Throughout the year, experts from Scottish Rite for Children conduct ongoing research to discover the newest and most innovative techniques to care for our various patient populations. In collaboration with our clinical research team, doctors and researchers throughout the institution submit their projects to be presented at national and international meetings.

Due to the current pandemic, the majority of those conferences have gone virtual. This week, the annual Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) conference is kicking off, both with LIVE presentations and on demand options. POSNA is one of the most prestigious medical organizations within pediatric orthopedics. With over 1,400 members from across the country, this group is comprised of physicians, surgeons and allied health professionals who come together to collaborate and discuss latest research. Their purpose and unified goal is to advance the care for children with various orthopedic conditions. 

Each year, Scottish Rite has a strong presence at POSNA – with staff presenting their respective projects as well as taking part and leading panel discussions, forums, debates and courses throughout the meeting. Even with the change of going virtual, Scottish Rite continues its tradition of having representation in almost every specialty. With a total of 23 studies selected, staff have pre-recorded their talks for attendees to access until December. Studies chosen for presentations are in the following specialties:

• Spine
• General Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Hip
• Foot & Ankle
• Trauma 
• Limb Lengthening 

Pediatric orthopedic surgeon Anthony I. Riccio, M.D., has several projects in the Foot & Ankle specialty program selected to be shared. With six papers chosen for presentation, Riccio and his team made up nearly half of the program with their research. “The hard work of the team really shows in this year’s meeting,” says Riccio. “Although things are a little different, it is an honor to share our innovations with other experts in the field. The research we are doing right now for children and adolescents with various foot and ankle conditions will impact how we provide care to patients in the future – for kids seen at Scottish Rite and those around the country.”

Scottish Rite Highlights from 2020 POSNA Virtual Meeting

• LIVE session kick-off featuring the Basic Science and Clinical Award presentations. Director of the Center for Excellence in Hip Harry Kim, M.D., M.S., presented his paper, “Intraosseous BMP2-Hydrogel Injection Using Multi-needles Improves Homogenous Bone Formation While Avoiding Heterotopic Ossification in a Piglet Model of Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease (LCPD).” 
• POSNA grants awarded to staff:
  • CLINICAL RESEARCH: “Outcomes of Amputation or Limb Reconstruction in Severe Fibular Deficiency” – Kristen Tulchin-Francis, Ph.D.
  • BASIC RESEARCH: “Determining the Effect of Obesity on Necrotic Bone Healing in Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease” – Yinshi Ren, Ph.D., and Harry Kim, M.D., M.S.
• Awards and Recognitions
  • Lori A. Karol, M.D. – 2020 Presidential Guest Speaker
  • Charles E. Johnston, M.D. – Humanitarian Award

Learn more about research at Scottish Rite for Children.