Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/917721
THE HIGHLY SPECIALIZED STAFF AT SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN — T WIN CITIES POSSESSES THE E XPERTISE NECESSARY TO MEE T THE ORTHOPEDIC NEEDS OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. Pediatric Orthopedic Care BY TREVOR WILLINGHAM THE PH YSICA L , EMOTION A L and mental care of pediatric patients varies greatly from that of adults. That fact is clearly illustrated in pediatric orthopedics — a field where the very bones and joints physicians must treat can grow and can change every day. At Shriners Hospitals for Children — Twin Cities, the pediatric orthopedics team faces these variables daily, and is dedicated to finding solutions to orthopedic concerns large and small. ACKNOWLEDGING THE DIFFERENCES Orthopedic injuries may appear a like in adult and pediat- ric patients, but appropriate treatment often varies greatly. Orthopedic specialists working with children must understand and adapt their care plans to the wide range of variables among their young patients, many of whom are still growing, further complicating care. "Even adolescents may still have open growth plates," says Michael Priola, DO, board-certified pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Twin Cities. "We must be aware of how chronic or acute injuries affect growth plates, as well as tailor our treatments to avoid damaging them." As the last part of the bone to ossify, growth plates are much more vulnerable to fractures than the rest of the bone. Due to this increased frailty, as many as 30 percent of all childhood fractures occur in the growth plate, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Treating growth plate fractures in a timely manner is vital to protecting a child's ongoing development. Even if the growth plate is not fractured, orthopedic surgeons must take future growth into account when placing bone grafts or drilling holes into the bone. Stakes are high — without this foresight, both the operation and child's development could be negatively impacted — increasing the urgency for involving expert pediatric orthopedists in the care plan from the beginning. SPECIALIZED CARE At Shriners Hospitals for Children — Twin Cities, every child who comes in with a sports- or trauma-related problem sees an orthopedic surgeon who has completed additional fellowship A Sports Medicine Success Story A local track star had reoccurring knee issues. After finally coming to Shriners Hospitals for Children — Twin Cities, she was told by the team that her knee injuries were caused by a hip problem, which they fixed. Now, she is back on the track. Mastering the Intricacies of 1 2❱❱❱❱❱ S P E C I A L F E A T U R E 1 2