Michael Vitale MD MPH

03/16/2026

So special to run my 17th New York City Half Marathon with my Advanced Pediatric Spinal Deformity Fellow, Dr. Josie Coury, and my Pediatric Research and Immersion Fellow, Maddie Monness.

I feel privileged to still be able to do this alongside such great people. Together we raised nearly $45,000 toward a new playground for children in need.

03/12/2026

One of the most amazing things is when a previous resident comes back home after an incredible career, including serving as Chief of Spine at NYU, and teaches us all how to do better. Thank you, Dr. Protopsaltis, for your visit as Grand Rounds professor and for mentoring our PGY-5 resident, Michael Fields, who will be your outstanding fellow next year.

03/10/2026

Last week I was in New Orleans for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting (AAOS 2026).

I had the opportunity to give talks on machine learning applications in intraoperative neuromonitoring and on the importance of integrating mental health and psychological support into orthopedic care.

Grateful for the chance to share this work and connect with colleagues in the field.

03/05/2026

The 2025 Annual Report from the Pediatric Spine Foundation is now available.

As a founding member of the Foundation and its 2025 President, Michael Vitale, MD, MPH reflects on the collective efforts driving progress in pediatric spine care.

“We move mountains not by chance, but by the steady, intentional choices made by hundreds of clinicians, researchers, families, and philanthropic partners who believe that children with spine conditions deserve nothing less than our very best.”

Read the full report:
https://pediatricspinefoundation.org/img/pdf/annual-report-2025.pdf

02/19/2026

Today we were joined by Dr. Daniel Sucato from Dallas Scottish Rite for Children/UTSW as our Grand Rounds Visiting Professor. Thank you for the amazing lecture and for sharing your expertise with us!

02/12/2026

Great discussion today at the Pediatric Orthopedic Device Innovation in the United States: Current State and Future Directions meeting.

Thank you to Dr. Larson for organizing a stimulating webinar on the challenges of pediatric medical device innovation, an area we have been committed to advancing for more than 20 years.

02/10/2026

Last night we gathered our pediatric spine team and local scoliosis specialists to discuss a key challenge in scoliosis care: identifying which patients will benefit most from non-operative preparation before complex spinal fusion.

Earlier intervention has the potential to change recovery trajectories, but doing this well requires better education and closer collaboration across disciplines.

Grateful for the thoughtful dialogue and shared commitment to improving patient care.

01/22/2026

Meet Mia, a determined young athlete who loves sports, snowboarding, and spending time with friends. Although she had known about her scoliosis for years and experienced occasional back pain, it never held her back from an active life she enjoyed.

At a routine follow-up, Mia’s curve progressed into a surgical range. Seeking a second opinion, her family connected with Dr. Michael Vitale. Given the rapid progression of her curve, they decided to move forward with surgical correction through posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation.

Just three months later, Mia was back on the slopes, snowboarding alongside her family and friends. What initially felt like a mental hurdle quickly became a moment of empowerment and pride.

Reflecting on the journey, Mia’s parents share advice for other families navigating scoliosis: be proactive, seek expert guidance, and do not view surgery as a limitation.
“Get the surgery done, and get back to doing what you love.”

Mia’s journey is just one of many. Read more patient stories on my website:
pediatricscoliosissurgery.com/patient-cases-stories/patient-stories/

12/19/2025

At Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian, our goal is to integrate compassionate mental health support with cutting-edge spine care. Our experts take a holistic approach to scoliosis treatment, ensuring that your child's mental wellbeing is cared for along with their physical needs.

Learn more about our Scoliosis & Youth Mental Health Program at the link below:
https://www.nyp.org/ochspine/scoliosis-and-youth-mental-health

12/17/2025

“For pediatric patients with scoliosis and other spine conditions, the burden of physical symptoms and rigorous medical care—whether this means surgery, medication, bracing, or a combination of treatments—can take an emotional and psychological toll. At Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian, our goal is to integrate compassionate mental health support with cutting-edge spine care. Our experts take a holistic approach to scoliosis treatment, ensuring that your child's mental wellbeing is cared for along with their physical needs.”

Our Scoliosis & Youth Mental Health Program is here to support patients and their families through every step of treatment.

Learn more about this initiative below.
https://www.nyp.org/ochspine/scoliosis-and-youth-mental-health

For pediatric patients with scoliosis and other spine conditions, the burden of physical symptoms and rigorous medical care—whether this means surgery, medication, bracing, or a combination of treatments—can take an emotional and psychological toll.

12/15/2025

This weekend at the 11th Annual International Spinal Deformity Symposium, I gave a talk on borderline surgical AIS curves, focusing on how pediatric spine surgeons should align treatment decisions with patient goals—not just curve magnitude—while recognizing that surgical timing meaningfully changes the scope, burden, and potential benefit of intervention.

Also pictured are our PGY-2, Varun Arvind, presenting on machine learning applications in intraoperative neuromonitoring, and fellow Dr. Josephine Coury, whose talk highlighted the utility of pre-operative MRI in predicting postoperative cervical malalignment and PJK following adult spinal deformity surgery.

12/12/2025

A recap of last week at the International Pediatric Orthopaedic Symposium (IPOS). Throughout the week, I had the privilege of presenting on adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, intra-operative neuromonitoring, and pediatric disc pathology.

An energizing few days of learning, collaboration, and shared commitment to advancing pediatric orthopedic care.