I am a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Memorial Healthcare System. I care for patients (children, teens and adults) with spinal concerns including spinal deformity, scoliosis, kyphosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and injuries due to trauma.  
 
I am dual fellowship trained in pediatric orthopedics and comprehensive and complex spinal care. I am also interested in limb deformity and neuromuscular disease.
 
I always knew I wanted to be a surgeon and had a passion for working with children. But it wasn’t until mentors in medical school encouraged me to consider orthopedics that I considered the specialty. After experiencing a scoliosis procedure – witnessing the collaborative team effort and the impact of the procedure on the patient – that I knew I had found my place in medicine. 
 
Now, I’m committed to following in the footsteps of my mentors, including their commitment and devotion to their patients, their clinical and research efforts, and advancing the field of spinal care.
 
Like many of the physicians at Memorial, I always offer the care to my patients that I would want for my own family. First and foremost, I want my patients to know that I am here to listen, answer questions, and explain everything in detail to make sure you understand everything that is going on. If something comes up that requires a more collaborative approach with other specialists, which can happen with complex cases, I will do everything necessary to help them find the care that they need and deserve. 
 
One of my favorite parts of my job is working with children. Kids have an incredible tenacity to recover and get back to their normal life and daily routine. They’re also brutally honest and an overall joy to be around. It is so motivating know that every day, I can have a positive impact on a young child, as well as their family, that is going to last a lifetime. 
 
I am also always amazed by parents' commitment and resolve to ensure the best care and outcomes for their child. Working with parents has fostered my philosophy: "it's never enough, and it's never too late."  
 
In addition to caring for patients and working with families, I am also passionate about teaching and helping to make healthcare more accessible to people around the world. I want to use the incredible privilege of my education to advance meaningful solutions to healthcare problems at home that can scale around the world.

Hospital Affiliations

• Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital
• Memorial Hospital Miramar
• Memorial Hospital West
• Memorial Regional Hospital

Gender

• Male

Languages

• Polish
• Spanish

• Pediatric Spine Surgery

Education

Chicago Medical School, 2013

Internships

St Louis University School Of Medicine, 2014, Orthopedic Surgery

Residency

St Louis University School of Medicine, 2019, Orthopedic Surgery

Fellowships

Columbia University, 2020, Orthopedic Surgery
Pennsylvania Hospital Of The University Of Pa, 2021, Spine Surgery
Shriners Hospitals for Children � Philadelphia, 2022, Orthopedic Surgery

Certifications

Publications

Please view Dr. Stephen M. Plachta’s publications on PubMed.

Research

I am interested in translational and clinical research regarding the treatment and care of spinal deformity. During fellowship, I collaborated with my mentors on several multi-center and database studies revolving this area of medicine. 

I am also interested in the novel approach of anterior vertebral body tethering in the skeletally immature patients with idiopathic scoliosis. These outcome studies have significant impact on defining best practice guidelines and outcomes following treatment.

Professional Organizations

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• Alpha Omega Alpha – Honors Medical Society
• Pennsylvania State Orthopaedic Association 
• Illinois State & Chicago Medical Society
• Polish American Medical Society
• Missouri State Orthopaedic Association
• Alpha Epsilon Delta Honors Society
• Polish American Congress

Presentations

(1) Plachta, S., Orthopaedics Overseas – Malawi Orthopaedic Association – Blantyre, Malawi Africa – October 2017 
a. Presentation – Anatomy and Complications of Adult & Pediatric Forearm Fractures for the Malawian Orthopaedic Clinical Officer § Presentation – Pediatric Elbow Fractures for the Malawian Orthopaedic Clinical Officer – Zomba, Malawi 
b. Presentation – Tibial Plateau Fractures for the Malawian Orthopaedic Clinical Officer – Zomba, Malawi § Presentation – Pelvic Trauma & Emergencies for the Malawian Orthopaedic Clinical Officer – Zomba, Malawi 

(2) Plachta, S. Evaluation & Non-Operative Management of Calcaneal Fractures for the Malawian Orthopaedic Clinical Officer 
a. Presentation – Malawi Orthopaedic Association Meeting – Mangochi, Malawi Africa – September 2017 

(3) Plachta, S., Israel, H., Watson, J.T. Dynamization Potential of Circular External Fixation Frames with Divergent Struts. 
a. Presentation - LLRS – Limb Lengthening & Reconstruction Society –July 2016 – Charleston, South Carolina 
b. Presentation - St. Louis University Hospital Research Symposium –April 2017 – St. Louis, MO 
c. Poster Presentation – St. Louis University Department of Orthopaedics Research Symposium – September 2016 

(4) Plachta, S., Israel, H., Brechbuhler, J., Hayes, A., Huebner, S., Place, H., Inter/Intra-Observer Reliability of T1 Pelvic Angle (TPA), a Novel Radiographic Measure for Global Sagittal Deformity 
a. Presentation – IMAST – Scoliosis Research Society – Presentation – July 2016 – Washington D.C. 
b. Presentation – Mid America Orthopaedic Research Symposium (MAOA)– April 2017 – Fort Lauderdale, FL 
c. Poster Presentation - St. Louis University Hospital Research Symposium –April 2017 – St. Louis, MO 

(5) White J. Stoner J, Avedian R, Leddy L, MacDonald K, Rajai R, Spiguel A, Balach T, Miller B, The Musculoskeletal Oncology Research Initiative (Plachta, S.). The Variability of Margin Definitions Used in the Clinical Treatment of Soft Tissue Sarcomas: A MultiInstitutional Study. 
a. Poster presentation, 2015 ISOLS & MSTS Combined Annual Meeting - October 6-10, 2015. - Orlando, FL 

(6) Plachta, S. Medical School Admissions: The Inside Story. 
a. Presentation – Society of Polish American Pre-Health Professionals – Lives in Medicine Conference – August 2014

Awards

• Junior Resident Research Award for Best Basic Science Project – SLU Department of Orthopaedics (June 2016) 
• 1st Place Winner St. Louis University Hospital Graduate Medical Education Research Symposium (April 2017) 
• 2nd Place Winner Missouri State Orthopaedic Association (MSOA) resident research oral presentation (April 2017) 
• 1st Place Winner St. Louis University Department of Orthopaedics Poster Presentation (June 2017) 
• Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Medical Society Member 
• M.D. with Distinction in Research Graduate 
• Research Fellowship: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Center for Advanced Surgical Education 
  
• 2nd Place Winner Midwest Student Biomedical Research Forum – Oral Presentation (February 2011) 
• 1st Place Winner Chicago Medical School Summer Research Fellow – Poster Presentation (October 2010) 
• President & Student Advisor – Chicago Medical School Surgery Interest Group