As home to the region's largest provider of pediatric general surgery,
we provide care for children with the widest range of conditions including congenital anomalies, childhood tumors, trauma and burns.
Nearly 70 years ago, pediatric general surgery was founded and directed by the hospital's first full-time surgeon-in-chief, Dr. Willis Potts. Since giving rise to numerous other pediatric surgical subspecialies, the division is not defined by a single organ system or group of diagnoses.
Today, pediatric surgeons use their expertise and wide range of skills to treat children who need surgery on the head and neck, chest, abdomen and extremities. In addition to expertise in general pediatric surgery, our surgeons oversee these special programs:
In addition to clinical care, our surgeons are very involved in pediatric surgical research and education. We also offer the country's second oldest pediatric surgery training program.
Our team
Trained as general surgeons, with two extra years of training in pediatric surgery, our division's highly experienced, full-time attending physicians perform thousands of procedures annually. The team also includes fellows in pediatric general surgery and fellows in pediatric surgery/critical care. Fellows are general surgeons who are getting the additional years of training in their subspecialty area. Meet the pediatric general surgery team.
The team also includes experienced advanced practice nurses who work closely with the surgeons. They are a valuable resource to parents who need extra care and guidance in the care of their children related to surgery.
Meeting with families
In-person consultations on any possible surgical condition are a hallmark of the division's strong commitment to excellent patient care. These meetings allow the surgeon to make an assessment of your child's clinical needs, and create a foundation for trust between families and the team to be caring for your child.
Prenatal consultations
In addition to meeting with families and children who need surgery immediately, our pediatric surgeons frequently provide prenatal consultations to expectant parents. Consultations occur after an ultrasound reveals a congenital anomaly that may require surgery after birth. A thorough discussion of surgical options prior to the time surgery is required is often essential. Besides the procedure, surgeons and families discuss where the birth should occur — if surgery will be required immediately following — and what method of delivery is best for mother and child. This is important when there is any concern or a congenital anomaly or a neonatal tumor. Read about fetal general surgery »