Pediatric Surgery Services

We strive to find better ways to care for your child. Our doctors seek out treatments and surgical techniques that are leading edge, but that also have proven benefits.

Some of our current clinical advances include:

Abdominal Wall

We are regarded as a national pioneer in treating giant omphalocele (abdominal wall defects greater than 6 to 10 centimeters). We have the lowest reported morbidity and mortality rates in the medical literature for surgeries to correct giant omphalocele in children.

We are also exploring possible non-operative ways to manage gastroschisis.

Anesthesia

We are the only pediatric anesthesia department in the nation who is training the entire team of 40 anesthesiologists to perform both routine and advanced pediatric regional anesthesia.

Appendix

We collaborate with our colleagues in the departments of Radiology and Interventional Radiology, who have extensive experience using ultrasound. In many cases, our radiologists are able to diagnose appendicitis using ultrasound and avoid the radiation needed with a CT (computed tomography) scan . 

Chest Wall

Our chest wall deformity team, which brings together specialists in general and thoracic surgery, orthopedic surgery and pulmonary medicine, has received national recognition for its work with titanium ribs.

We have new, nonsurgical therapies for pectus carinatum as well as surgical approaches when needed, including extensive experience in using minimally invasive surgery to treat this condition.

Intestine

We have the most experience in the region managing pediatric surgeries for inflammatory bowel disease. We offer both minimally invasive and traditional surgical approaches to treat this disease.

We have the best reported survival rates for treating intestinal atresia.

Minimally Invasive and Robot-Assisted Surgery

We do more minimally invasive surgeries on children for a broader range of conditions than any institution in our region; however, minimally invasive surgery may not be the best treatment for your child’s condition. Because some of our pediatric surgeons are national leaders in using minimally invasive surgical techniques, we have the most expertise in assessing whether laparoscopic surgery,  robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery, or thoracoscopy is best for your child.

We have a world-class robotics program with surgeons who have done more robot-assisted laparoscopies than anyone else in the world. This experience includes over 200 robot-assisted laparoscopies for over 40 different types of procedures. Our division is actively involved in researching the clinical outcomes for children who undergo robot-assisted surgery.

Outcomes

We have the lowest reported recurrence rate for diaphragmatic hernia in the world.

Studies that report the outcomes of medical care help us find the best way of treating specific diseases in children. We have some of the largest reported surgical outcomes studies for pyloric stenosis, gallbladder removal and necrotizing fasciitis/severe soft-tissue infections in children.

Reconstructive Pelvic Medicine

We have the only pediatric reconstructive pelvic medicine program on the West Coast. Our experts from Pediatric Surgery, Gastroenterology, Gynecology, Urology, Adolescent Medicine, Radiology and Pathology work as a team to diagnose and treat pelvic problems.

Surgery Pulmonary Follow-Up Clinic

We provide long-term follow-up care for children who have had major chest surgery that might affect their lungs, including children with congenital lung malformations or congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Along with giving each child care that’s tailored to them, our goal is to establish standards and guidelines to improve care for all children who need surgery pulmonary follow-up.

Surgical Oncology

The American College of Surgeons has named us a center of excellence for surgical oncology.

We are improving ways to remove cancerous tumors through less invasive methods, including minimally invasive surgery. We have one of the largest pediatric surgical reports in the medical literature describing our surgical outcomes using minimally invasive surgery. During surgery, we are also using imaging tools such as nuclear medicine and ultrasound to more safety and accurately identify and remove cancerous tumors.

We are also pioneering more accurate ways of identifying the stage of a child's cancer. By using techniques such as sentinel lymph node biopsy, we can better determine the best therapy for children with skin cancers and soft tissue cancers. We are one of the few centers in the nation doing sentinel lymph node biopsy exclusively on children.