Division of Pediatric Surgery — About Us

Welcome to the website of 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; most recently, Child magazine ranked SLCH seventh on its 2007 list of the nation's "10 best" pediatric hospitals.

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.

Pediatric Surgery Chief Brad Warner, M.D., (right) performs surgery with assistance from pediatric surgery fellow Brent Roten, M.D.

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. And they offer advanced care to children who have some of the most serious burn and trauma injuries seen by hospitals in the region.

Over a recent period, pediatric surgeons reported a five-fold increase in 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 30 institutions in the United States to offer a pediatric surgery fellowship program approved by the American Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). In July 2004, the Residency Review Committee of the ACGME approved expansion of the program from one to 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. Pediatric Surgery Chief Brad Warner, M.D., and Associate Professor Christopher Erwin, Ph.D., oversee a leading laboratory in the field of intestinal adaptation following massive small bowel resection. Among other areas of recent study are issues related to burn and trauma care, congenital conditions and complications of portacatheters (used in children for long-term nutrition and administration of antibiotics and chemotherapy).

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