Introduction
Nicholas Fletcher, MD, is a board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, as well as Medical Director of Spine Quality and Outcomes, who specializes in pediatric orthopedics. He is also a Professor of orthopedic surgery at Emory University School of Medicine.
Dr. Fletcher’s areas of clinical expertise include spine and hip conditions. For children with scoliosis, kyphosis and spondylolisthesis, he offers a range of nonsurgical and surgical options, including Mehta casting, bracing and posterior spinal fusion, as well as magnetic expandable growing rods (MAGEC) and Vertebral Body Tethering (VBT) for younger children. Dr. Fletcher is also one of only a handful of surgeons in the Southeast with expertise in the Ganz or periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) for hip dysplasia, and the modified Dunn osteotomy for slipped capital femoral epiphysis.
Dr. Fletcher has extensive experience in pediatric orthopedic research, where he has focused on spinal deformity, traumatic injuries and hip conditions, including minimally invasive pelvic osteotomies for neuromuscular hip dysplasia and slipped capital femoral epiphysis. He has also led the Emory University Orthopaedic Harrison Foundation Center for Pediatric Orthopaedic Research since 2011 and has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed studies. Dr. Fletcher’s research has received multiple awards including best paper at the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) and twice at the Safety in Spine Summit.
Dr. Fletcher is also very involved with several orthopedic organizations. He serves POSNA as Chair of the Quality, Safety and Value Spine Committee, is the chairman of the 2023 POSNA annual meeting, and has held numerous positions within the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS). He is a current member of the Harms Study Group, which focuses on scoliosis care, as well as the Children’s Spine Study Group and CORTICES Pediatric Trauma Study Group. Dr. Fletcher is also a regular speaker at the SRS, POSNA and International Pediatric Orthopaedic Symposium annual meetings, and has given numerous national and international presentations.
Outside of patient care and research, Dr. Fletcher has a passion for orthopedic education and teaching. He served as the associated program director of the Orthopaedic Residency Program at Emory University until 2022 and was previously Director of the Emory Pediatric Orthopaedic Fellowship Program. In 2015, he was awarded the George E. Wright Faculty Member of the Year for the Emory University Department of Orthopaedics.
In his spare time, Dr. Fletcher enjoys playing tennis, hockey and lacrosse, and spending time with his wife and their children.
Learn more about Dr. Fletcher by watching his introduction video.
Focus of Practice
- Spinal care, including scoliosis, kyphosis, spondylolisthesis and disc herniaitons
- Complex hip problems and hip dysplasia
- Neuromuscular disease, such as cerebral palsy or spina bifida
Areas of Interest
- Spinal disorders, including scoliosis, kyphosis, spina bifida, spondylosis and spondylolisthesis
- Complex hip problems and hip dysplasia
- Neuromuscular disorders, such as cerebral palsy
- Limb lengthening and reconstruction
- Fractures, traumatic injuries and foot disorders, including clubfoot, flat foot and high arched (cavus) foot
Locations
Childrens Physician Group - Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
Center for Advanced Pediatrics, 2174 North Druid Hills Road NE 2nd Flr Atlanta, GA 30329 Get Directions 404-255-1933Childrens Physician Group - Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
Childrens at Hamilton Mill, 2069 Teron Trace Suite 200 Dacula, GA 30019 Get Directions 404-255-1933Research & Publications
Safe delivery of high-quality, postoperative care following spinal surgery, development of spinal instrumentation and advancement of spinal technology, development of a minimally invasive approach to surgical hip reconstruction in children with hip dysplasia and neuromuscular conditions, blood loss management during spinal surgery, postoperative recovery following spinal surgery, growth arrest following distal femoral fractures
In the News
Nicholas D. Fletcher, MD, explains the importance of backpack safety and how to avoid injury
Nicholas D. Fletcher, MD, a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, highlights the importance of backpack safety and provides parents with advice on how to help their child select, load and wear a backpack to avoid pain or injury.
CNN