Current Environment: Production

Medical Services

Specialties

Programs & Services

Languages

  • English

Education

Medical School

Tufts University School of Medicine

1971, Boston, MA

Internship

Case Western Reserve University Hospitals

1972, Cleveland, OH

Residency

New England Medical Center

1979, Boston, MA

Fellowship

Boston Children's Hospital

1981, Boston, MA

Certifications

  • American Board of Orthopedic Surgery (General)

Professional History

Dr. Lawrence Karlin is a senior orthopedic surgeon at Boston Children’s and the orthopedic consultant to our Center for Spina Bifida.  He specializes in spinal deformities and the orthopedic conditions associated with spina bifida. He has published over 50 scientific papers and book chapters, and is a member of many orthopedic organizations including the American Orthopaedic Association (AOAS), the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the Growing Spine Study Group (GSSG) and the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA). He has held leadership roles in the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) and has been a national and international visiting professor.

Publications

  1. Bilateral rib-to-pelvis growth-friendly spinal surgery for congenital kyphosis in the child with myelomeningocele delays but does not prevent a definitive procedure. Spine Deform. 2025 May; 13(3):887-896. View Abstract

  2. Osteotomies at the Time of Graduation Surgery: How Much Do We Get From Them? Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2025 May 01; 50(9):E161-E166. View Abstract

  3. Late-presenting dural leak following spine fusion in the pediatric population. Spine Deform. 2023 Nov; 11(6):1371-1380. View Abstract

  4. Quantitative Sensory Changes Following Posterior Spinal Fusion to Treat Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. J Pediatr Orthop. 2023 Apr 01; 43(4):218-226. View Abstract

  5. Early Adherence to Prescribed Brace Wear for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Is Associated With Future Brace Wear. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2023 Jan 01; 48(1):8-14. View Abstract

  6. Prevertebral Soft Tissue Thickness of the Cervical Spine in Children: An Insensitive but Specific Aid in the Diagnosis of Occult Trauma. J Pediatr Orthop. 2022 09 01; 42(8):e901-e909. View Abstract

  7. Bracing for juvenile idiopathic scoliosis: retrospective review from bracing to skeletal maturity. Spine Deform. 2022 11; 10(6):1349-1358. View Abstract

  8. Spinal Fusion in Pediatric Patients With Low Bone Density: Defining the Value of DXA. J Pediatr Orthop. 2022 Aug 01; 42(7):e713-e719. View Abstract

  9. Evaluating the Efficacy of Rib-to-pelvis Growth-friendly Surgery for the Treatment of Non-ambulatory Early-Onset Scoliosis Myelomeningocele Patients. J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev. 2022 05 01; 6(5). View Abstract

  10. Outcomes and Complications in Management of Congenital Myopathy Early-Onset Scoliosis. J Pediatr Orthop. 2021 Oct 01; 41(9):531-536. View Abstract

  11. Variability in Antibiotic Treatment of Pediatric Surgical Site Infection After Spinal Fusion at A Single Institution. J Pediatr Orthop. 2021 Jul 01; 41(6):e380-e385. View Abstract

  12. Scoliosis with Chiari I malformation without associated syringomyelia. Spine Deform. 2021 07; 9(4):1105-1113. View Abstract

  13. Why Irrigate for the Same Contamination Rate: Wound Contamination in Pediatric Spinal Surgery Using Betadine Versus Saline. J Pediatr Orthop. 2020 Nov/Dec; 40(10):e994-e998. View Abstract

  14. Occipital Plate Fixation in the Pediatric Population. J Pediatr Orthop. 2020 Oct; 40(9):462-467. View Abstract

  15. The growth-friendly surgical treatment of scoliosis in children with osteogenesis imperfecta using distraction-based instrumentation. Spine Deform. 2021 01; 9(1):263-274. View Abstract

  16. Acute Implant-related Complications in Pediatric Cervical Spine Fusion. J Pediatr Orthop. 2020 Aug; 40(7):e662-e666. View Abstract

  17. Efficacy of bracing in skeletally immature patients with moderate-severe idiopathic scoliosis curves between 40° and 60°. Spine Deform. 2020 10; 8(5):911-920. View Abstract

  18. Diagnosing and treating native spinal and pelvic osteomyelitis in adolescents. Spine Deform. 2020 10; 8(5):1001-1008. View Abstract

  19. Does bracing for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis affect operative results? Spine Deform. 2020 06; 8(3):427-432. View Abstract

  20. Intraoperative Use of O-arm in Pediatric Cervical Spine Surgery. J Pediatr Orthop. 2020 Apr; 40(4):e266-e271. View Abstract

  21. Chiari I malformations with syringomyelia: long-term results of neurosurgical decompression. Spine Deform. 2020 04; 8(2):233-243. View Abstract

  22. Surgical Treatment of Developmental Spondylolisthesis: Contemporary Series With a Two-Surgeon Team. Spine Deform. 2019 Mar; 7(2):275-285. View Abstract

  23. Halo-Gravity Traction for the Treatment of Cervical Spine Disorders. Spine Deform. 2019 Nov; 7(6):1026-1027. View Abstract

  24. Perioperative acute neurological deficits in instrumented pediatric cervical spine fusions. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2019 11 01; 24(5):528-538. View Abstract

  25. Growth-Friendly Spine Surgery in Escobar Syndrome. J Pediatr Orthop. 2019 Aug; 39(7):e506-e513. View Abstract

  26. Surgical Treatment of Developmental Spondylolisthesis: Contemporary Series With a Two-Surgeon Team. Spine Deform. 2019 03; 7(2):275-285. View Abstract

  27. Survey to describe variability in early onset scoliosis cast practices. J Child Orthop. 2018 Aug 01; 12(4):406-412. View Abstract

  28. Sagittal plane parameters in growing rod patients following final fusion. J Pediatr Orthop B. 2018 Mar; 27(2):168-175. View Abstract

  29. Initial Cast Correction as a Predictor of Treatment Outcome Success for Infantile Idiopathic Scoliosis. J Pediatr Orthop. 2017 Dec; 37(8):e625-e630. View Abstract

  30. Staged Growing Rods With Preimplantation of Spinal Anchors for Complex Early Onset Scoliosis. J Pediatr Orthop. 2017 Dec; 37(8):e606-e611. View Abstract

  31. The surgical treatment of spinal deformity in children with myelomeningocele: the role of personalized three-dimensional printed models. J Pediatr Orthop B. 2017 Jul; 26(4):375-382. View Abstract

  32. Efficacy of Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring for Pediatric Cervical Spine Surgery. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2017 Jul 01; 42(13):974-978. View Abstract

  33. Spinal deformity progression after posterior segmental instrumentation and fusion for idiopathic scoliosis. J Child Orthop. 2015 Feb; 9(1):29-37. View Abstract

  34. Efficacy of nonfusion treatment for subacute and chronic atlanto-axial rotatory fixation in children. J Pediatr Orthop. 2014 Jul-Aug; 34(5):490-5. View Abstract

  35. Gain in spinal height from surgical correction of idiopathic scoliosis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2014 Jan 01; 96(1):59-65. View Abstract

  36. Proximal Junctional Kyphosis After Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib Insertion. Spine Deform. 2013 Nov; 1(6):425-433. View Abstract

  37. A quality improvement program to reduce unnecessary referrals for adolescent scoliosis. Pediatrics. 2013 Mar; 131(3):e912-20. View Abstract

  38. Outcome assessment in neuromuscular spinal deformity. J Pediatr Orthop. 2012 Dec; 32(8):792-8. View Abstract

  39. Early onset scoliosis: modern treatment and results. J Pediatr Orthop. 2012 Oct-Nov; 32(7):647-57. View Abstract

  40. Intraoperative anaphylaxis to gelatin in topical hemostatic agents during anterior spinal fusion: a case report. Spine J. 2012 Aug; 12(8):e1-6. View Abstract

  41. Risk factors of sudden death in young adult patients with myelomeningocele. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2012 Feb; 9(2):149-55. View Abstract

  42. Postoperative adrenal crisis in an adolescent with Loeys-Dietz syndrome and undiagnosed adrenoleukodystrophy. Can J Anaesth. 2011 Apr; 58(4):392-5. View Abstract

  43. Safety and efficacy of growing rod technique for pediatric congenital spinal deformities. J Pediatr Orthop. 2011 Jan-Feb; 31(1):1-5. View Abstract

  44. Complications of growing-rod treatment for early-onset scoliosis: analysis of one hundred and forty patients. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2010 Nov 03; 92(15):2533-43. View Abstract

  45. Multiple level injuries in pediatric spinal trauma. J Trauma. 2009 Sep; 67(3):537-42. View Abstract

  46. Lateral entry compared with medial and lateral entry pin fixation for completely displaced supracondylar humeral fractures in children. A randomized clinical trial. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2007 Apr; 89(4):706-12. View Abstract

  47. Kyphectomy for myelodysplasia. Neurosurg Clin N Am. 2007 Apr; 18(2):357-64. View Abstract

  48. A provisionally unique syndrome of macrosomia, bone overgrowth, macrocephaly, and tall stature. Am J Med Genet A. 2005 May 01; 134(4):443-6. View Abstract

  49. Visual field defect after posterior spine fusion. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2005 Feb 01; 30(3):E83-5. View Abstract

  50. Waterproof casts for immobilization of children's fractures and sprains. J Pediatr Orthop. 2005 Jan-Feb; 25(1):56-9. View Abstract

  51. Postoperative shoulder-spine spica cast for young children. J Pediatr Orthop. 2004 Mar-Apr; 24(2):227-30. View Abstract

  52. Spinal arthrodesis for scoliosis in Down syndrome. J Pediatr Orthop. 2003 Mar-Apr; 23(2):159-61. View Abstract

  53. Transoesophageal echocardiography during scoliosis repair: comparison with CVP monitoring. Can J Anaesth. 1998 Oct; 45(10):925-32. View Abstract

  54. A reassessment of spinal stabilization in severe cerebral palsy. J Pediatr Orthop. 1994 Nov-Dec; 14(6):731-9. View Abstract

  55. The relationship between preoperative nutritional status and complications after an operation for scoliosis in patients who have cerebral palsy. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1993 Jun; 75(6):880-4. View Abstract

  56. Advances in pediatric orthopaedics. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 1991 Oct; 3(5):854-9. View Abstract

  57. Segmental spinal dysgenesis. Neurosurgery. 1988 Apr; 22(4):739-44. View Abstract

Over my 35 years of practice, I have been involved in the development of innovative new technology, but my primary goal is to provide the best and most personal care for his patients. Most of my pride comes from this accomplishment. My efforts have been recognized by rewards such as Compassionate Physician, Best Doctors, Vitals Patient Choice and Boston Magazine’s Best Doctors of Boston and, most importantly, by the many families with whom I have developed a long and warm relationship.

BESbswy