Overview

Specialized expertise for managing musculoskeletal problems in children

The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital is home to a full-service pediatric orthopedic program devoted to the care of musculoskeletal (bone and joint) problems in infants, children, adolescents and teenagers. Our specialists provide comprehensive diagnostic assessment and expert surgical and non-surgical treatment for the full spectrum of childhood orthopedic conditions including limb deformities such as clubfoot, spinal deformities such as scoliosis, limping, differences in leg length, bone and joint infections, sports-related injuries and broken bones.

Through our affiliation with private orthopedic practices in the greater Portland area, we provide access to Maine’s largest and most experienced team of board-certified and fellowship-trained pediatric orthopedic subspecialists. Together, they treat children with virtually every kind of bone and joint problem, from the most routine to the most complex.

Importantly, we take a multidisciplinary approach to caring for each child, working closely with physical and occupational therapists, bracing specialists (orthotists), neurosurgeons and neurologists, tailoring care to the unique needs of the individual patient and family. We also provide access to the genetics service at The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, which provides testing and counseling for families with children diagnosed with congenital orthopedic disorders.

Through a unique collaboration between orthopedic surgeon Philip S. Anson, MD and James T. Wilson, MD, Maine’s only pediatric neurosurgeon, young patients from across the state have access to a level of surgical expertise to correct severe spinal deformities that is unparalleled in Maine. This surgical team performs about 30 of these complex surgeries a year – an above-average volume for a hospital our size. This depth of experience translates into patient outcomes that meet or exceed national benchmarks – so parents can feel confident that their child is in good hands right here, close to home.

Notably, only about one to two percent of spinal deformity patients require surgery. When detected early, many of these conditions can be conservatively treated with exercises or braces. In children who have scoliosis and are still growing, a brace can help halt the progression of their spinal curvature. In fact, bracing has been shown to successfully stop spinal curvature progression in 74% to 93% of female patients with scoliosis (adolescent girls aged 11 to 15 make up 99% of scoliosis cases).
 
Because these young patients often struggle with emotional issues related to body image as a result of a physical deformity, we pay close attention to their psychosocial needs as well, providing access to counseling and support as appropriate.

We also have expertise in procedures to treat children who have limbs of unequal lengths. Surgery may be performed to lengthen an abnormally short leg or arm, shorten an abnormally long leg or arm, or limit growth of a normal limb to allow the shorter one to grow to a matching length.

In addition to providing expert clinical care for children with orthopedic problems, our pediatric orthopedic specialists serve on the faculty of Tufts University School of Medicine, teaching Pediatrics and Family Practice residents at The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center. As teachers of the next generation of physicians and surgeons, they remain on the leading edge of their specialty – ensuring that your child benefits from the most current knowledge and the latest treatment advances.