There are a wide range of orthopedic problems seen in children and adolescents. Unlike adults, growth can influence the course of diseases positively or negatively in pediatric orthopedics; therefore, treatment of this group of diseases requires a different approach than adults. Our Pediatric Orthopedics team at Koç University Hospital plans treatments for orthopedic problems in this age range to ensure that the patient spends a long and healthy life. The key principles of our team’s approach to solution of such health problems are experience, cooperation with other departments and the family and follow-up of the child until the growth process ends, when necessary.
Some of the practices, programs and services that create a difference at our Pediatric Orthopedics Department, which has soon gained respect locally and internationally, are as follows:
Treatment of syndromic children and adolescents with neuromuscular diseases, especially cerebral palsy, myelomeningocele, muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy, require a multidisciplinary treatment approach where many disciplines work in an integrated manner. For this reason, “Pediatric Neuro-Muscular Councils” are organized with regular participation of Pediatric Orthopedists, Pediatric Neurologists and Physiatrists on Fridays at 13:00. In these councils, children with neuromuscular diseases or various syndromic problems are evaluated jointly by physicians of all relevant disciplines, while these councils are participated by hand surgeons, genetics specialists, psychologists, neurosurgeons, otolaryngologists and ophthalmologists, when necessary, in order to make a joint decision on optimal treatment. Thanks to direct communication between the departments, solutions that involve total physical health are proposed to the family and the child without wasting time or energy.
Follow-up and treatment of certain health problems can be planned starting from pregnancy by cooperating with gynecology & obstetrics and genetics departments.
National developmental dysplasia of the hip screening program is implemented successfully thanks to the experienced and certified pediatric orthopedics and pediatric radiology teams of our hospital. Diversified and complex surgical techniques that may be necessary for dysplasia and dislocation of the hip at any age can be performed with broad experience and qualifications of our pediatric orthopedics team whose members are also the national trainers of the screening program.