Orthopedic Surgery Research Team

Leader

Caleb Grote, MD, PhD, serves as the Research Director for Orthopedic Surgery at Children's Mercy, bringing a unique blend of clinical expertise and research acumen to the team. As one of the only MD, PhD orthopedic surgeons in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, Dr. Grote is dedicated to advancing pediatric orthopedic care through innovative research and comprehensive treatment methodologies. 

With a distinguished background in pediatric orthopedic surgery, Dr. Grote's leadership is instrumental in driving forward our mission to improve health outcomes for infants and children. His commitment to integrating cutting-edge surgical techniques and non-surgical solutions ensures that our research efforts remain at the forefront of the field. 

Dr. Grote oversees a wide breadth of research initiatives, including fracture remodeling, trauma, and post-operative pain management with a focus on opioid use in pediatric orthopedics. His work also emphasizes adolescent hip pathology and hip preservation, aiming to improve patient outcomes, enhance surgical efficiency, and refine surgical technique. 

Under Dr. Grote's direction, our multidisciplinary team collaborates to address a wide range of orthopedic conditions, fostering a holistic approach to care that encompasses physical, nutritional, and psychological well-being. His vision and expertise continue to shape the future of pediatric orthopedics, making a profound impact on the lives of young patients.

Providers

Brian Harvey: 

Research areas include osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions, injury patterns among adolescent soccer athletes, and the development of innovative educational tools for the Sports Medicine Clinic.  

Kevin Latz:  

Research interests include osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury outcomes, and social determinants of health such as barriers to care and food insecurity among adolescent athletes. Active member of the Radiographic Osteoarthritis Knee (ROCK) and Spinal Cord Outcomes Research Endeavor (SCORE) collaborative groups.

Ryan Koehler: 

Focus areas include anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury outcomes and active participation in the Spinal Cord Outcomes Research Endeavor (SCORE). 

Angie Vanderpool: 

Research interests include clinical outcomes following medial epicondyle fractures of the elbow.

Jay Roberson:  

Focus areas include food insecurity and injury patterns among adolescent soccer athletes. 

Aaron Shaw & Spine team (Anne Stuedemann, Denise Brewster, Katherine Carpenter, Jessica Woods, John Anderson, Michael Benvenuti. Ongoing research efforts center on enhancing postoperative recovery for adolescent and neuromuscular scoliosis patients. The team’s work emphasizes opioid stewardship, with one paper recently published in NASSJ and another to be presented at the upcoming Scoliosis Research Society meeting. Six active projects explore pain management, surgical outcomes, and recovery optimization. 

Richard Schwend: 

Principal Investigator on multiple studies, including: 

• Normative Patterns of Pediatric Rib Growth and Development in a 3D CT-Based Model: Does it Follow the Golden Spiral? (IRB 2546) 

• Pediatric Spine Surgeon Resilience and Moral Responsibility After Major Spine Complications (IRB 2202) 

• Early Onset Scoliosis and Social Determinants of Outcomes ($275,000, 3-year grant, IRB 3231) 

• SCFE as a Wake-Up Call: Addressing Increased Mortality and Morbidity Through Lifestyle Intervention ($30,000, 2-year grant, IRB 3169, POSNA) 

• Bracing vs. Casting in Early Onset Scoliosis (IRB 1460, University of Iowa prospective clinical trial) 

• Shilla Pelvis Technique: Case Series (IRB 3206)