In the years after World War II, Kenton D. Leatherman, M.D., pioneered new approaches to treating scoliosis. More than half a century later, we are doing our best to carry forward that legacy of innovative scoliosis care. We are always working to make our surgeries more effective, less invasive and safer for our patients with…
The patient A female age 5 years and 11 months presented for evaluation of spinal deformity and back pain in September 2020 from a pediatrician referral. X-rays showed a 53-degree scoliosis curve in the thoracic spine and 42 degrees in the lumbar spine. An MRI was ordered to look for any other spino-neural axis abnormalities….
Norton Children’s Leatherman Spine, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, offers a scoliosis exercise program based on the methods first used by German scoliosis patient Katharina Schroth. The method’s namesake had moderate scoliosis herself, and after years of wearing uncomfortable steel braces, she began using breathing techniques, pulley systems and stretches to halt the worsening of her…
Robotic-assisted spine surgery continues to evolve rapidly, offering spine surgeons new tools to enhance precision and efficiency and improve patient outcomes. At Norton Leatherman Spine, this commitment to innovation remains at the forefront, most recently demonstrated by the adoption of the next-generation Medtronic Stealth AXiS Surgical System. On April 11th of 2026, Jeffrey L. Gum,…
Spine and orthopedic specialists at Norton Healthcare and Norton Children’s are using low-radiation EOS Imaging to evaluate and monitor spine conditions such as scoliosis and conditions affecting the hips and lower limbs. The EOS system delivers 50% to 85% less dose than digital radiography and 95% less dose than computed tomography (CT). Follow-up spine exams…
Norton Healthcare has received certification as an Orthopaedic Center of Excellence, one of only 12 hospital systems in the country to receive the designation. Norton Healthcare’s Norton Orthopedic Institute and Norton Leatherman Spine received the designation from DNV Healthcare, a leading worldwide certification body committed to the development and continual improvement of health care quality…
The Congress of Neurological Surgeons Systematic Review and Evidence-Based Guidelines for Perioperative Spine: Preoperative Osteoporosis Assessment recently was published in Neurosurgery. To develop these recommendations, the authors performed systematic review of the literature using national databases for studies relevant to preoperative diagnostic studies that predict increased risk of osteoporosis-related postoperative complications and whether the preoperative…
New evidence-based guidelines covering five key perioperative spine assessments were issued recently by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The guidelines, published in the medical journal Neurosurgery, provide insight on the following: Preoperative osteoporosis assessment Preoperative nutritional assessment Preoperative pulmonary evaluation and optimization Preoperative opioid evaluation Preoperative surgical risk assessment A team of eight physicians from…
For individuals who have been unable to drive a vehicle due to neurological, orthopedic or other conditions, or for those who have experienced age-related changes in function, the loss of independence can be devastating. The Norton Hospital Driving Assessment Program, a service of Norton Neurosciences & Spine Rehabilitation Center, assists in returning individuals to safe,…
Inline revision of pedicle screws without increasing the screw diameter can be achieved using dual-pitch screws with cancellous pitch in the vertebral body and cortical pitch in the pedicle, according to a study published in The Spine Journal. “Dual-pitch screws may allow for inline revision of screws without upsizing screw diameter, minimizing the risk of…
Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have the potential to hasten recovery from lumbar fusion surgery for degenerative spine conditions, with reduced in-hospital opioid consumption and improved postoperative pain scores, according to a study published recently in Global Spine Journal. ERAS, which includes preoperative counseling, nutritional and medical optimization, standardized pain management and anesthesia, and…
Five years after complex adult spinal deformity surgery, patients reported durable improvement in a range of measurable outcomes, according to a recently published study. Patients reported improvements in lower-back pain functionality (Oswestry Disability Index), overall health (SF-36 physical and mental health scores), health-related quality of life (Scoliosis Research Society – 22R) and back and leg…