Skill, equanimity and, especially, Grace

Keith H. Bridwell, M.D., says the stress and challenge of spine surgery have made his long career at the University even more rewarding

By Jim Dryden

You might call Keith H. Bridwell, M.D., a "lifer." A native St. Louisan, he has been at the University since he was a student working on a bachelor's degree in biology and psychology in Arts & Sciences.

"I was an undergrad here," Bridwell says. "I was a medical student here. I was a resident here. Then I left for three years -- for a spine fellowship in Chicago and two years at the University of Cincinnati. Then I came back."

Photo by Mary Butkus

Keith Bridwell, M.D. (right), and clinical fellow R. Chris Glattes, M.D. analyze an X-ray of a patient they will see later in the day. "Keith is one of those very bright, driven people who makes the most of whatever situation he is in," says colleague Ronald L. DeWald, M.D.

Most of his patients are adults and children with scoliosis, a condition in which the spine is curved -- not the normal curves that round the shoulders and make the lower back curve slightly inward. Patients with scoliosis have spines that curve side to side. The problem cannot be corrected simply by learning to stand up straight.

"Usually physical therapy can't correct it," Bridwell explains. "It may help some of the pain symptoms that go along with the deformity, but it can't really correct the problem. In a growing child, spinal braces can sometimes either correct the deformity or keep it from getting worse, but in adults, braces really don't help very much."

For those patients, the prescribed treatment usually is surgical. Most of the time that means five hours or more in the operating room as Bridwell uses various techniques -- first to loosen up the spine somewhat, then to straighten and stabilize it with bone grafts or with proteins that become bone and fuse together segments of the spine.

Spine specialist

Bridwell doesn't remember exactly how he set out to become a doctor. Like a well-aligned spine, his career path seemed to fall into place naturally. He says support from his parents was critical to his success. Both, by the way, were University alums.

Courtesy photo

Keith Bridwell with his late wife, Mala, and daughter, Grace, enjoying a family vacation.

He decided to specialize in orthopaedics primarily because he liked the other residents in orthopaedic surgery. Eventually, he settled on spine surgery because it would allow him the opportunity to operate through the abdomen and the chest like cardio-thoracic surgeons, the sub-specialty that was his second choice.

"Keith is one of those very bright, driven people who makes the most of whatever situation he is in," says Ronald L. DeWald, M.D., professor of orthopaedics at Rush Medical College and director of the Section of Spine Surgery at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago. "In 1982, when he came here as a fellow in spine surgery, immediately I knew he was destined for great things."

Their relationship quickly evolved from mentor and fellow to colleagues, and the two have worked together often over the years, most notably in organizing and compiling the 1991 first edition and 1997 second edition of The Textbook of Spinal Surgery as co-editors in chief. They also have collaborated on research, published scientific papers and served on committees together. But even after all of these years, DeWald still seems to take a bit of "fatherly" pride in his former fellow's accomplishments.

"I remember when he first came to Chicago with his wife, Mala," he wistfully recalls. "They were just great people to be around -- young and energetic. They were the kind of people you hope that your children grow up to be."

'Just seems like I belong'

Mala Gusman Bridwell also had University connections, having earned a bachelor's degree and then graduating from the School of Law as valedictorian in 1979.

Over the years, she became closely acquainted with Bridwell's colleagues in the community of spine specialists, even attending the annual meetings of the Scoliosis Research Society with her husband. Earlier this month, at the society's annual meeting in Seattle, he was named president, but Mala was not in attendance. She died in January 2001 after a long illness.

"At least she was alive to see me named the first vice president of the society, and she knew it was normal to progress from there to president-elect and then to president," Bridwell says. "She was very interested in the Scoliosis Research Society, and she went to almost every SRS meeting that I attended."

Colleagues have been impressed with Bridwell's abilities as a surgeon and clinical researcher for many years, but since Mala's death, they are even more impressed.

Keith H. Bridwell, M.D. Born: May 4, 1953, in St. Louis Education: Undergraduate: 1973, A.B., biology and psychology, Washington University; graduate: 1977, M.D., Washington University School of Medicine University position: Asa C. And Dorothy W. Jones Professor: Chief, Adult/Pediatric Spine Surgery Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Family: Daughter, Grace, 10

"He is arguably the most productive spine surgeon in the world," says Richard H. Gelberman, M.D., the Fred C. Reynolds Professor and head of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. "He's just a remarkable individual -- modest, quiet and very effective. And although he has encountered enormous personal tragedy, he has handled it with amazing equanimity and grace."

Grace is an essential element of the equation. She's Bridwell's 10-year-old daughter. When he talks about the loss of his wife and the challenge of being a single parent, it's important to remember one of the things he likes best about being a spine surgeon: It's a challenge.

"Everybody has problems," he says. "These are just my problems, I guess. I'm just fortunate that my daughter has been very healthy and does well in school and has been a great joy. Plus, there have been many wonderful people helping me."

That's the other thing he likes about his job -- the thing that has been bringing him back to work at the medical school for almost 20 years -- the people.

"It's a lot of different people -- nurses, physicians, radiology techs, orderlies -- just everybody I've interacted with over the years," he says. "This place and these people are just so familiar to me. Some I've known since I was a medical student. It just seems like I belong."