Description of Services

The Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery provides comprehensive care to infants and children of all ages with surgical problems. Service is provided 24 hours a day and includes diagnosis, consultation, management and follow-up of inpatients and outpatients.

Facilities for managing critically ill newborn surgical patients are available in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. A fetal diagnostic program includes prenatal counseling. Minimally invasive surgical techniques, including thoracoscopy, laparoscopy and endoscopy, are performed when indicated.

When appropriate, surgical procedures are performed on a same-day basis. The Same-Day Surgery Center is a progressive facility designed for the care of children admitted for surgical and diagnostic procedures that require general anesthesia or narcotic sedation. Select same-day surgery procedures may be performed at Children’s North, Wexford, and Children’s South, Bethel Park.

The pediatric surgical service also directs the Benedum Pediatric Trauma Program, the only pediatric Level I (highest level) trauma program in western Pennsylvania and one of the busiest trauma centers in the country. The Benedum Pediatric Trauma Program seeks to continuously promote excellence in clinical care, research and injury prevention.

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC is a major referral center for childhood cancer in the region and includes a comprehensive pediatric surgical oncology program. It is a charter member of the Children’s Oncology Group and one of its most active participants. This program specializes in the management of children with:

• Genital tumors
• Kidney tumors
• Liver tumors
• Mediastinal and chest wall tumors
• Neuroblastomas
• Soft-tissue sarcoma
• General surgical complications of cancer therapy

The Nutritional Support Service provides coordinated administration and consultative services to all inpatients with special nutritional needs and those requiring nutritional support at home. The team makes recommendations for the institution and refinements of nutritional support.

Referral Requirements

Referrals are required from primary care physicians or other Children’s Hospital specialty services and appointments can be made by calling the General and Thoracic Surgery office. Referrals for patients enrolled in managed care insurance plans also may require authorization from the insurance provider and primary care physician. All necessary referral and authorization forms must be received before the patient’s visit. For accurate provider numbers or more information, please call the office number listed.

Chief of Service
George K. Gittes, MD

Clinical Director
Timothy D. Kane, MD

Our Physicians
R. Cartland Burns, MD
Julie Fuchs, MD
Barbara A. Gaines, MD
David Hackam, MD, PhD
Aviva Katz, MD
James M. Lynch, MD
Kelly A. Miller, MD
Douglas Potoka, MD
David Rodeberg, MD