Pediatric Surgery

Overview  

The Pediatric Surgery service at Mass General for Children (MGfC) is an international referral center known for delivering high-quality surgical care for infants and children and for performing leading-edge scientific research that has greatly advanced our understanding of many diseases affecting childhood. Our pediatric surgeons provide the full spectrum of general and thoracic surgical care to all pediatric patients, from newborns to young adults. We provide expert care for many surgical conditions, whether it is a common problem, like a hernia or appendicitis, or a complex congenital condition of the abdomen or chest. MGfC is also certified as a center of excellence for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) and as a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center.

Mass General physicians Dr. Dan Ellis, anesthesiologist, left, and Dr. Allan Goldstein, pediatric surgeon, talk about the expansion of pediatric surgery at MassGeneral for Children and bringing care to the communities where patients live.

Conditions We Treat

• Conditions of the head and neck
• Thoracic (chest) disorders
• Abdominal conditions
• Genitourinary (urinary or genital) disorders
• Gynecology
• Conditions of the skin
• Oncology (cancer)
• Vascular access

Services and Programs

• Bowel Management Program
• Pediatric Trauma and Emergency Surgery
• Adolescent Weight Loss Surgery Program
• Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology
• Pediatric and Adolescent Surgical Oncology
• Pediatric Vascular Anomalies Program
• Spina Bifida and Related Disorders Program
• Fetal Care Program
• Pediatric Thyroid Surgery Program
• Neurogastroenterology Program
• Pectus Excavatum Program
• Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center
• Pediatric Pigmented Nevus Program
• Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Program
• Pediatric General Anesthesia
• Pediatric Spinal Anesthesia

Patient Resources

View the full collection of patient resources from Pediatric Surgery at MGfC.

Patient Stories

View the full collection of patient stories from across MGfC.

Lindsey's story: An incidental finding, life-saving care
After a routine appendectomy failed to alleviate 11-year-old Lindsey Scheyer's symptoms, she underwent additional testing, which revealed something much more alarming and unexpected: a two-inch-long benign tumor on her pancreas. Learn about her spleen-sparing pancreas surgery at Mass General.

Alaina’s story: Mother’s intuition and community-based care saves kindergartner after chest injury
Alaina Harrington had a tiny cut on her chest after trying to stop a drinking glass from falling. An emergency room visit revealed that a glass shard had partially collapsed one of her lungs. After surgery to remove the glass shard, Alaina is breathing better and back to her typical happy, bubbly nature.

Grayson's story: Hurdle by hurdle, toddler reaches the finish line with family-centered care
In 2017, Ashley McAlpine and her husband, Garret, went to her 20-week ultrasound. It was supposed to be an exciting appointment to find out their baby’s sex, but it quickly plunged into uncertain territory. Doctors diagnosed the McAlpine’s baby boy with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

Mihaly's story: Life-saving surgery helps premature baby 
Before the birth of Rose's twins, prenatal testing showed one baby may have an intestinal blockage. Hours after Mihaly was born, MGfC surgeons performed a life-saving surgery.

Research

The Department of Pediatric Surgery has an extensive program in basic research. Areas of focus include:

• Congenital diaphragmatic hernia
• Respiratory failure
• The development of fetal inhibitors as anti-cancer agents
• Intersex abnormalities and sexual differentiation
• General fetal and embryologic development
• Development of the intestine and the study of intestinal motility disorders, such as Hirschsprung's disease
• Regenerative medicine
• Tissue engineering
• Stem cell biology