Pediatric Orthopedic and Hip Preservation Surgeon
For all publications, please see the PubMed listing
About Dr. Cao
Dr. Nora Cao is an orthopedic surgeon with advanced fellowship training in pediatric orthopedic surgery. She provides comprehensive care for both children and adults, treating a wide spectrum of orthopedic conditions and injuries—including hip dysplasia, scoliosis, congenital limb deformities, upper and lower extremity fractures, and neuromuscular disorders. Dr. Cao sees patients at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Main Campus and Paramus.
She earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in chemical and biomolecular engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, followed by her medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Cao completed her orthopedic surgery residency at the Tufts Affiliated Hospitals Orthopedic Residency Program in Boston, MA, and pursued fellowship training in pediatric orthopedic surgery at HSS in New York, NY, with a specialized focus on hip preservation. Prior to rejoining HSS, she practiced at Massachusetts General Brigham.
Dr. Cao is an active contributor to the field of orthopedic research, with numerous peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national medical conferences. Outside of medicine, she is a passionate food enthusiast who enjoys traveling and spending quality time with her husband and young daughter.
Special Expertise
Hip preservation surgery
Hip pain in adolescents and young adults
Hip dysplasia in infants to young adults
Hip osteotomies
Ganz or periacetabular osteotomy (PAO)
Surgical hip dislocation
Procedures
Open reductions for hip dysplasia
Ganz or periacetabular osteotomy (PAO)
Surgical hip dislocation
Insurance
If your insurance is not listed, please call our office if you have questions regarding your insurance coverage. If you have out-of-network benefits, then your insurance may reimburse you for a portion of your office visit.
Credentials
Appointments
Attending Orthopedic Surgeon, Hospital for Special Surgery
Weill Cornell Medical College
Attending Orthopedic Surgeon, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
Affiliations
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
ISHA The Hip Preservation Society
Education
Medical - George Washington University, 2017
Internship - Tufts Medical Center, 2018
Residency - Tufts Medical Center, 2022
Fellowship - Hospital for Special Surgery, 2023
State Licensure
New York, Massachusetts
Languages
EnglishFor My Patients
Patient Information
Publications by Dr. Cao
Patient Education
Selected Books/Chapters
Na Cao, David Ruchelsman, Ch. 28 Open Ulnar Nerve Decompression/Subcutaneous Transposition at the Elbow, Hand Surgery: Tricks of the Trade, edited by Pedro Beredjiklian, published by Thieme, 2020
Selected Presentations
Jin SY, Tohyama J, Bauer RC, Cao NN, Rader DJ, Zheng XL. Genetic ablation of Adamts13 gene dramatically accelerates the formation of early atherosclerosis in a murine model. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2012 Aug;32(8):1817-23. doi:10.1161/ATVBAHA.112.247262. Epub 2012 May 31. PMID: 22652598; PMCID: PMC3422623.
Heyer JH, Cao NA, Amdur RL, Rao RR. Postoperative Complications Following Orthopedic Spine Surgery: Is There a Difference Between Men and Women? Int J Spine Surg. 2019 Apr 30;13(2):125-131. doi: 10.14444/6017. PMID: 31131211; PMCID: PMC6510181
Cirrincione, Peter; Cao, Nora ; Trotzky, Zachary ; Nichols, Erikson; Sink, Ernest . Does Periacetabular Osteotomy Change Sagittal Spinopelvic Alignment?. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research
():10.1097/CORR.0000000000003031, April 2, 2024
Cirrincione, Peter BA1; Cao, Nora MD1; Trotzky, Zachary BS2; Nichols, Erikson MS, MMS1; Sink, Ernest MD2. Does Periacetabular Osteotomy Change Sagittal Spinopelvic Alignment?. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research ():10.1097/CORR.0000000000003031, April 2, 2024.
Cao, Nora, Sink, Ernest Ganz periacetabular osteotomy: How to make the osteotomy cuts easier?Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, Volume 7, 100046
Nagra KK, Wisch JL, Thakur A, Zucker CP, Cao N, Md MJ, Li D, Hillstrom HJ, Groisser BN, Cunningham ME, Hresko MT, Haddas R, Blanco JS, Widmann RF, Heyer JH. Surface vs. skeleton: the relationship between surface topographic and radiographic measurements of shoulder symmetry in patients with scoliosis. Spine Deform. 2025 Mar;13(2):539-549. doi: 10.1007/s43390-024-00999-5. Epub 2024 Nov 9. PMID: 39520523.
Research
Research Description
Hip pathology in infants to young adults
Treatment outcomes of femoroacetabular impingement in adolescents
Physical exam, radiographs and MRI for predicting surgical pathology of hip
Impingement surgery in the adolescent pre-arthritic hip
Evaluating early complications associated with surgical hip dislocation and periacetabular osteotomy
Industry Relationships
HSS has a long history of supporting appropriate relationships with industry because they advance HSS's mission to provide the highest quality patient care, improve patient mobility, and enhance the quality of life for all, and to advance the science of orthopedic surgery, rheumatology, and their related disciplines through research and education.
As of , Dr. Cao reported no relationships with the healthcare industry.
HSS and its physicians make this information available to patients and the public, thus creating a transparent environment for those who are interested in this information. Further, the HSS Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Policy prohibits physicians from collecting royalties on products they develop that are used on patients at HSS.