Spine Center


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At the CHOC Spine Center, we treat more Orange County children and adolescents with spine conditions than any other hospital. From easing back pain to correcting the most extreme spine curvatures, our multidisciplinary team covers a wide range of spinal conditions and injuries. We are actively involved in researching the very latest and effective treatments, and we consistently measure against national benchmarks to ensure the best outcomes.

What We Treat

The Spine Center also cares for children with a variety of conditions that are often associated with spinal deformity, including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy and others.

Correcting Scoliosis at Any Age

From infants to children to teens, our specialists have fine-tuned the most innovative and successful treatments for scoliosis. We take a conservative approach to treatment, first observing and then prescribing bracing if necessary. When surgery is necessary, the Spine Center provides patients access to a full range of treatment options in a setting specially designed to treat kids and teens. Our surgeons utilize the latest techniques such as growing rods to preserve growth and corrective spinal fusion. Learn more about the scoliosis program at CHOC.

Dr. Aminian: Leading the Way in Pediatric Spine Treatments

Dr. Aminian leads the CHOC Spine Center. He completed his general surgery internship and orthopaedic surgery residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and is affiliated with the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery and the Scoliosis Research Society. Dr. Aminian’s philosophy of care: “I try to put myself in the parents’ shoes and explain to them in the most common terms what we’re doing and why we’re doing it, reminding them of the hospital’s capabilities.”

Learn more about Dr. Aminian’s role with the Orthopaedic Institute and his ongoing research.

Physical Therapy

Our pediatric-trained physical therapists provide exercise programs and other methods that address the pain and muscular imbalance that can be associated with spinal conditions, while maximizing physical function and ability. We use exercise-based techniques to improve back pain and help patients recover from surgery. Learn more about physical therapy at CHOC.

Spine Surgery

Spine surgery is used to correct deformities of the spine that cannot be corrected using less invasive methods. Our surgeons utilize the latest techniques such as growing rods to preserve growth while correcting the curvature and thoracoscopic-assisted spinal surgery. Our fully integrated procedure rooms are designed to provide patients with the very best in safety and precision. We utilize the state-of-the-art O-arm® Surgical Imaging System, a multi-dimensional surgical imaging platform that provides real-time, intra-operative imaging of a patient’s anatomy with high quality images and a large field-of-view in both two and three dimensions. We continuously monitor a patient’s spinal cord throughout the surgical procedure, and an autologous blood recovery system is used to minimize post-operative blood transfusions. Learn more about spine surgery at CHOC.

Child Life Services

We understand the stress and anxiety that kids and teens face with a hospital stay or treatment. Through our child life program, our patients are encouraged to gain an understanding of their hospital experiences by introducing them and their families to the hospital environment, procedure and equipment. Child life specialists work with our patients — from surgery through inpatient recovery — and provide age-appropriate emotional and developmental support to help minimize any anxiety they might be experiencing. Learn more about child life services.

Contact Us

The CHOC Spine Center is a vital resource for children throughout Southern California — offering patients the most advanced treatment options and comprehensive care in a compassionate environment. Please contact us at 1-888-770-2462; press 2 for specialty care clinics.