USA Health neurosurgeon publishes new textbook on pediatric spinal deformity

By Carol McPhail
[email protected]

Richard Menger, M.D., MPA, director of the USA Health Spine Institute and chief of complex spine surgery at USA Health, is the lead editor of a newly published textbook on pediatric spine surgery.

The 428-page book, “Mastering Pediatric Spinal Deformity: A Practical Guide,” features practical knowledge and insights from more than 75 leading experts writing 50 chapters on the care of children with spinal deformities.

Released in May, the textbook fills a gap in medical literature, said Menger, who also serves as professor and vice chair of neurosurgery at the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama.

“There are lots of excellent foundation theoretical textbooks, but this one has step-by-step explanations from experts explaining how they think and what they actually do,” Menger said. “It creates a dedicated, modern resource focused specifically on pediatric spinal surgery through an interdisciplinary, practical lens.”

Over more than two years, Menger helped shape the vision, structure and content for the book along with Rajiv R. Iyer, M.D., of the University of Utah, and Michael G. Vitale, M.D., and Lawrence G. Lenke, M.D., of Columbia University in New York, among the world’s leading surgeons in the field.

Lenke described the book this way: “‘Mastering Pediatric Spinal Deformity: A Practical Guide’ is a unique and comprehensive overview of modern-day pediatric deformity surgical care that allows all surgeons from around the world to improve their understanding and technical skills from the leading North American experts in this highly specialized surgical subspecialty that encompasses both pediatric orthopaedic and neurological spinal surgeons.”

Menger said he created the book to address a gap in the literary resources available to most surgeons on the topic of spine deformities in children. He wanted to take best practices from top experts and deliver them to as many practitioners and their patients as possible. This includes such spinal deformities as spondylolisthesis, congenital spinal deformity, and the many different types of scoliosis.

“Major referral centers have excellent outcomes and best surgical practices, but the majority of care does not necessarily happen in those centers,” he said. “By bringing together neurosurgical and orthopaedic perspectives from the field's absolute best, we're not just trying to publish a book. We're trying to advance the standard of care for children with spinal deformities everywhere.”

Vitale commented on the book: “At long last, a hands-on guide sharing tips and tricks from leading expert surgeons, providing a practical approach to the assessment and treatment of pediatric spine deformity. This book provides a comprehensive yet efficient overview of the field and should be a staple in the library of all surgeons who treat children with scoliosis.”

USA Health offers a robust combined and comprehensive neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery complex pediatric spine program. Tyler C. McDonald, M.D., FAAOS, chief of pediatric orthopaedics at USA Health and assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at the Whiddon College of Medicine, also contributed as a chapter author.