Dr. Jessica Rivera Brings Advanced Limb-Lengthening Care to Louisiana
Jessica Rivera, MD, PhD, of the LSU Health New Orleans Department of Orthopaedics, is helping bring highly specialized limb-lengthening and deformity reconstruction care to children in Louisiana.
Dr. Rivera, an Associate Professor of Clinical Orthopaedics at LSU Health, specializes in pediatric limb lengthening, deformity correction and complex limb reconstruction. Her expertise recently helped transform the life of 13-year-old Tegan, a Louisiana patient with achondroplasia.
Tegan’s family had considered traveling out of state for treatment because only a limited number of centers perform the complex procedure she needed. Instead, they were able to receive care in New Orleans from Dr. Rivera, who completed advanced fellowship training in pediatric orthopaedics and limb lengthening at the International Center for Limb Lengthening in Baltimore.
In 2025, Dr. Rivera performed a series of staged procedures to lengthen both of Tegan’s legs using advanced internal and external fixation techniques. The procedure marked the first time this type of limb-lengthening surgery had been performed in Louisiana.
Following months of close monitoring, rehabilitation and physical therapy, Tegan gained several inches in height and made significant improvements in mobility, confidence and independence. After spending much of the school year using a wheelchair, she was able to walk into a school ceremony to receive an honor roll award.
Tegan’s progress highlights the advanced orthopaedic expertise available through LSU Health New Orleans and its pediatric partnerships. Through specialized training, innovative surgical techniques and coordinated follow-up care, Dr. Rivera is helping Louisiana families access complex limb reconstruction procedures closer to home.
