Pediatric Surgery

An International Reputation for Complex Surgeries in Children

Only the top experts and safest, most effective procedures will do when your child needs surgery. At NewYork-Presbyterian, the Divisions of Pediatric Surgery carry a tradition of leadership and innovation that dates back nearly half a century. We are proud of our experience as educators at one of the original training programs for pediatric surgeons in the United States.

Patients come to us from across the country and around the world for our international reputation for excellence in pediatric surgery. Your child is in the expert hands of a team committed to providing our patients with the safest, most advanced techniques available to extend survival and quality of life.

About Our Program

NewYork-Presbyterian is affiliated with two renowned children's hospitals, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children's Hospital. Additionally, NewYork-Presbyterian Alexandra Cohen Hospital for Women and Newborns houses a 60-bed neonatal intensive care unit and has single-bed rooms where newborns can stay with their mothers.

Our pediatric surgical teams provide the full range of pediatric procedures, from the routine to the highly complex, for children of all ages. We use the latest and least invasive techniques to ensure the best results and fastest recovery possible.

Our pediatric surgeons take a comprehensive approach to pediatric surgical care. Multidisciplinary teams are made up of specialists in pediatric anesthesiology, neonatology, pediatric radiology, pediatric gastroenterology, perinatologists, and all pediatric medical subspecialties. Together they work to deliver a level of service and quality that marks us as among the top programs in the country.

Beginning in the earliest stages of life, we closely collaborate with specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian's two perinatal centers— the NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center Carmen and John Thain Center for Prenatal Pediatrics and the NewYork-Presbyterian & Weill Cornell Medicine Fetal Care Center. Our surgeons have a robust antenatal program for counseling pregnant women and their families for potential surgical conditions diagnosed in utero.

Our team works closely with a multidisciplinary group of specialists to plan and provide surgery to correct neonatal (newborn) congenital abnormalities. We work closely with our neonatologists and critical care specialists to care for the most fragile infants.

Our surgeons are known for treating children whose surgical issues were considered too complex by other hospitals. We are a major referral center for challenging operations including: genitourinary reconstruction, heart surgery (including congenital heart disorders in newborns), neurosurgery, spine and other orthopedic surgeries (including scoliosis), vascular malformation procedures, cancer surgery, organ transplantation, liver surgery, ENT (ear, nose, and throat) procedures, and pediatric trauma care.

Over the years, our relationships with children and their families have endured. Many of our pediatric surgeons care for some children from birth until their late teens. When the time comes, we can provide the support patients, and their families need to ensure a smooth transition from pediatric to adult care.

Pediatric Surgery Services

At NewYork-Presbyterian, our pediatric surgery teams have expertise in treating various conditions and disorders in children of all ages. Our pediatric surgical specialties include:

Pediatric Surgical Care of Newborns

Esophageal and airway malformations: esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula, congenital pulmonary airway malformations, bronchopulmonary sequestration, congenital lobar emphysema, bronchogenic cyst
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Gastrointestinal malformations and obstruction: duodenal atresia, intestinal (jejunal and ileal) atresia, mid-gut malrotation and volvulus, meconium ileus, colonic atresia, Hirschsprung's disease, imperforate anus, cloacal malformations
Abdominal wall defects: omphalocele, gastroschisis
Biliary anomalies: biliary atresia, choledochal cyst
Neonatal tumors: sacrococcygeal teratoma, mesoblasticnephroma, neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma

Pediatric Surgical Care of Infants, Children, and Adolescents

Adolescent bariatric surgery
Head and Neck surgery: branchial cleft cyst, thyroglossal duct cyst, cervical lymphadenopathy, neck abscess, neck tumors
Breast surgery for children and adolescents: phyllodes tumor, fibroadenoma, gynecomastia
Chest wall deformities: pectus carinatum, pectus excavatum
Thoracic surgery: Empyema, pneumothorax, congenital lung lesions, thoracic tumors, mediastinal masses
Gastrointestinal and abdominal wall surgery: inguinal, umbilical, and congenital diaphragmatic hernia, appendicitis, intestinal obstruction and malrotation, Meckel's diverticulum, Hirschsprung's disease, Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease,
Cancer: Wilms tumor, neuroblastoma, teratoma and germ cell tumors, rhabdomyosarcoma, hepatoblastoma, and soft tissue sarcoma

Ear, Nose, and Throat (Otolaryngology)
Heart, including heart transplantation and surgery for congenital heart disorders in newborns
Liver
Neurological including surgery for spina bifida/myelomeningocele, craniofacial surgery, and surgery to repair congenital spine disorders
Organ transplantation
Plastic and reconstructive surgery
Orthopedic
Trauma care
Urology, including genitourinary reconstruction
Vascular

Specialized Programs

Dedicated Digestive Disease Centers

At NewYork-Presbyterian, the Center for Advanced Digestive Care (CADC) at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell, and the NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition specialize in digestive disease surgery for a wide range of pediatric conditions, including esophageal atresia, biliary atresia, complex congenital anorectal malformations, and cloacal malformations, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, inflammatory bowel disease, and adolescent bariatric surgery.

Congenital Heart Center

At the NewYork-Presbyterian Congenital Heart Center, surgeons work side-by-side with pediatric cardiologists, imaging specialists, and more to deliver advanced care with results that far exceed national benchmarks. The Center pioneered many of the now-standard approaches for congenital heart care. It continues to be at the forefront of new diagnostic and treatment options, including leading the way in congenital heart valve procedures. No matter the complexity or severity of your child's heart condition, our team can help.

Craniofacial Program

NewYork-Presbyterian's Craniofacial Program, operating across NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children's Hospital, offers multidisciplinary teams of specialists to bring innovative and comprehensive care to children with craniofacial abnormalities. The program meets the high standards for Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Teams as set forth by the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association (ACPA) and Cleft Palate Foundation (CPF).

Surgical Cancer and Transplant Care

There are few things more challenging for a family than a cancer diagnosis. Make sure you have all options available to you, and a trusted care team that can walk you through each one can help. When it comes to surgical approaches to cancer care, treatment often comes in an organ transplant—removing the diseased organ and replacing it with a healthy donor one. At NewYork-Presbyterian, our world-renowned Liver and Kidney Transplant programs lead the region in pediatric transplant care. Our team is also highly experienced in using minimally invasive procedures to safely biopsy chest and abdominal tumors for proper diagnosis and staging.

Pediatric Thyroid Program

The NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center's Thyroid Center is the premier program in New York and one of the top pediatric thyroid programs nationwide. For children and their families dealing with thyroid diseases ranging from abnormal hormone levels to nodules and cancer, our surgeons work with endocrinologists and other specialists to create comprehensive treatment plans tailored to each family's needs.

Trauma & Critical Care

NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital is a Level 1 Regional Pediatric Trauma Center in Manhattan verified by the American College of Surgeons. This is the highest level of Pediatric Trauma designation given by the New York State Department of Health.

NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center was recently verified as a Level 2 Regional Pediatric Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons

NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia's Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Life Support program is a first of its kind for young patients with critical heart-lung issues. It has been awarded the Platinum level excellence by ELSO, the leading Extracorporeal Life Support Organization, since the inception of the award in 2016.

Vascular Anomalies Program

Vascular anomalies are abnormally-formed arteries and veins that can cause lesions or birthmarks on your child's skin. Some vascular anomalies (like hemangiomas) are benign tumors that can grow, but they do not spread throughout the body like cancerous tumors. Our surgeons are experts at removing disfiguring lesions and reconstructing the affected area.

NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center's Vascular Anomalies Center has a multidisciplinary group of specialists in dermatology, interventional radiology, hematology, neurosurgery, otorhinolaryngology, and pediatric surgery to provide the most current treatments for patient with these disorders. Some of the conditions we treat are hemangioma, lymphatic malformations, and arteriovenous malformations.

Our Approach to Care

Multidisciplinary Team Approach

At NewYork-Presbyterian, our pediatric surgery programs integrate the expertise of pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists, pediatric radiologists, pediatric gastroenterologists, neonatologists, perinatologists, and other surgical subspecialists who work collaboratively to coordinate a fully integrated plan of care.

Our pediatric surgeons collaborate with NewYork-Presbyterian's network of specialists in all areas of pediatric medicine and surgery, allowing us to provide state-of-the-art, comprehensive, and coordinated care for any medical issue or concern.

Minimally Invasive Techniques

Our approach to pediatric surgery also emphasizes minimally-invasive techniques whenever possible. This means smaller incisions, less discomfort, shorter healing times, and less-noticeable scarring.

Ensuring Your Child's Comfort

At NewYork-Presbyterian, our pain medicine specialists do everything they can, using the latest techniques, to ease the pain and discomfort of children with acute and chronic illnesses and those undergoing surgery. We provide services for inpatients and outpatients using a compassionate and holistic approach.

Families First

We take particular pride in combining our pediatric surgical expertise with compassion. Uniquely designed to ease your anxieties and those of your child and other family members, our approach to family-centered is designed to make every child and family's visit with us as easy and as comfortable as possible. In most cases, you can accompany your child into the operating room and stay until they are asleep.

For safety reasons, you cannot stay during the actual surgery. When the operation has been completed, we will bring you to the recovery room so that you can be with your child as they awaken from anesthesia.

Parents As Team Members

As a parent, only you can provide important information about your child. You can also help other team members shape your child's personalized treatment program based on your child's physical, emotional, and practical needs. Your input is critical for making final decisions regarding your child's care. Our multidisciplinary team is here to work alongside you and your family to achieve the greatest possible outcomes for your child.

Why Choose Us

Nationally Ranked Children's Hospitals

Both NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children's Hospital are among the nation's leading centers for the diagnosis and treatment of childhood diseases. They are major referral centers for complex and rare disorders in infants, children, and adolescents.

Distinguished Pediatric Surgery Center

NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital is a Level I Children's Surgery Center, verified by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). It is the only hospital in New York state and one of 18 in the nation, to receive this distinction, which is awarded to institutions that exhibit excellence in pediatric surgical care.

Expertise in Pediatric Surgery

NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital has several subprograms, such as the Adolescent Bariatric Surgery service and the ECMO Life Support service, that have earned individual honors. It is the only Center in the tri-state area that offers fetal repair of myelomeningocele, a severe form of spina bifida.
NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children Hospital and the NewYork-Presbyterian Alexandra Cohen Hospital for Women and Newborns is a major referral center for complex and rare gastrointestinal disorders in infants and children. Here, physicians and pediatric surgeons treat the full spectrum of gastrointestinal disorders in older children. This includes diagnosing and treating gastroesophageal reflux disease, intestinal motility disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular diseases in children, and hepatobiliary disorders and malrotation.

Access to World-Class Pediatric Specialists

NewYork-Presbyterian has nationally renowned specialists in every field of pediatrics so that your child will have access to all of the various pediatric medical and surgical subspecialists they may need. This will ensure that of your child's medical needs can be addressed under one roof.

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Separating Conjoined Twins

Alusine and Isatu Jalloh traveled 4,300 miles from home to give their conjoined twin girls the chance for a better life. Nine days before the COVID-19 outbreak hit New York City, a team of leading surgeons and specialists successfully separated the conjoined twins at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital in a nine hour surgery. Here’s the story of the girls' remarkable recovery.