Published: October 23, 2025 | Updated: November 11, 2025
Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville surgeons recently performed the world’s first implantation of a novel device for correcting scoliosis in young children. The device is an advancement from traditional growing rods and harnesses the body’s natural spinal growth.
Surgeons with Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, are the only surgeons in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio or Tennessee to offer the VerteGlide Spinal Growth Guidance System for early onset scoliosis. The only other surgeons performing this novel procedure at the time of this publication are in St. Louis, Missouri.
The VerteGlide system allows the growing spinal column to glide along two rods installed in the child’s back. Unlike with conventional growing rods, screwheads connecting the vertebrae to the rods aren’t fixed — they either have holes or open, U-shaped heads that wrap around the rods. The screws, and the vertebrae, are free to slide along the rods as the child grows.
While conventional growing rods require repeated, frequent surgeries to accommodate the child’s growth, this system allows the vertebrae and the entire spinal column to grow without hindrance from straightening rods. Typically, the only surgeries needed are to install the rods, then remove them when the child is mature.
With fewer interventions, the patient is exposed to less anesthesia and a childhood that isn’t characterized so much by frequent hospital stays. Additionally, the spinal column’s ability to grow unencumbered allows for better development of lung capacity.
Because it relies on the child’s natural growth, the procedure is available only for patients with early onset scoliosis, typically under age 10.
“If they have to go to the hospital every six months to adjust the growing rods, they can become anxious about medical care. But if they’ve only had to have surgery a couple times in their life to install the system, then remove it once they’ve grown, that is a huge benefit. At the time of removal, we also perform a definitive fusion once the spine is finished growing to keep the deformity from worsening” said Kent L. Walker, D.O., pediatric orthopedic spine surgeon with Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville.
Dr. Walker and pediatric orthopedic spine surgeon Richard E. McCarthy, M.D., also with Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville, performed the first VerteGlide surgery. Joshua W. Meier, M.D., another pediatric orthopedic spine surgeon with Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville, also has performed the VerteGlide procedure.
Dr. McCarthy was instrumental in development of a predecessor technology 20 years ago — Medtronic’s Shilla system — and has performed more than 100 surgeries to install it. The VerteGlide Spinal Growth Guidance System, which was developed by OrthoPediatrics Corp., is made possible with the Shilla technology licensed from Medtronic.
Drs. Meier and Walker are both experienced using the predecessor technology.
“The VerteGlide system is compatible with newer navigation systems, allowing us to place the device with greater precision. Also, it uses cannulated screws that allow use of guide wires to improve placement in the pedicle,” Dr. Walker said.
The Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville physicians will help train other surgeons as the procedure is made available at other pediatric orthopedics centers.