In Memoriam

Dr. G. Dean MacEwen, a legend and a pioneer in pediatric orthopedic surgery, died on August 6, 2024, at age 96.

Dr. MacEwen’s professional legacy is internationally renowned in pediatric orthopedic surgery, and he earned profound respect from his colleagues, fellows, and students. His prolific research and commitment to education have inestimably shaped the field. In 1995, fully one-third of Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America members were Dr. MacEwen’s direct trainees or physicians who enjoyed a close connection to him. A 2005 tribute noted that “[t]he great work that is being done by his numerous fellows all over the globe is a true measure of his contribution to the spread of pediatric orthopedics. [Dr. MacEwen] was not of an age but for all time.”

He was born on November 10, 1927, in Metcalfe, Ontario, Canada and raised on a dairy farm. Encouraged by his aunt (a nurse) to pursue a medical career, Dr. MacEwen earned his medical degree at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He moved to Washington, DC, for an internship in surgery at the District of Columbia General Hospital, where he met his wife. His training continued with an orthopedic residency at the Campbell Clinic in Memphis, TN, mentored by Dr. Harold Boyd.

Dr. Alfred Shands, the first medical director of the Alfred I duPont Institute of the Nemours Foundation, while on a visiting lectureship at the Campbell Clinic in 1957, inquired whether Dr. Boyd knew of any promising young surgeons who might want to join him in Wilmington, DE. Known then as a quiet, intelligent man with excellent skills, on Dr. Boyd’s strong recommendation, Dr. MacEwen moved to the Alfred I. duPont Institute (now known as Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware) in 1958 to partner with Dr. Shands and grow the Institute.  At that time, most orthopedic surgeons cared for both adults and children. Dr. MacEwen was part of a small group of international surgeons who promoted the evolution of a specialty just for children’s orthopedics.

As the Institute’s second medical director, Dr. MacEwen quickly expanded services and access to care for more children at the pediatric orthopedic hospital. Under his leadership over the next three decades, the Institute garnered international acclaim for clinical care, surgical training and research in pediatric orthopedic surgery. He had an eye for spotting talent, recruiting fellows and developing leaders in the field. Though Dr. MacEwen’s primary clinical interests focused on the pediatric spine and developmental dysplasia of the hip, he contributed original research on virtually every condition in children’s orthopedics.

He traveled extensively in Europe and Latin America as a visiting professor and lecturer. He was an ABC Traveling Fellow of the American Orthopaedic Association. Known for his much-lauded oratorical skills, he developed a reputation for giving excellent, thought-provoking scientific lectures on all conditions in pediatric orthopedics. He was a provocative moderator who could “stir the pot” and leave the audience more informed and entertained at the end of a scientific symposium. 

Dr. MacEwen was likewise a gracious host who recognized the value of international education and established the International Pediatric Orthopaedic Research Fellowship, which allowed many young pediatric orthopedists to come and study in Wilmington for one year. Participants in the Fellowship stayed in the employees’ quarters of the Nemours Estate. His children recall that clinicians from around the world frequently joined the family for dinner. Most academic pediatric orthopedists from Latin America and Europe participated in this program. He also sponsored exchange programs with Korea, India and Japan.

Dr. MacEwen’s influence extended far beyond clinical practice into societal leadership. In the span of ten years, he was a charter member and President of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society (now POSNA), a founding member and President of the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) and President of the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA). Subsequently, he was recognized by those communities for his contributions with the POSNA Distinguished Achievement Award and the SRS Lifetime Achievement Award.

After retiring from Nemours Children’s in 1987, Dr. MacEwen continued his work at the Children’s Hospital in New Orleans as Chair of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery and later at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and the Shriner’s Hospital in Philadelphia. His legacy is further cemented by the establishment of the Shands/MacEwen Orthopaedic Care Center, the Shands/MacEwen Endowed Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery, and the Dr. G. Dean and Mrs. Marilyn MacEwen Educational Fund at Nemours Children’s Health.

“I had the experience of learning from the best and then passing my knowledge on to the next generation. I had the privilege of pursuing research that led to better treatments for children with a range of orthopedic conditions,” Dr. MacEwen recounted during the investiture of Dr. Will Mackenzie as the first holder of The Shands/MacEwen Endowed Chair of Orthopaedic Surgery at Nemours Children’s in 2013. “I worked with dedicated colleagues, including my fellow surgeons, fellows and residents, nurses and therapists and all who made the Institute so well-known and regarded and was able to advocate for our expansion to a full-service pediatric hospital where children could receive a full range of medical services for their conditions.”

It is impossible to summarize his medical contributions, but I will try. Among his 145 publications, Dr. MacEwen was best known for several seminal publications on the long-term natural history and outcome of pediatric orthopedic surgical procedures. He developed the Wilmington jacket, a low-profile, custom-molded scoliosis brace that eased the pain and stigma of wearing the Milwaukee brace, which was the standard of care at the time. Dr. MacEwen was instrumental in modifying the Pavlik harness to treat infant hip dysplasia.  He was most proud of his work on screening for scoliosis and hip dysplasia to improve outcomes by ensuring treatment in the earlier stages of the condition.

What was his influence on pediatric orthopaedics?  If you consider his career spanning more than four decades, training hundreds of residents, fellows, and visitors, authoring scores of practice-changing publications and delivering countless thought-provoking lectures around the world, how many lives did he change? Then you must consider the millions around the world that he did not even meet, but were taught by his disciples, learned from his writings, mentored by his ideals, and treated by someone touched by his contributions to the science and art of children’s orthopaedics. That is certainly an all-time legacy, and we are grateful for a life so well lived.

Dr. MacEwen is survived by his beloved wife of 70 years, Marilyn (Lyn), their five children, nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. A public memorial service will be held at 11 AM on October 19, 2024, at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, DE.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Dr. G. Dean and Mrs. Marilyn MacEwen Educational Fund at Nemours Children’s Health, supporting the education of future leaders in pediatric orthopedic surgery. Gifts may be made online at www.nemours.org/macewen or by check mailed to Nemours Children’s Health Alliance, Shands House, 1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, DE, 19803.

Suken A. Shah MD
Shands / MacEwen Endowed Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery
Nemours Children’s Hospital
Wilmington, Delaware USA