Pediatric Surgical Care 

Washington University pediatric surgeons are dedicated to providing compassionate, state-of-the-art pediatric care in a child-friendly environment.

As part of the clinical team at St. Louis Children’s Hospital (SLCH) – ranked seventh by Child magazine on its 2007 list of the nation's 10 best pediatric hospitals – our pediatric surgeons treat a wide range of medical conditions  including 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. Many surgeries are now performed as minimally invasive procedures, which offer some benefits over traditional surgical procedures.

Areas of special expertise include:

Congenital Conditions

Pediatric surgeon Patrick Dillon, M.D., (right) and pediatric surgery fellow Sundeep Keswani, M.D., (center) perform surgery on an infant supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) with the assistance of a St. Louis Children's Hospital nurse.

Our pediatric surgeons are well versed in providing prenatal counseling – as well as in providing surgical and follow-up care – for infants diagnosed with conditions such as congenital diaphragmatic hernia, fetal lung abnormalities, tracheoesophageal fistula, neck masses, gastroschisis and omphalocele. Typically, a condition is identified on an ultrasound, and the parents are referred to a team of specialists at St. Louis Children's Hospital that includes a pediatric surgeon, neonatologist and high-risk obstetrician. After the baby is born, pediatric surgeons perform the operation, and the infant is placed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The NICU provides specialized care as well as advanced treatment and monitoring equipment, including ECMO, a heart lung machine that can be used temporarily to permit recovery when acute heart and/or lung failure occurs.

Cancer Treatment
Pediatric surgeons treat liver tumors, Wilms' tumor (a kidney tumor in children), neuroblastomas, soft tissue sarcomas and other tumors. They work closely with medical and radiation oncologists as well as other cancer specialists at St. Louis Children's Hospital and the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center. A National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Siteman Cancer Center has received international recognition for its cutting-edge research on pediatric cancer. It also offers the latest treatment options, including exciting new therapies available only in clinical trials.

Burn and Trauma Care
St. Louis Children's Hospital is a Pediatric Level 1 Trauma Center and has the only dedicated pediatric Burn Center  in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Pediatric surgeons work closely with physicians in the emergency room as they provide surgical and follow-up care to major and minor trauma patients. At the comprehensive Burn Center, surgeons often combine aggressive burn therapy and procedural sedation in their treatment of children with burn injuries. They also work with specialists in many other areas as they focus on the well being of the whole child.

Minimally Invasive Surgery
Our surgeons perform a growing number of procedures through minimally invasive surgery. This technique, performed through small ports in the body, allows surgeons to operate using high-resolution video imaging and specialized microinstrumentation. The end result generally has been less pain and scarring, quicker recovery and shorter hospital stays for pediatric patients.

Minimally invasive surgeries performed by Washington University pediatric surgeons include both laparoscopic (abdominal) and thoracoscopic (chest) procedures. Some of the more common minimally invasive procedures performed at Children's Hospital include cholecystectomy (removal of the gall bladder), appendectomy, fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux, ovarian cystectomy, pectus excavatum repair, lung biopsy, chest or abdominal tumor biopsy and treatment of pneumonia.
 
For an appointment with a pediatric surgeon, call (314) 454-6022.

Locations

St. Louis Children's Hospital 
Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital

Telephone 

• For patient appointments, call (314) 454-6022, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• (314) 454-6000, 24 hours a day, ask for the chief pediatric surgical resident on call

Hours 

• 24 hours, on call service

Learn About Our Physicians 

Brad W. Warner, M.D. 
Patrick A. Dillon, M.D. 
Martin S. Keller, M.D. 

Visit the Physicians site for full information
about your outpatient or inpatient visit. 

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