Dr. Harry Shufflebarger remains the pre-eminent pediatric spinal deformity surgeon in Florida. His expertise is based on over 30 years of practice in pediatric spinal deformity. He has been a teacher or mentor to many of those involved in pediatric deformity across the United States.
Dr. Shufflebarger is the only practicing past-president of the Scoliosis Research Society in Florida. Likewise, he is the only recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Scoliosis Research Society living in Florida.
Dr. Shufflebarger developed, beginning in 1997, one of the largest and most productive pediatric spinal deformity services in Florida and the United States. Dr. Shufflebarger became known throughout the world for clinical practice and teaching methods. He now joins the prestigious Paley Orthopedic and Spinal Institute in West Palm Beach.
As a charter member of the Harms Study Group, the foremost pediatric spinal deformity research entity in the world, he has been intimately involved in very significant spinal deformity advances. Dr. Shufflebarger’s pivotal work on surgery for idiopathic lumbar scoliosis resulted in a world-wide practice-changing publication. What was an anterior surgical procedure became a simpler posterior procedure.
Dr. Shufflebarger’s adoption, promotion, and publications on the Ponte osteotomy in a variety of spinal conditions, such as idiopathic scoliosis and Scheuermann’s kyphosis, improved surgical results, and simplified the procedures.
He has published over 75 peer-reviewed articles, authored over 25 textbook chapters, spoke at over 100 major institutions around the world, and chaired or participated in over 100 courses around the world.
Dr. Shufflebarger has been an innovator in devices to improve spinal surgery. All are familiar with the pedicle screw. He was on the team that developed the polyaxial screw which changed posterior spinal surgery in a very positive manner. From this evolved the Moss Miami spinal system, which is the prototype for essentially all posterior spinal devices today.
Harry Shufflebarger, MD is a top tier clinician and surgeon, a respected researcher, an innovator, and a forward thinker.
