Wudbhav Sankar, MD, will be the chief of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Orthopedic Center effective July 1.
Dr. Sankar is a leader in children’s orthopedics and has expertise in spinal deformity, hip disorders and pediatric trauma, according to a Feb. 19 news release. He succeeds John Flynn, MD, who will remain on staff.
Dr. Sankar joined CHOP in 2009 and pioneered nontraditional bracing for infants who failed Pavlik harness therapy, developed blood-flow assessment techniques for dislocated hips and introduced in-clinic ultrasound. He also helped create spine teams that shortened operative times and improve scoliosis outcomes. His research focus includes public health and hip surgery.
“I’m deeply grateful to Dr. Flynn for his visionary leadership, mentorship, and tireless commitment to excellence,” Dr. Sankar said in the release. “I’m honored to assume the role of CHOP’s Orthopedic Chief at a program known for its diligence, compassion and cross‑disciplinary collaboration. Together with our exceptional team, I’m committed to accelerating innovation, improving recovery and delivering the highest‑quality outcomes for every child and family we serve.”
Dr. Flynn stepped down from his role for medical reasons. During his leadership, Dr. Flynn improved scoliosis surgery safety, developed limb-sparing tumor treatments to reduce amputations, led research on postoperative narcotic use and introduced new spine technologies at the hospital.
Dr. Sankar earned his medical degree and completed his residency at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia.
