L. Ray Lawson, M.D., International Spine Fellowship: Educating Medical Professionals from Around the World

L. Ray Lawson, M.D., International Spine Fellowship: Educating Medical Professionals from Around the World

by | Mar 10, 2017 | Scoliosis & Spine

At Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, we are dedicated to education. The hospital offers several fellowship programs to provide a well-rounded experience for medical professionals interested in pediatric orthopedics. As an institution, it is a privilege for our doctors to have the opportunity to train individuals from all over the world.

One of the renowned programs at Scottish Rite Hospital is the L. Ray Lawson, M.D., International Pediatric Spine Fellowship. This fellowship is in honor of L. Ray Lawson, M.D., for his many years of commitment and dedication to the treatment of pediatric spine disorders. This program is available to postgraduate surgeons who have completed an orthopedic residency. It provides the recipient with the opportunity to rotate, observe our orthopedic surgeons,  and work on a spine-related research project.

Recently, a recipient of the L. Ray Lawson, M.D., International Pediatric Spine Fellowship, has completed his time at Scottish Rite Hospital. Ali Parsa, M.D., traveled to Dallas, Texas, from Mashhad, Iran, to spend six months learning from the best in pediatric orthopedics. He worked closely with the Chief of Staff, Daniel J. Sucato, M.D. and Steven Sparagana, M.D., and the spine research team on a neuromonitoring study for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS). “This program allows the fellow to receive comprehensive training in spinal disorders”, says Assistant Chief of Staff Karl Rathjen, M.D. “It is an honor to have medical professionals traveling from around the world to train at Scottish Rite Hospital – the exchange of ideas enriches all of us and extends the reach of the cutting edge knowledge developed here in Dallas.”

Although Scottish Rite Hospital was a short stop for Dr. Parsa in his medical career, he will be able to take what he has learned back to Iran to continue his research and develop innovative techniques for treating spine disorders. It is an honor to educate physicians like Dr. Parsa, and all of the past and future recipients of this fellowship, to bring better care to children all over the world.

D Magazine: Texas Scottish Rite Hospital Receives $7.5 Million in NIH Grants for Idiopathic Scoliosis Research

D Magazine: Texas Scottish Rite Hospital Receives $7.5 Million in NIH Grants for Idiopathic Scoliosis Research

by | Jan 1, 2017 | Press Coverage, Scoliosis & Spine

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children researchers recently received three awards from the National Institutes of Health to fund idiopathic scoliosis research, the most common type of scoliosis which appears around ages 10 to 15. The grants total approximately $7.5 million.

Scottish Rite Hospital received the first award from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. It will fund a multi-site program titled “Developmental Mechanisms of Idiopathic Scoliosis” to understand the biological causes of idiopathic scoliosis in order to develop future treatments. Scottish Rite Hospital Director of Molecular Genetics and Basic Research Dr. Carol Wise will lead the program and work with investigators at Washington University in St. Louis and the University of California, San Francisco.

The second award was received from the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program administered by the NIH. The grant will fund the “Genomics of Orthopedic Disease” program, led by Dr. Jonathan Rios, to sequence genomes of approximately 400 members of families with a history of scoliosis. The 124 million megabytes of genomic data generated from the project are expected to identify genetic errors causing idiopathic scoliosis.

NIH also granted Wise additional funding for an international meeting to bring researchers and physicians together who are committed to treating and curing idiopathic scoliosis. The meeting, titled “Genomic Approaches to Understanding and Treating Scoliosis,” will be held March 16-18 at Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas.

Wise says Scottish Rite Hospital researchers are honored and excited about the discoveries they hope to make with the funds. “I’m proud of the progress our team has made as we research the treatment and possible prevention of scoliosis in the future,” Wise said in a statement to D CEO Healthcare.

Read the full story at D Magazine.

Things to Know About Scoliosis Screening

Things to Know About Scoliosis Screening

by | Aug 24, 2015 | Scoliosis & Spine

After summer break, many kids will be screened for scoliosis. Here is some information that you should know about the process:

  • What is scoliosis? Scoliosis is a progressive condition causing the spine to curve or twist into a “C” or “S” shape.
  • What causes scoliosis? The most common form of scoliosis is idiopathic, meaning there is no known cause. Despite some popular beliefs, scoliosis does not result from carrying heavy items, athletic activity, sleeping/standing postures, or minor lower limb length discrepancies. Researchers at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children identified the first genes associated with idiopathic scoliosis and hope the discovery will one day lead to identifying the cause of the spinal curvature.
  • How is it diagnosed? Scoliosis usually occurs in early adolescence (5th – 9th grade), becoming more noticeable during a growth spurt. The child’s physician or school nurse will screen for scoliosis by having the child perform the Adam’s Forward Bend Test to look for any unevenness or abnormalities in the shoulders, ribcage or back. They can also screen using a device called the scoliometer or by taking an X-ray.
  • Treatment: If your child has been told they have a curvature in the spine, their physician or school nurse can refer them to a health care provider such as Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. From there, the physician will find the proper treatment method for your child.
  • Note: Approximately 5 percent of the patients referred to Scottish Rite Hospital will need treatment:
    • 50 percent – are determined not to have scoliosis and are released from care
    • 45 percent – need observation
    • 2 percent – need a brace
    • 3 percent – need surgery

Watch this video from our Assistant Chief of Staff Dr. Karl Rathjen.

Scottish Rite Hospital Featured in The New York Times for Scoliosis Bracing Study

Scottish Rite Hospital Featured in The New York Times for Scoliosis Bracing Study

by | Sep 19, 2013 | Press Coverage, Scoliosis & Spine

Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children’s young patients are accustomed to receiving top-flight, technologically-based treatment for a variety of conditions, but a recent study examining the effectiveness of back braces to correct scoliosis proves that, sometimes, old school methods still produce the most desirable outcome.

The randomized study, which was published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, provided verifiable proof that the 50-year-old practice of bracing children with scoliosis brings significant pain relief, and helps young people avoid delicate surgery to correct the condition.

The practice of using braces was brought into question several years ago after the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended discontinuing scoliosis screening in schools because of insufficient evidence that bracing helped children.

A Difficult Condition to Treat
Scoliosis is a progressive condition that causes the spine to curve from side to side. The curve typically is three-dimensional, and is shaped like a “C” or an “S.” It’s caused by congenital vertebral anomalies and, in some cases, is idiopathic.

Outside of bracing, common treatments include spinal fusion surgery in which physicians place screws in the spine to straighten it out. Although scoliosis surgery produces excellent results, patients face all of the inherent risks of undergoing surgery.

The Proof Physicians Are Looking For
The study analyzed data on 242 patients at 25 sites in the United States and Canada. Patients were 10 to 15 years old, and all had spinal curvature of 20 to 40 degrees. The analysis indicates that among the children that wore a brace 18 hours a day, 72 percent were successfully treated, versus 48 percent that were observed without a brace.

Additionally, researchers noted that the longer a teen wore the brace, the more successful treatment was. More than 90 percent of young people who realized the best outcomes from bracing wore the device more than 13 hours per day.

However, bracing was deemed a failure if a child’s curvature progressed to 50 percent or more, which is the point at which surgery becomes imperative.

Dr. B. Stephens Richards told the New York Times that evidence cited in the study was “very convincing.”

“It scientifically proves that brace treatment works for adolescents with scoliosis who are at risk of curve worsening to the point of needing surgery,” he said.

Read the full article at the New York Times…