Posts by John T. Braun, MD
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Anterior Vertebral Tethering: A Less Invasive Option for Scoliosis Treatment
John T. Braun, MD, and Brian Grottkau, MD, orthopedic spine surgeons in the Pediatric Orthopaedics Service at Mass General for Children, present the Anterior Vertebral Tethering System, a minimally invasive, fusionless treatment option for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
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Spinal Tethering Device Revolutionizes Scoliosis Treatment
Anterior Vertebral Tethering, developed by a Massachusetts General Hospital pediatric orthopaedic surgeon, offers a fusionless treatment for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
Biography
Dr. Braun is an accomplished spine surgeon and researcher who treats scoliosis and other complex spine deformities and disorders in children and adults. Dr. Braun specializes in the treatment of scoliosis without fusion, using minimally invasive anterior vertebral tethering techniques - also called vertebral body tethering (VBT) or simply tethering. Dr. Braun pioneered this technique as an alternative to fusion surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, performing the first successful tethering procedure in 2010 after more than a decade of basic science research and pre-clinical testing.
Dr. Braun received his MD from Cornell. He completed an orthopedic surgery residency at the Hospital for Special Surgery and a spine surgery fellowship at the Twin Cities Scoliosis and Spine Center/University of Minnesota.
After completing an active duty service commitment in the US Air Force from 1995-1999, heading spine programs at both Wilford Hall Medical Center and Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX, Dr. Braun then practiced at the University of Utah for the next seven years.
In 2006, Dr. Braun was recruited to lead a scoliosis center of excellence at the University of Vermont as a tenured academic orthopedic spine surgeon. In 2012, Dr. Braun transitioned his pediatric scoliosis practice to Dartmouth, where he served as Head of the Pediatric Spine and Scoliosis Program. Dr. Braun also transitioned his adult spine surgery practice to the University of Vermont Health Network-Central Vermont Medical Center, where he served as head of Orthopedic Spine Surgery for six years.
In 2019, Dr. Braun accepted an academic position at Massachusetts General Hospital, Mass General for Children, and Harvard Medical School as a pediatric scoliosis and spine surgeon with the goal of developing a fusionless scoliosis surgery program focused on minimally invasive anterior vertebral tethering.
Orthopaedic Care at Mass General
At Mass General, our world-class physicians and surgeons treat the full spectrum of musculoskeletal conditions throughout the body, from sprains and strains on the athletic field to carpal tunnel syndrome. Our team offers innovative, research-based treatments that range from limb-saving oncological procedures to complex spinal reconstruction.