NewYork-Presbyterian. The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell.

Orthopedic Surgery and Trauma Service

Pediatric Orthopedics

Pediatric orthopedic surgeons at Weill Cornell Orthopedics are on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Our Physicians for Pediatrics

• John S. Blanco, MD
• Emily R. Dodwell, M.D., MPH, FRCSC
• Shevaun Mackie Doyle, MD
• Daniel W. Green, MD, FACS, FAAP
• David M. Scher, MD
• Ernest L. Sink, MD
• Roger F. Widmann, MD

Conditions we treat include:

• Fractures in children caused by minor falls, sports injuries, or by major traumatic events, such as car accidents.
• Bone and joint infections in children.
• Orthopedic conditions in newborns such as dislocated hip (hip dysplasia) and clubfoot.

Treatment

If a child is injured, he or she will be brought to the emergency department at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center and first seen by a pediatric emergency medicine physician, and in a separate pediatric emergency triage area. The emergency medicine physician will then call in a surgeon from Weill Cornell Orthopedics if he or she is needed.

Fractures

Unlike many hospital emergency rooms, the emergency room at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell is staffed at all times by a pediatric orthopedic specialist. These physicians have been specially trained to treat children's fractures in order to prevent future complications and the possible need for additional treatment.

They understand that treating children's fractures is different than treating adult fractures because fractures in children often involve the area where the bone grows, called growth plates. This type of pediatric fracture can disturb the growth of bone in the future, contributing to functional limitations in standing, walking, bending, lifting, climbing stairs, and can also create disfiguring deformities.

While many fractures can be diagnosed with a regular x-ray, more sophisticated imaging techniques such as CT or MRI scans are also available when needed.

Treatment depends on the type of fracture. For instance, with a forearm fracture, if the bones do not break through the skin, the physician may be able to push them into proper alignment without surgery. If surgery is required, the surgeon will align the bones and then may use pins or a cast to hold them in place until they have healed.

Newborn Orthopedic Issues

Babies born at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell who have orthopedic issues are seen by our pediatric orthopedic specialists. The most common orthopedic problems in newborns are:

• Dislocated Hip (Hip Dysplasia)
• Clubfoot.

A dislocated hip may be detected during a routine exam of the newborn. The first choice of treatment for babies up to 6 months of age is a soft brace called the Pavlik harness, which stimulates normal development of the hip joint. It is usually used for three months.

A baby born with a clubfoot is generally treated immediately, so the foot is functional, painless and stable by the time the child is ready to walk. The doctor will gently stretch the child's clubfoot toward the correct position, and put on a cast to hold it in place. This process is repeated for 6-12 weeks or longer to slowly move the bones in the foot into proper alignment.