap that is not properly aligned (patellar tracking disorder), or changes under the kneecap. Read More
Patellar tracking disorder means that the kneecap (patella) shifts out of place as the leg bends or straightens. In most cases, the kneecap shifts too far toward the outside of the leg. In a few people, it shifts toward the inside. Your knee joint is a complex hinge that joins the two bones of the lower leg with the thighbone. Read More
The kneecap (patella) is normally positioned over the front of the knee joint at the base of the thighbone (femur). A kneecap can be dislocated, or moved out of its normal position, when:Symptoms of a dislocated kneecap may include: Read More
A subluxation is a partial dislocation. The kneecap, or patella, can sublux out of its normal position more easily when the thigh muscles are weak, when the patella is not firmly held by the surrounding tendons and ligaments, or when there is a problem with the alignment or structure of the knee bones.A patellar subluxation feels like the kneecap is shifting or jamming out of place. Usually, a subluxated patella returns to its normal position by itself. But repeated incidents can damage the cartilage on the back of the patella or stretch the connective ligaments. Read More
Osgood-Schlatter disease is a knee problem that causes pain and swelling in the shinbone (tibia) just below the kneecap (patella). This is the spot where the patellar tendon attaches to a bony mound in the knee called the tibial tubercle. Older children and teenagers often get Osgood-Schlatter disease during a growth spurt. Certain young athletes, such as runners, gymnasts, and those who play soccer, football, or basketball, are more likely to have this type of knee pain. Read More
Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a condition in which a piece of bone or cartilage (or both) inside a joint loses blood supply and dies. OCD may be caused by injury or overuse from an activity that repeatedly jams one bone end against another.OCD may not cause any symptoms, or symptoms may begin suddenly, develop gradually, or come and go. The condition may be discovered by accident if an X-ray is taken for another reason. Read More
Clubfoot (also called talipes equinovarus) is a general term used to describe a range of unusual positions of the foot. Each of the following characteristics may be present, and each may vary from mild to severe: Most types of clubfoot are present at birth (congenital clubfoot). Clubfoot can happen in one foot or in both feet. In almost half of affected infants, both feet are involved. Read More
Scoliosis is a problem with the curve in the spine. Many people have some curve in their spine. But a few people have spines that make a large curve from side to side in the shape of the letter "S" or the letter "C." If this curve is severe, it can cause pain and make breathing difficult.The good news is that most cases of scoliosis are mild, and the curves don't increase a lot over time. Read More
Hip dysplasia is a problem in a baby's hip joint. It may be called developmental hip dysplasia or developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). The top of the thighbone doesn't fit tightly into the hip socket. This problem may affect one or both hip joints. A baby may be born with it, or it may happen in the first year of life.In a normal hip, the thighbone (femur) fits snugly into a cup-shaped socket in the pelvis. It is held in place by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. But in DDH, the hip socket may be too shallow or the tissues around the joint may be too loose. Read More
A slipped capital femoral epiphysis occurs when the upper end of the thigh bone (femur) slips at the area where the bone is growing (growth plate or physis) and does not fit in the hip socket correctly. The condition is most common in young teenagers. It's more common in boys than in girls. Rapid growth and an imbalance of hormones during adolescence may cause a slipped capital femoral epiphysis. An injury or a rapid increase in body weight or height may trigger symptoms. Read More
Hip pain can make it hard to walk, go up and down stairs, squat, or sleep on the side that hurts. A clicking or snapping feeling or sound around your hip joint (snapping hip) may bother you or cause you to worry. But if your hip is not painful, in many cases the click or snap is nothing to worry about. Home treatment may be all that is needed for minor hip symptoms.To better understand hip problems, it may be helpful to know how the hip works. It is the largest ball-and-socket joint in the body. The thighbone (femur) fits tightly into a cup-shaped socket (acetabulum) in the pelvis. The hip joint is tighter and more stable than the shoulder joint but it does not move as freely. The hip joint is held together by muscles in the buttock, groin, and spine; tendons; ligaments; and a joint capsule. Several fluid-filled sacs (bursae) cushion and lubricate the hip joint and let the tendons and muscles glide and move smoothly. The largest nerve in the body (sciatic nerve) passes through the pelvis into the leg. Read More
A hip problem can be hard to deal with, both for the child who has the problem and to the parent or caregiver. A child who has a hip problem may feel pain in the hip, groin, thigh, or knee. A child in pain may limp or be unable or unwilling to stand, walk, or move the affected leg. A baby in pain may cry, be fussy, and have other signs of pain. Hip problems may be present at birth (congenital) or may develop from injury, overuse, inflammation, infection, or tumor growth.To better understand hip problems, it may be helpful to know how the hip works. It is the largest ball-and-socket joint in the body. The thighbone (femur) fits tightly into a cup-shaped socket (acetabulum) in the pelvis. The hip joint is tighter and more stable than the shoulder joint but it does not move as freely. The hip joint is held together by muscles in the buttock, groin, and spine; tendons; ligaments; and a joint capsule. Several fluid-filled sacs (bursae) cushion and lubricate the hip joint and let the tendons and muscles glide and move smoothly. The largest nerve in the body (sciatic nerve) passes through the pelvis into the leg. Read More

Our Treatments

Treatment plans are designed to maximize our patients’ outcomes, returning them to health as quickly as possible. We treat children from birth to age 21, and we have robust experience in conditions ranging from light sprains to complex musculoskeletal disorders. The Division is organized into five programs of focus: the Scoliosis Surgery Program, the Cerebral Palsy and Neuromuscular Disorder Program, the Hip Preservation Program, the Pediatric Sports Medicine Program, and the Lower Limb Deformity Program. For those seeking further information on these programs, more details are provided here.

Highlighted Treatments

Pediatric Orthopedics Team

Doctor

Eric D. Fornari, MD

Vice-Chairman, Faculty Affairs, Co-Director, Pediatric Orthopedics, Attending Physician, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Associate Professor, Orthopedic Surgery and Pediatrics

Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, Pediatric and Adolescent Sports Medicine, Hip Preservation

Doctor

Melinda S. Sharkey, MD

Associate Professor, Orthopedic Surgery and Pediatrics, Co-Director, Pediatric Orthopedics, Associate Program Director, Orthopedic Surgery Residency, Vice Chair Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Orthopaedic Surgery, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery, Limb and Foot Deformity Surgery

Doctor

Jacob F. Schulz, MD

Director, Pediatric Orthopedic Fellowship, Attending Physician, Pediatric Orthopedics, Assistant Professor, Orthopedic Surgery and Pediatrics, Co-Director, Pediatric Orthopedic Research

Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, Pediatric and Adolescent Sports Medicine, Pediatric and Adolescent Spine Surgery

Doctor

Jaime A. Gomez Hernandez, MD

Director, Pediatric Orthopedic Education, Attending Physician, Pediatric Orthopedics, Associate Professor, Orthopedic Surgery and Pediatrics, Co-Director, Pediatric Orthopedic Research

Orthopaedic Surgery, Pediatric and Adolescent Spine Surgery

Doctor

Mauricio Drummond Junior, MD

Attending Physician, Pediatric Orthopedics, Assistant Professor, Orthopedic Surgery

Sports Medicine, Orthopaedic Surgery, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery

Doctor

Alexa J. Karkenny, MD

Assistant Professor, Orthopedic Surgery, Attending Physician, Pediatric Orthopedics, Director, Pediatric Orthopedic Education

Orthopaedic Surgery, Neuromuscular Diseases and Conditions

Doctor

Jenny He, PA

Physician Assistant

Doctor

Vanessa Hernandez, PA

Physician Assistant

Doctor

Dmitry Vinnikov, PA

Physician Assistant

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