Patrick J. Cahill, MD
Areas of expertise: Disorders of the Pediatric spine, Cervical spine, Fractures of the spine, Pediatric orthopedic surgery, Scoliosis
Locations: Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care, Specialty Care, Abington, Middleman Family Pavilion
About Patrick J. Cahill, MD
Patrick Cahill, MD, is a pediatric spine specialist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Robert M. Campbell Jr. Endowed Chair in Thoracic Insufficiency Syndrome. Dr. Cahill’s practice is centered around treating disorders of the spine, including adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, Scheuermann’s kyphosis, infantile scoliosis, neuromuscular scoliosis, complex congenital anomalies of the spine, spondylolisthesis, fractures of the spine, cervical spine disorders, and growth modulation solutions to spinal deformity.
Dr. Cahill is passionate about caring for children with early-onset scoliosis and finding new ways to utilize less invasive methods to management, maximizing the preservation of childhood and safety in treatment options. Although infantile scoliosis is rare, Dr. Cahill has extensive experience in treating this condition. In keeping with the original principles of Mehta casting, Dr. Cahill strives to maximize the effects of treatment while minimizing unnecessary medical exposures during care. He developed a program that seeks to lessen the need for anesthesia use in young children during critical phases of brain development.
If spine conditions can no longer be managed with casting or bracing alternatives, Dr. Cahill continues to adhere to his philosophy of providing conscientious care. In 2014 and after FDA approval for use in the United States, Dr. Cahill was the first pediatric spine surgeon in this country to use a magnetically expandable growing rod for care of early-onset scoliosis. He continues to be one of the leading physicians pioneering new technology. Some spine, lung and chest wall conditions are so severe that life-saving surgical measures are required, which do not afford the use of externally controlled lengthening devices. A specialized, multidisciplinary team of health providers deliver complex care to these patients as part of the Center for Thoracic Insufficiency Syndrome. Dr. Cahill is a Director of this team in collaboration with pulmonology, anesthesia, physical therapy, nutrition, genetics, and general surgery.
In addition to caring for the very young patient with scoliosis, Dr. Cahill is an expert and innovator in the field of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. He has spent his career exploring and researching non-invasive or minimally invasive fusionless options to modify growth for the management of scoliosis, including bracing options and procedures like thoracoscopic vertebral body stapling. He continues to investigate the potential for alternatives to posterior spinal fusion, but has also been central to research and process improvement initiatives involving spinal fusion.
In addition to supporting the spine care innovations at CHOP (Rapid Recovery Pathway and Dedicated Spine Teams), Dr. Cahill has an interest in merging technology with the art of medicine, using 3D reconstructions and printing to provide safety guides and tools to assist in surgical planning and execution. He is a member of the Scoliosis Research Society, North American Spine Society, Chest Wall and Spine Deformity Study Group, Harms Study Group, Fox Study Group, and Pediatric Cervical Spine Study Group.
Although the neck is part of the spine, many spine specialists do not specialize in cervical spine deformity. Dr. Cahill is one of the few Spine Fellowship Trained Surgeons practicing in a pediatric spine center, giving him added insight and extensive experience in complex cervical spine disorders, including fractures and instability of vertebrae.
Whether a condition is related to uncomplicated scoliosis or rare disorders of the spine, patients travel from all over the country to obtain world-class care from CHOP. If you would like Dr. Cahill to give an opinion or provide care for your child, our CHOP Orthopedic Nurse Navigator Maribeth Magarity, RN, can coordinate care and travel arrangements to assist in streamlined access to the high level of care and excellence that CHOP and Dr. Cahill have to offer.
As a lifelong sports enthusiast, Dr. Cahill routinely defeats his orthopedic partners in tennis, bikes fanatically with little regard for inclement weather, and will play soccer anytime, anywhere. His favorite team is Manchester United, but he shows local Union pride as well. He also enjoys camping and skiing with his lovely wife and three beautiful children.
Titles
Attending Physician
Certifications
Orthopaedic Surgery – American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery
Awards and Honors
2022, Philadelphia Magazine's Top Doctors in Orthopedic Surgery
2015, SRS Travelling Fellowship – Asia
2009, Louis A. Goldstein Award Nominee for Best Clinical Poster, Scoliosis Research Society annual meeting
2006, Resident Research Symposium - 3rd place, Orthopedic Research and Education Fund
2006, Sofield Traveling Fellowship, Orthopedic Research and Education Fund
1998, Summer Intramural Research Internship NIH, Loyola University Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Leadership and Memberships
2013-present, Scoliosis Research Society – active member
- Local Host Committee for 2017 Annual Meeting
- 2013 -present, Program reviewer, Annual Meeting
- 2013 – present, Research Committee
2009-present, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons – active member
-2012-present, Spine Program Committee
2008-present, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America
- 2013-present, Research Committee
-2013-2014, Coding Committee
- 2012-2013, Quality, Value, & Safety Initiative
2006-present, North American Spine Society – member
- 2010-present, Chest Wall and Spine Deformity Study Group – core member
- 2008-present, Harms Study Group – core member
Editorial and Academic Positions
2013 – present, Reviewer, Thrasher Research Fund
2013 – present, Reviewer, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery – American
2013 – present, Associate Editor, Spine Deformity Journal
2010-2014, Editorial Board, Orthopedics
Education & training
Medical Degree
MD - University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Residency
Orthopedic Surgery - Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL
Fellowship
Rush Spine Surgery Fellowship Program - Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, in Chicago, IL
Publications
Publications
2025
Lott C, Capraro A, Qiu C, Talwar D, Gordon J, Flynn JM, Anari JB, Cahill PJ. How Does Anterior Vertebral Body Tethering Compare to Posterior Spinal Fusion for Thoracic Idiopathic Scoliosis? A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2025 Jun 19. doi: 10.1097/CORR.0000000000003575. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40537949.
2023
Catanzano AA, Sponseller PD, Newton PO, Bastrom TP, Bartley CE, Shah SA, Cahill PJ, Harms Study Group, Yaszay B: Beware of open triradiate cartilage: 1 in 4 patients will lose >10 degrees of correction following posterior only fusion. Spine Deformity. January 2023. 11(1) 133.
Hariharan AR, Shah SA, Sponseller PD, Yaszay B, Glotzbecker MP, Thompson GH, Cahill PJ, Bastrom TP, Pediatric Spine Study Group, Harms Study Group: Definitive fusions are better than growing rod procedures for juvenile patients with cerebral palsy and scoliosis: A prospective comparative cohort study. Spine Deformity. January 2023. 11(1) 145-152.
Tong Y, Udupa JK, McDonough JM, Wu C, Sun C, Xie L, Lott C, Clark A, Mayer OH, Anari JB, Torigian DA, Cahill PJ: Assessment of regional functional effects of surgical treatment in thoracic insufficiency syndrome via dynamic magnetic resonance imaging. JBJS. January 4, 2023. 105(1) 53-62.
Zheng JL, Cahill PJ, Heyer JH, Sponseller PD, Yaszay B, Harms Study Group, Baldwin KD: Current trends in surgical magnitude of neuromuscular scoliosis curves: A study of 489 operative patients with non-ambulatory cerebral palsy. Spine Deformity. March 2023.11(2) 399.
Johnson MA, Lott C, Clark AJ, Flynn JM, Heyer JH, Cahill PJ, Anari JB: Changes in research quality and surgical trends at the international congress on early-onset scoliosis. Spine Deformity. May 2023. 11(3) 707-713.
2022
Swany LM, Larson AN, Milbrandt TA, Sanders JO, Neal KM, Blakemore LC, Newton PO, Pahys JM, Cahill PJ, Alanay A. Inter- and intra-rater reliability and accuracy of Sanders Skeletal maturity staging system when used by surgeons performing vertebral body tethering. Spine Deformity. January 2022. 10(1) 97.
Kurra S, Cahill PJ, Albanese SA, Betz RR, Toole T, Lavelle WF. Evaluation of shoulder Balance in early onset scoliosis after definitive fusion and comparison with adolescent Idiopathic scoliosis shoulder balance. Spine Deformity. January 2022. 10(1) 183.
Meltzer-Bruhn AT, Landrum MR, Spiegel DA, Cahill PJ, Anari JB, Baldwin KD. Does Nutrition consultation in the year leading up to neuromuscular scoliosis surgery result in Significant weight gain, or just a larger magnitude curve? Spine Deformity. January 2022. 10(1) 151.
Guisse N, Stone JD, Keil LG, Bastrom TP, Erickson MA, Yaszay B, Cahill PJ, Parent S, Gabos,Newton PO, Glotzbecker MP, Kelly MP, Pahys JM, Fletcher ND. Modified clavien-dindo-sink classification system for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Spine Deformity. January 2022. 10(1) 87.
Johnson MA, Lott C, Kennedy BC, Heuer GG, Cahill PJ, Anari JB: Risk of ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunction in operatively treated early onset spinal deformity. Spine Deformity. November 2022. 10(6) 1467-14.
Badin D, Leland CR, Matsumoto H, Roye B, Vitale M, Flynn J, Samdani A, Larson N, Yaszay B, Pahys J, Glotzbecker M, Bachmann K, Newton PO, Betz R, Miyanji F, Shah S, Sturm P, Hwang S, Erickson M, Cahill PJ, Fletcher N, Upasani V, Sucato DJ, Sponseller PD: Best practice guidelines for surgical site infection in high-risk pediatric spine surgery definition, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. November/December 2022. 42(10).
2021
Tong Y, Udupa J, McDonough J, Wu C, Sun C, Qiu C, Lott C, Galagedera N, Anari J, Mayer O, Torigian D, Cahill P: Thoracic quantitative dynamic MRI to understand developmental Changes in normal ventilatory dynamics. Chest. February 2021 159(2): 712-723.
Pahys J, Quinonez A, Samdani A, Hwang S, Cahill P, Betz R: Complete paraplegia 36 hours After attempted posterior spinal fusion for severe adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: A case Report. Accepted for publication.
Results of conservative and surgical management in children with idiopathic and Non- idiopathic Os Odontoideum. World Neurosurgery. Accepted for publication. D’Andrea, C, Alfraihat A, Singh A, Anari J, Cahill P, Schaer T, Snyder B, Elliott D, Balasubramanian S: Part 1. Review and meta-analysis of studies on modulation of Longitudinal bone growth and growth plate activity: A micro-scale perspective. Accepted for publication.
Matsumoto H, Mueller J, Konigsberg M, Ball J, St. Hilaire T, Pawelek J, Roye DP, Cahill P, Sturm P, Smith J, Thompson G, Sponseller P, Skaggs D, Vitale M: Improvement of pulmonary function measured by patient-reported outcomes in patients with spinal muscular atrophy after growth-friendly instrumentation. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. January 2021 41(1): 1-5.
Zuckerman SL, Lenke LG, Cerpa M, Kelly MP, Yaszay B, Sponseller P, Erickson M, Garg S, Pahys J, Cahill P, Sides B, Gupta M, Fox Pediatric Spinal Deformity Study Group. Interobserver and intraobserver reliability of determining the deformity angular ratio in severe pediatric deformity curves. Spine Deformity. March 2021. 9(2) 435.
Bram JT, Mehta N, Flynn JM, Anari JB, Baldwin KD, Yaszay B, Pahys JM, Harms Stud Group, Cahill PJ. Sinister! The high pre-op left shoulder is less likely to be radiographically balanced at 2 years post-op. Spine Deformity. March 2021 9 (2) 451.
Li Y, Swallow J, Gagnier J, Cahill PJ, Sponseller PD, Garg S, Thompson GH, Ramo BA, Pediatric Spine Study Group. Spine Deformity. May 2021 9(3) 851.
Buckland AJ, Woo D, Graham HK, Vasquez-Montes D, Cahill P, Errico TJ, Sponseller PD, Harms Study Group. Residual lumbar hyperlordosis is associated with worsened hip status 5 years after scoliosis correction in non-ambulant patients with cerebral palsy. Spine Deformity. July 2021 9(4) 1125.
Krakow AR, Magee LC, Cahill PJ, Flynn JM. Could have tethered: Predicting the proportion of scoliosis patients most appropriate for thoracic anterior spinal tethering. Spine Deformity. July 2021. 9(4) 1005.
Bram JT, Nocka HR, Cahill PJ, Flynn JM, Anari JB. A seat at the table: An invitation to the SRS podium via the study group. July 2021. Spine Deformity. 9(4) 905.
Kurra S, Cahill PJ, Albanese SA, Betz RR, Toole T, Lavelle WF. Evaluation of Shoulder Balance in Early Onset Scoliosis after Definitive Fusion and Comparison with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Shoulder Balance. Spine Deform. 2021.
2020
Anari J, Flynn J, Cahill P, Vitale M, Smith J, Gomez J, Garg S, Baldwin K: Unplanned return to OR (UPROR) for children with early onset scoliosis (EOS): A comprehensive evaluation of all diagnoses and instrumentation strategies. Spine Deformity. April 2020 8(2): 295-302.
Cahill P, Mahmoud M, MacAlpine E, Tatad A, Campbell R, Flynn J: Correlation Between Surgical Site Infection and Classification of Early Onset Scoliosis (C-EOS) in Patients Managed by Rib-based Distraction Instrumentation. Spine Deformity. August 2020 8(4): 787.
Pahys J, Ames R, Cahill P, Betz R, Samdani A: Vertebral growth in modulation in scoliosis. SRS eText. Summer 2020.
Hughes MS, Swarup I, Makarewich CA, Williams BA, Talwar D, Cahill PJ, Flynn JM, Anari JB. Expert consensus for early onset scoliosis surgery. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. August 2020 40(7) 334.
LaValva SM, Baldwin K, Swarup I, Flynn JM, Pahys JM, Yaszay B, Abel MF, Bachmann K, Shah SA, Sponseller PD, Harms Study Group, Cahill PJ: Serial casting in neuromuscular and syndromic early-onset scoliosis (EOS) can delay surgery over 2 years. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. September 2020 40(8) e766.
Qiu C, Lott C, Agaba P, Cahill PJ, Anari J: Lengthening less than 7 months leads to greater spinal height gain with rib-based distraction. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. September 2020. 40(8) e747.
Alfraihat A, Olson J, Snyder B, Cahill P, Balasubramanian S: Thoracic vertebral morphology in normal and scoliosis deformity in skeletally immature rabbits: A longitudinal study. Journal of Orthopaedic Research Spine. September 2020 3(4) e1118.
LaValva S, MacAlpine E, Kawakami N, Gandhi J, Morishita K, Sturm P, Garg S, Glotzbecker M, Anari J, Flynn J, Pediatric Spine Study Group, Cahill P: Awake serial body casting for the management of infantile idiopathic scoliosis: Is general anesthesia necessary? Spine Deformity. October 2020 8(5) 1109-1115.
Anari J, Tatad A, Cahill PJ, Flynn JM, Harms Study Group: The impact of posterior spinal fusion (PSF) on coronal balance in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS): A new classification and trends in the postoperative period. Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics. October 2020 40(9) e788.
D’Andrea, C, Alfraihat A, Singh A, Anari J, Cahill P, Schaer T, Snyder B, Elliott D, Balasubramanian S: Part 1. Review and meta-analysis of studies on modulation of Longitudinal bone growth and growth plate activity: A macro-scale perspective. Journal Of Orthopaedic Research. December 30, 2020.
Books
Chapters
2017
Miller DJ, Eby MR, Campbell RM, Cahill PJ: The Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib (VEPTR) for Congenital Scoliosis. Early Onset Scoliosis. Springer, Cham., 2017, pp. 167-182.
2014
Betz RR, Samdani AF, Pahys JM, Pelletier GJ, Grewal H, Cahill PJ: Anterior surgery for thoracic scoliosis, ch. 15. In Spinal Deformity: The Essentials, 2nd edition. New York, NY: Thieme Medical Publishers, 2014.
Cahill PJ, Trobisch PD, Betz RR, Samdani AF: Adolescent scoliosis, ch. 28. In Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery: Surgical Techniques and Disease Management (Phillips FM, Lieberman I, Polly Jr DW, eds.). New York: Springer, 2014, pp. 299-314.
Jain V, Lykissas MG, Trobisch P, Wall EJ, Newton PO, Sturm PJ, Cahill PJ, Bylsky-Austrow DI: Surgical aspects of spinal growth modulation in scoliosis correction, In Instructional Course Lectures, vol. 63. Rosemont IL, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2014, pp. 335-344.