The Hip Preservation Program

Pediatric hip conditions can affect a child’s mobility and many other parts of their lives. Because we want kids to live every day to its fullest, our pediatric hip specialists work hard to help kids and families heal and thrive.

About the Hip Preservation Program

Our pediatric hip preservation team cares for children and young adults with hip problems, from infancy through adolescence and young adulthood. We have a complete team of experts who work together to help your family.

Pediatric hip conditions we treat

From hip pain in young athletes to complex congenital (present at birth) hip disorders, we treat all pediatric hip conditions. Our areas of expertise include:

• Hip dysplasia
  
• Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)
  
• Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease
• Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE)
• Transient synovitis

Pediatric hip surgeries we perform

Our pediatric hip surgeons are incredibly experienced and have training specific to children’s hip conditions, which leads to better outcomes for your family.  Our pediatric hip preservation surgery expertise includes:

• Hip Arthroscopy
• Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO)
• Proximal femoral osteotomy
  
  
• Triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO)
  
  

Who we treat

We care for children of all ages including kids, teens and young adults, up to age 25, who are dealing with pediatric hip conditions. We even have specialists who care specifically for small hips in infants and baby hip conditions.

Every aspect of our care is tailored to support kids’ unique physical needs and to treat a wide spectrum of hip conditions. Many of our treatments, facilities and technologies are designed exclusively for pediatric use.

Why choose us for pediatric hip care

We know that kids need specialized pediatric expertise. Our Hip Preservation Program surgeons performs many complex hip preservation surgeries annually, and we are one of the only hip  programs in our region with dedicated pediatric hip surgeons. We also recognize that care for complex hip conditions requires a full team that specializes in pediatric hip conditions and pediatric hip surgeries.

Children and their families also appreciate our comprehensive and friendly care plans, which include:

• A team of orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, physician assistants, nurses, surgical athletic trainers and anesthesiologists.
• A primary nurse for each child and family to serve as a point of contact for the duration of treatment. Our nurses learn the complexities of each child’s hip condition and will be with you before, during and after surgery. This allows you and your child to easily get answers and feel confident in your care plan.
• A program that works closely with specialists across our hospital in radiology, rehabilitation, rheumatology, pain management and more to create an individualized treatment plan for each patient.
• Experienced pediatric hip surgeons who have achieved the highest possible level of skill in complex hip surgeries and stand among the best children’s hip surgeons in the United States.

Get to know our pediatric experts.

Shelley Dell'Orfano, CPNP-PC

Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Dennis Gurule, PA-C

Physician Assistant

Margaret Siobhan Murphy-Zane, MD

Orthopaedic Surgery

Ryan Pahlau, PA-C

Physician Assistant

Meet the team

To better prepare you for your visit, these are the doctors available for your specific condition or procedures:

• Hip Arthroscopy
  • Curtis VandenBerg, MD
  • Benjamin Seaton, PA-C
• Child and Young Adult Hip Preservation – Open Surgery (PAO, PFO, triple pelvic osteotomy)
  • Ryan Pahlau, PA-C
  • Shelley Dell’Orfano, CPNP-PC
• Infant/Baby Hip Program
  • Gaia Georgopoulos, MD
  • Siobhan Murphy-Zane, MD
  • Nancy Hadley-Miller, MD
  • Debbie Burke, PA-C
  • Brian Kohuth, PA-C
  • Brian Perry, PA

Contact the Hip Preservation Program

At the Hip Preservation Program, we welcome questions and consultations from parents and referring providers.

For appointments at Anschutz Medical Campus or our South Campus, call 720-777-6600 or email hip@childrenscolorado.com.

Some insurance companies require a referral from a primary care provider before we can schedule appointments. Once a referral is in place, most insurance companies will cover specialty care visits. Learn more about insurance plans accepted by Children’s Colorado.