Division of Pediatric Surgery

Washington University Pediatric Surgery

Welcome to the Division of Pediatric Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine. Our goal is to provide useful information on our clinical, training and research programs, whether you are a family member of a patient, prospective resident or physician.

Our board-certified pediatric surgeons provide leading-edge care – including many procedures performed as minimally invasive surgeries – at St. Louis Children’s Hospital (SLCH). The hospital was founded in 1879; it is the oldest children’s hospital west of the Mississippi.

Washington University pediatric surgeons are dedicated to providing compassionate care and advanced treatments in a child-friendly environment. Among the conditions treated by surgeons are congenital anomalies and diseases of the head and neck, chest, abdomen and gastrointestinal tract. In addition, expert care is provided for children with cancer, trauma and burns.

Our pediatric surgeons have special expertise in treating congenital conditions – offering prenatal counseling as well as surgical and follow-up care. They also work closely with other cancer specialists at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, an internationally recognized cancer care center, in providing surgical treatment of many types of tumors. As part of the only American College of Surgeons Pediatric-Designated Level One Trauma Center in the states of Missouri and Illinois, they offer advanced care to children who have some of the most serious burn and trauma injuries.

Pediatric surgeons perform a spectrum of minimally invasive surgeries. These surgeries, performed through small ports in the body, allow surgeons to operate using high-resolution video imaging and specialized microinstrumentation. It is the goal of our surgeons to make SLCH a national leader in these surgical techniques, which have been shown to result in less pain and scarring, quicker recovery times and shorter hospital stays.

Along with its emphasis on excellent patient care, the division is a leader in graduate medical education. Washington University School of Medicine is one of about 40 institutions in the United States to offer a pediatric surgery fellowship program approved by the American Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The program has two fellows, who serve overlapping two-year fellowships.

The division’s pediatric surgeons – along with their clinical duties and resident oversight – are actively involved in many areas of research. Brad Warner, MD, and Associate Professor Jun Guo, PhD, oversee a leading laboratory in the field of intestinal adaptation following massive small bowel resection. Among other areas of recent study are genetics of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, issues related to burn and trauma care, congenital conditions, imaging modalities for children with abdominal pain, neuroimaging of children after ECMO, application of thrombo-elastography for management of trauma patients, and nutrition on ECMO.

Please browse our website to learn more about our patient care, research and teaching programs.