Spine Center

At the CHOC Spine Center, our spine specialists treat more Orange County children and adolescents with spine conditions than any other hospital. From easing back pain to correcting the most extreme spine curvatures, our multidisciplinary team covers a wide range of spinal conditions and injuries. We are actively involved in researching the very latest and effective treatments, and we consistently measure against national benchmarks to ensure the best outcomes.

Conditions We Treat

At CHOC’s Spine Center, our specialists treat all conditions of the spine, including: 

• Congenital spinal deformities
• Scoliosis, kyphosis and lordosis
• Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis
• Tumors
• Traumatic spine injuries
• Back pain

The Spine Center also cares for children with a variety of conditions that are often associated with spinal deformity, including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy and others.

Correcting Scoliosis at Any Age

From infants to children to teens, our spine specialists have fine-tuned the most innovative and successful treatments for scoliosis. We take a conservative approach to treatment, first observing and then prescribing bracing if necessary. When surgery is necessary, the Spine Center provides patients with access to a full range of treatment options in a setting specially designed to treat kids and teens. Our neurosurgical specialists utilize the latest techniques such as growing rods to preserve growth and corrective spinal fusion. Learn about our many treatment options for scoliosis:

• Spinal fusion surgery
• Back bracing
• Halo-gravity traction
• Physical therapy (Schroth Method)
• Home exercise program

Why Choose CHOC’s Pediatric Spine Center?

Physical Therapy and Spine Surgery Recovery

Our pediatric-trained physical therapists provide exercise programs and other methods that address the pain and muscular imbalance that can be associated with spinal conditions, while maximizing physical function and ability. We use exercise-based techniques to improve back pain and help patients recover from spine surgery. Learn more about physical therapy at CHOC.

Spine Surgery Technology and Spine Specialists

Spine surgery is used to correct deformities of the spine that cannot be corrected using less invasive methods. Our surgical specialists’ utilize the latest techniques such as growing rods to preserve growth while correcting the curvature and thoracoscopic-assisted spinal surgery. Our fully integrated procedure rooms are designed to provide patients with the very best in safety and precision. We utilize the state-of-the-art O-arm® Surgical Imaging System, a multi-dimensional surgical imaging platform that provides real-time, intra-operative imaging of a patient’s anatomy with high quality images and a large field-of-view in both two and three dimensions. We continuously monitor a patient’s spinal cord throughout the surgical procedure, and an autologous blood recovery system is used to minimize post-operative blood transfusions. Learn more about spine surgery at CHOC.

Child Life Services

We understand the stress and anxiety that kids and teens face with a hospital stay or treatment. Through our child life program, our patients are encouraged to gain an understanding of their hospital experiences by introducing them and their families to the hospital environment, procedure and equipment. Child life specialists work with our patients — from surgery through inpatient recovery — and provide age-appropriate emotional and developmental support to help minimize any anxiety they might be experiencing. Learn more about child life services.

Contact Us and Make an Appointment 

The CHOC Spine Center is a vital resource for children throughout Southern California — offering patients the most advanced treatment options and comprehensive care in a compassionate environment. Please contact us at 1-888-770-2462; press 2 for specialty care clinics.