Orthopedic Center

Established in 1903, the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Boston Children's Hospital is one of the first comprehensive, interdisciplinary centers for the treatment of children with musculoskeletal conditions.

Our specialties

Ranked as a top provider for pediatric orthopedic care by U.S. News & World Report, our orthopedic team offers complete care for a wide variety of congenital and acquired disorders including

A full range of associated services are offered, including physical, occupational, and orthotic and prosthetic devices.

View full list of orthopedic conditions we treat.

Our team

We are the largest pediatric orthopedic center in the nation, with 13 specialty clinics, an onsite brace shop, plaster room, and an interdisciplinary team that includes:

• 28 orthopedic surgeons
• 11 orthopedic residents and fellows
• five certified physician assistants
• a nursing staff comprised of 16 nurse practitioners and RN's
• a full team of physical/occupational therapists, brace and cast technicians

When you or a loved one visits the Orthopedic Center, you can expect to see a whole host of talented and dedicated professionals who work collaboratively to provide the most comprehensive orthopedic care.

Children's is the primary pediatric teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, where our physicians hold faculty appointments. This means that medical residents and fellows are also important team members, who provide a unique perspective and component of care to our patients.

By working as a close-knit team, we conduct comprehensive evaluations of your child's condition and develop specialized treatments to reduce pain and return them to normal function. This collaborative approach allows us to treat the entire range of physical and psychological challenges facing our patients. It also helps us to provide more accurate diagnosis, improved pain management, and prompt and effective treatment.
 

Our experience

Combining a long history of excellence and innovation with a team of clinicians and researchers at the forefront of orthopedic research and care, it's no surprise that Children's is home to many firsts in orthopedic treatment. Each year, our staff attends to more than 96,000 patient visits, and performs about 6,000 surgical procedures.

Highlights include:

• Advanced techniques of fracture and microsurgery care for complex fractures and soft tissue injuries to the hand and upper extremity.
   
• A Spinal Program with extensive experience treating infantile (early-onset) scoliosis, among many other types of spinal disorders.
   
• Success with the VEPTR^TM (vertical expandable prosthetic titanium rib) procedure; one of the first and most experienced hospitals with VEPTR.
   
• The oldest and largest comprehensive center for the care of spina bifida.
   
• Leading an international multi-center research study in brachial plexus birth palsy.
   
• A Child and Adult Hip Preservation Program that has performed over 1,200 periacetabular osteotomies.
   
• One of the first scoliosis and sports medicine clinics in the nation.
   
• One of the first centers in the nation to use adjuvant chemotherapy and perform limb salvage surgery for patients with osteosarcoma.
   
• An Orthopedic Clinical Effectiveness Research Center, established to translate science into care, and improve the quality of life of children with musculoskeletal disorders.
  
   

Our satellite locations

In addition to the full range of services offered at our Boston campus, we offer outstanding orthopedic care at several locations throughout eastern Massachusetts.
 

Our research

In addition to providing excellent clinical care, many of our physicians conduct pioneering research studies to get answers to the most pressing questions in pediatric orthopedics today—all in an effort to provide your child with the most innovative care available.