Pediatric Surgical Conditions We Treat

The surgeons in the Department of Pediatric Surgery are recognized both nationally and internationally for their comprehensive approach to surgical problems in infants and children. The training to become a pediatric surgeon is one of the longest and most extensive in any medical field and takes between 7 and 10 years after completion of medical school.

Our team of surgeons is also well-supported by a highly skilled group of advanced practice providers including nurse practitioners, physician assistants and pediatric surgery nurses in our outpatient clinics and in inpatient settings. Together, with the expertise of the other teams of pediatric experts at Children’s Hospital Colorado, we are able to care for the most complex patients.

Why choose Children’s Hospital Colorado Department of Pediatric Surgery?

Children’s Colorado offers leading surgical treatments for conditions of children of all ages – from infants to teenagers. Our state-of-the-art technology even allows us to perform some surgeries before a baby is born. Our surgeons are specially trained and experienced in the surgical care of kids and our support staff is dedicated to providing a safe and comfortable environment for children.

At Children’s Colorado, we want kids to heal quickly so they can get back to being kids. Our pediatric surgeons utilize the latest minimally invasive surgical techniques such as laparoscopy and thoracoscopy. This approach shortens healing time and lessens the pain and discomfort of surgery for children.

Children react differently to anesthesia than adults do, which is why our surgeons depend on the exceptional experience of our board-certified pediatric anesthesiologists. Our pediatric anesthesiologists are specially trained to work with kids. They prepare them for surgery, giving them the right amount of anesthesia based on their size and body type. The pediatric anesthesia team monitors children throughout surgery to ensure they stay safe and asleep. We encourage children and their parents to meet with our anesthesiologists before the procedure to ask questions they might have about the process, to help ease any concerns.

Conditions we treat

Our pediatric surgeons focus on many subspecialties ranging from bariatric surgery to surgical treatment of anorectal malformations and surgical oncology.

Surgical conditions we treat include:

• Appendicitis
• Severe obesity
• Hernias, including inguinal, umbilical and epigastric hernias, hydroceles, and congenital diaphragmatic hernias (CDH)
• Chest wall deformities, including pectus carinatum and pectus excavatum
• Congenital lung disorders, including bronchogenic cysts, congenital lobar emphysema, pulmonary sequestration and congenital pulmonary malformation
• Head and neck "lumps and bumps" such as dermoid cysts and branchial cleft cysts
• Undescended testicles and phimosis
• Female reproductive tract anomalies, including imperforate hymen and vaginal septum
• Vascular anomalies
• Pediatric trauma and burns
• Gastroesophageal reflux and failure to thrive
• Congenital abdominal wall defects such as omphalocele and gastroschisis
• Congenital anomalies of the gastrointestinal tract including esophageal, duodenal, and intestinal atresia and duodenal atresia
• Hirschsprung disease
• Anorectal malformations
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Childhood cancers and solid tumors, including hepatoblastoma, Wilms tumor and neuroblastoma
• Blood disorders requiring splenectomy, including spherocytosis, ITP and sickle cell anemia
• Hepatobiliary diseases such as biliary atresia and choledochal cysts
• Cholelithiasis and cholecystitis

Didn’t find what you’re looking for?

The pediatric surgeons at Children’s Colorado treat all surgical conditions in children, from the less critical to the most complex. Because we diagnose and treat such a wide variety of problems, even the very rare ones, some of them might not be listed in detail on this website.

Call the Department of Pediatric Surgery for more information about a condition or to schedule an appointment.

Children’s Hospital Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora: 720-777-6571
Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs: Phone: 719-305-9035