Complex pediatric spine team showcases expertise at national scoliosis meeting

Richard Menger, M.D., MPA, center, completed the Scoliosis Research Society's L.E.A.D. Program. 

USA Health neurosurgeon Richard Menger, M.D., MPA, chief of complex spine surgery, and orthopaedic surgeon Tyler McDonald, M.D., chief of pediatric orthopaedics, represented the health system’s complex pediatric spine program at the Scoliosis Research Society’s (SRS) 60th Annual Meeting, a five-day international gathering held in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Tyler McDonald, M.D., and Richard Menger, M.D., MPA

The event brought together approximately 1,500 spine specialists from around the world to share the latest advances in treating spinal deformities, including adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, adult deformity, minimally invasive surgery, and machine learning applications in spine care. 

Menger also completed the SRS 2024–2025 L.E.A.D. Program, a prestigious year-long leadership development initiative designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders within SRS. Cohort members gain a deeper understanding of the organization’s mission, governance, and impact on spine care worldwide. 

In addition to his participation in the L.E.A.D. cohort, Menger served as a featured speaker for a session titled “Discover the New Standard of Care: Personalized Spine Surgery” alongside experts from the University of California San Diego and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, he shared insights on using AI-enabled technology. 

“We are really proud of USA Health’s combined neurosurgery-orthopaedic pediatric complex spine program where our departments work together to offer our patients unique and elevated treatments right here on the Gulf Coast,” Menger said. “Attending and presenting at the SRS meeting allows us to bring the latest techniques and science to our patients.”  

The SRS Annual Meeting serves as a premier global forum for advancing spinal deformity research and care. The 2025 program featured 179 abstract papers, 91 E-Point presentations, and five faculty-led instructional courses spanning topics such as neuromuscular scoliosis, kyphosis, and growing spine management.