Pediatric General Surgery

Experienced Pediatric Surgeons

When your child is in need of surgical procedures, it can be a scary time. Rest assured, your children are in excellent hands with our board-certified and compassionate pediatric surgeons. At CHRISTUS Health, our pediatric surgeons specialize in the latest minimally invasive surgical options for various conditions. Our highly trained surgical team collaborates with other pediatric specialists to ensure your child receives the best possible outcome.

Type of Surgical Procedures

Abdominal

• Abdominal tumors
• Gallbladder and liver disorders
• Intestinal tract disorders

Head & Neck

• Branchial cleft anomalies
• Cystic hygroma
• Endoscopy for airway and esophageal foreign bodies
• Lymph node disorders
• Thyroid and parathyroid disorders

Thoracic 

• Esophageal, lung, and diaphragm disorders
• Minimally invasive (Nuss) repair of pectus excavatum
• Minimally invasive surgery for empyema

Advanced Laparoscopic & Thoracoscopy 

• Appendectomy
• Cholecystectomy
• Colectomy for Hirschsprung's disease, polyposis, and ulcerative colitis
• Nephrectomy
• Nissen fundoplication
• Splenectomy

Oncology

• Excision of all head/neck, thoracic, abdominal, gynecologic, and skin tumors
• Multidisciplinary management of the cancer patient
• Vascular access for chemotherapy

Prepare Your Child for Surgery

To ensure that you and your child are prepared, watch the videos above for in-depth information to prepare for your child's surgery. In addition, here are a few things that are helpful to know.

• Please follow our physician’s instructions regarding eating and drinking prior to surgery.
• Bring a photo ID and your child’s health insurance card to the hospital.
• Bring an accurate list of any medications your child is currently taking.
• If your child takes any medications routinely at home, please ask your physician for special instructions for your child’s day of surgery.
• A parent or legal guardian must accompany your child to the hospital and remain with them throughout their hospital stay.
• If your child develops a rash, fever, cough, diarrhea, or any illness prior to surgery, please notify your physician immediately.

Child Life Service

Child Life Specialists are available to help your child understand the Hospital environment and ease any fears. In order to help provide comfort to your child, we encourage you to bring a favorite item (blanket, pillow, stuffed animal) from home to accompany them on their day of surgery.

Day of Surgery 

On your child’s day of surgery, you will:

• Arrive two hours prior to your child’s surgery time, unless otherwise instructed by your physician.
• Report to kidSTOP located on the first floor to register and complete necessary paperwork.
• Check into a room and prepare for surgery.
• Meet your child’s surgeon and anesthesiologist in the pre-op area.
• Meet with the surgeon after your child’s surgery.
• Be discharged or admitted to the Hospital per the plan of your physician.