Inside CHOP Research Highlights from AAP 2025

This year, our orthopedic clinicians took center stage at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2025 National Conference & Exhibition, delivering 23 podium presentations, eight poster sessions and two hallmark talks. From cutting-edge studies to clinical innovations, here are some of the highlights that showcase how we are advancing pediatric orthopedic care here at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

Kourpas K, Hauth L, Sarkar S, Cahill P, Anari J, Flynn J. But it Got Better! Modern 3D Bracing Reduced the Curve Magnitude at the End of Treatment in 20% of Patients with Idiopathic Scoliosis.
While the aim of pediatric spinal deformity bracing is to halt or significantly delay curve progression, we have observed that recent advances in brace technology are resulting in patients with smaller curves at the end of treatment, but there is little to no published evidence confirming that “curves can end up smaller”. Therefore, this study sought to determine the frequency and characteristics of patients who end bracing treatment with a smaller coronal Cobb angle measurement using a novel bracing compliance database. Patients whose curves got smaller had statistically significantly greater in-brace correction (56.7%) versus patients whose curves progressed (42.5%) (p=0.024). 20.5% (23/112) of idiopathic scoliosis patients treated with a modern 3D brace reached skeletal maturity with a deformity significantly smaller in magnitude than at original presentation. This will be very encouraging to families as they initiate bracing.

Kourpas K, Kim A, Sarkar S, Lee J, Kiani S, England P, Gornitzky A, Flynn J. The Grit Factor: A Prospective Study to Predict Brace Compliance in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.
Bracing for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) can effectively decrease curve progression and risk for future surgery, yet a discrepancy exists between prescribed hours and actual brace wear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether psychosocial factors, such as grit, can predict brace compliance. Grit was measured at a single time point via an administered survey and objective brace compliance was collected from temperature-sensitive monitors. Our results demonstrate that a patient’s own perception about the importance of bracing compliance is strongly associated with true compliance. Screening tools to identify subgroups at high risk for poor bracing compliance can help guide clinical and shared decision making between the physician and patients.

Mahon S, Adiletto C, Belardo Z, Buttrick E, Mori S, Shah A. Easing the Ouch: Assessing Child Life Services in Upper Extremity Pin Removals.
This prospective study evaluated the impact of Child Life Services (CLS) on anxiety in pediatric patients during percutaneous pin removal after upper extremity fracture fixation. While overall differences between CLS and non-CLS groups were not observed, subgroup analyses revealed significant benefits. Patients who were younger (ages 5–7) and more anxious at baseline experienced reduced stress during pin removal when CLS was present. These findings highlight the value of targeting CLS resources toward specific subpopulations to optimize patient comfort during orthopedic procedures.

Kim C, Swanson M, Talwar D, Williams B, Ganley T. Patterns in Patient-Reported Outcome Scores Between Pediatric and Adolescent Athletes Participating in Individual vs Team Sports Undergoing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.
Individual sport athletes may require more mental and physical guidance during the first three months following ACL reconstruction surgery. In our study, we found that the athletes who participate in individual sports report higher anxiety and fatigue scores at the four-to-six-week post-operative visit and lower mobility scores at the three-month post-operative visits following ACL reconstruction compared to athletes who participate in team sports. However, no difference was found at later follow-ups. This finding suggests that some aspects of team sports may increase coping ability in the first few weeks following ACL reconstruction. However, peer relationships scores did not differ between team sport and individual sport athletes at these timepoints.

Baldwin K, Johnson M, Li Y, Hogue G, Regan M, Anari J, Neal K. The Role of Scoliosis Specific Exercises in the Non-Operative Treatment of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Prospective Matched Cohort Study.
In this prospective multicenter database, we assessed the scoliosis curve progression while controlling for initial curve assess among those adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients who received scoliosis specific exercise compared to those who did not. Our study found that although scoliosis-specific exercises are frequently prescribed for AIS patients, their efficacy remains unclear. Our study failed to demonstrate any differences for scoliosis specific exercises in altering the natural history of progression or improving compliance with bracing modalities. The majority of patients in our study no longer practice scoliosis specific exercises at the one-year mark.

See the full list of presentations below:

Podiums

1. Babu V, Pang A, Talathi N, Yellin J, Shah A. Longer Immobilization Increases the Risk of Stiffness in Children with Elbow Dislocations.
2. Mahon S, Talwar D, Haruno L, Buttrick E, Goodbody C, Flynn J, Shah A. Balancing Work and Family: Parental Leave Policies in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery.
3. Mori S, Kourpas K, Talwar D, Pang A, Shah A. A Minority with Impact: Publication Trends of Women in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery.
4. Mori S, Kourpas K, Talwar D, Pang A, Shah A. Who’s Being Left Out? Hispanic Underrepresentation in the Pediatric Orthopaedic Literature.
5. Mahon S, Adiletto C, Belardo Z, Buttrick E, Mori S, Shah A. Easing the Ouch: Assessing Child Life Services in Upper Extremity Pin Removals.
6. Regan M, Baldwin K, Spiegel D, Goodbody C. Risk of Hip Displacement in Patients with Leukodystrophy by Genetic Diagnosis.
7. Baldwin K, Regan M, Syed A, Yellin J, Arkader A, Goodbody C. Has the Femur Shortened Too Much? A Reliability Study of Femoral Shortening in Femur Fractures in Children Less Than 4 Years of Age.
8. Baldwin K, Johnson M, Li Y, Hogue G, Regan M, Anari J, Neal K. The Role of Scoliosis Specific Exercises in the Non-Operative Treatment of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Prospective Matched Cohort Study.
9. Kuka C, Talathi N, Regan M, Stelzer J, Goodbody C, Baldwin K. Immobilization following Lateral Condyle Fractures: Early Motion is Safe.
10. Syed A, Kuka C, Mitchell M, Swanson M, Sarkar S, Ganley T. Anatomic Risk Factors for Unilateral and Contralateral Pediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears.
11. Owens S, Grady M. Diagnostic Accuracy and Outcomes of Posterior Sternoclavicular Joint Dislocations in the Pediatric Population.
12. Kourpas K, Hauth L, Sarkar S, Cahill P, Anari J, Flynn J. But it Got Better! Modern 3D Bracing Reduced the Curve Magnitude at the End of Treatment in 20% of Patients with Idiopathic Scoliosis.
13. Kourpas K, Kim A, Sarkar S, Lee J, Kiani S, England P, Gornitzky A, Flynn J. The Grit Factor: A Prospective Study to Predict Brace Compliance in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.
14. Kourpas K, Hauth L, Krakow A, Cahill P, Flynn J, Anari J. Vertebral Body Tethering in a Pediatric Spine Deformity Practice: About How Many?
15. Hauth L, Sarkar S, Krakow A, Kourpas K, Cahill P, Sankar W, Baldwin K, Spiegel D, Flynn J, Anari J. Can High Drain Output Be Predicted in Posterior Spinal Fusion for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis?
16. Kim C, Swanson M, Talwar D, Williams B, Ganley T. Patterns in Patient-Reported Outcome Scores Between Pediatric and Adolescents Athletes Participating in Individual vs Team Sports Undergoing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.
17. Swanson M, Landrum K, DeFrancesco C, Sarkar S, Maguire K. Subsequent Isolated Meniscus Tears Following Pediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction as an Indicator of Graft Failure: An Assessment of Hamstring and Quadriceps Tendon Autografts.
18. Titus M, Turlip R, Desai V, Kell D, Shah A, Williams B. Selective Cast Valving Following Closed Reduction and Casting for Pediatric Wrist and Forearm Fractures Is Safe.
19. Turlip R, Kim C, Thothadri M, Greenberg E, Williams B. Strength Recovery Patterns in Pediatric Patellofemoral Instability Following Stabilization Surgery.
20. Khela H, Khela M, Williams B. Opioid Prescription Patterns Following Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction in Pediatric Patients: A 13-Year National Database Analysis.
21. Khela H, Khela M, Syed A, Mitchell B, Lawrence JTR, Williams B. Trends in the Surgical Management of Pediatric Patellofemoral Instability in the United States: A Retrospective Analysis from 2010 to 2022.
22. Landrum K, Sarkar S, Swanson M, Mitchell B, Ganley T. Predictors of Patient-Reported Outcomes in ACL Reconstruction: An Evaluation of PROMIS Scores after Primary and Secondary ACL Reconstruction.
23. Kuka C, Syed A, Mitchell B, Landrum K, Sarkar S, Ganley T. Is There an Association between Abnormal Patellofemoral Morphology and Patellar and Trochlear Osteochondritis Dissecans in Pediatric Patients?

Posters

1. Bailey J, Thothadri M, Swanson M, Talwar D, Marchioli M, Malige A, Maguire K, Ganley T. Rides and Risks: Pediatric golf cart related injuries presenting to the emergency department.
2. Owens S, Schoeman S, McNult K, Vatsky S, Mendenhall S, Brown N. Morel-Lavallée Lesions in the Pediatric Patient: An Evaluation of Treatment Progression with Interdisciplinary Clinical Management.
3. Owens S, Swanson M, Talathi N, Thothadri M, Maguire K, Sankar W, Brown N. Dynamic Ultrasound Findings of Hip Microinstability and Its Impact on Post-Injection Pain Relief.
4. Owens S, Brown N. When Diagnosis is Deceptive: Thoracic Pathologic Fracture Mimicking Slipping Rib Syndrome.
5. Kuka C, Swanson M, Talwar D, Ganley T. The Price of the Punch: Trends in Child and Adolescent Martial Arts Injuries from the PHIS Database from 2009-2024.
6. Kebeh M, Landrum K, Aoyama J, Mitchell B, Syed A, Yellin J, Williams B, Maguire K, Lawrence JTR, Ganley T. Pandora’s Box of Pediatric Sports Medicine: Assessing ChatGPT Responses to Patient-Centered Questions in Pediatric Sports Medicine.
7. Kuka C, Thothadri M, Talwar D, Landrum K, Mitchell B, Yellin J. Scaling the Data: Trends in Childhood and Adolescent Rock Climbing Injuries from the PHIS Database.
8. Kuka C, Thothadri M, Talwar D, Landrum K, Mitchell B, Yellin J. Twists, Turns, and Tumbles: An Epidemiological Dive into Childhood and Adolescent Gymnastics Injury Trends from the PHIS Database.