General Surgery Verified Center Badge

Pediatric General Surgery at Phoenix Children’s has the largest team of pediatric surgeons in Arizona and offers surgical treatment for more than 50 conditions.

Each year the Pediatric General Surgery team sees an average of 7200 clinic visits and performs more than 3,932 surgeries, more than anyone else in the state. Our surgical expertise ranges from the tiniest of newborns to children, teens and young adults. We specialize in all surgeries, including the more commonly known conditions like appendicitis and hernias to rare conditions found in the abdomen, neck or chest. We conduct these surgeries using minimally invasive or laparoscopic techniques or other procedures that might require more specialized and collaborative care.

With 24 highly trained pediatric general surgeons and advanced practice providers, the Pediatric General Surgery team at Phoenix Children’s offers comprehensive surgical services for a broad range of disorders, including: 

  • Abdominal Disorders
  • Central Venous Lines
  • Chest Disorders
  • Gastrostomy Tubes
  • Genitourinary Disorders
  • Hernias 
  • Neck Disorders
  • Prenatal Consultations
  • Skin Lesions
  • Trauma

Children need specialized experts who are trained in pediatric surgery and understand the intricacies of a growing body. Our team is ready to care specifically for the unique needs of infants to young adults. Verified by the American College of Surgeons (ACS), our Level 1 distinction indicates we meet the highest standards to provide the very best in pediatric surgery services. These standards ensure everyone in our Surgery department, including surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses, is entirely pediatric-focused.

Phoenix Children’s is dedicated to taking care of kids, and we work diligently to make each encounter a positive experience through our child-friendly atmosphere and the design of our surgical spaces, including our pre-op area and recovery rooms. Our Child Life specialists are here to see children through the challenges of illness, hospitalization and medical treatment.

Why Choose Phoenix Children’s?

Our general surgeons are on the cutting edge of clinical care and surgical treatments. We have conducted numerous clinical trials with patient centered outcomes and are part of several national collaboratives to learn about the latest treatment and surgical approaches.

Our team also focuses on a multidisciplinary approach where we collaborate across multiple teams to make sure we develop a comprehensive plan to treat the whole child. 

Our team is focused on quality and safety, and our department has been focused on quality improvement initiatives since our program started. At Phoenix Children’s, we regularly track our outcomes using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program - Pediatric. Through this rigorous tracking, we have been successful in reducing surgical site infections, decreasing antibiotic usage for appendicitis and advocating to limit radiation exposure with computed tomography (CT) scans. We are constantly looking for additional ways to improve our quality measures and will continue measuring our surgical outcomes so that we can remain a top surgical program in Arizona and one that is always striving to provide the best care for children.

Related Services

Center for Fetal and Neonatal Care Chest Wall Center Colorectal Clinic Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Gastroenterology and GI Surgery Oncology Surgical Services Trauma Solid Tumor Program Women's Surgical Collaborative

Locations

Phoenix Children's Hospital - Thomas Campus

Phoenix Children's Hospital - Thomas Campus

1919 E. Thomas Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85016

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Phoenix Children's Urgent Care - 6990 E. Shea Blvd.

Phoenix Children's Specialty Care

6990 E. Shea Blvd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85254

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Phoenix Children’s Specialty Care - Arrowhead Campus

Phoenix Children's Specialty Care - Arrowhead Campus

6524 W. Sack Dr.
Glendale, AZ 85308

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Phoenix Children’s Specialty Care - Avondale Campus

Phoenix Children's Specialty Care - Avondale Campus

1665 N. Avondale Blvd.
Avondale, AZ 85392

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Phoenix Children's Specialty Care - Mercy Gilbert Medical Center - 3370 S. Mercy Rd.

Phoenix Children's Specialty Care - East Valley

3370 S. Mercy Rd.
Gilbert, AZ 85297

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Patient Resources

We’ll help ease the anxiety that children may feel before surgery. Our resources include help with preparing for surgical procedures designed to help young patients and families. We offer age-specific suggestions on how to ease a child’s fears. We also give families access to a Child Life specialist who’ll walk you through the process, step by step.

Everyone – especially children – can feel better when they know what to expect, what to do and how to prepare. These tips will help:

  • Talk honestly with your child about the surgery. Use simple words that can be easily understood. 
  • Download a Phoenix Children’s app that can make matters simpler. For suggestions and ideas on how to explain surgery to your child, you can download the free app created by Phoenix Children’s called Simply Sayin’.
  • Read a book with your child about going to the hospital. Your Child Life specialist or a nurse at The Emily Center health library may have some suggestions.
  • Ask your doctor about what to expect. Ask about what your child will see, hear, feel and experience – before and after surgery. The doctor’s answers will help you prepare your child for what to expect during the surgery experience and recovery process.

Our anesthesiologists are involved in the entire surgery or procedure process.

LEARN MORE

When you’re preparing your child for surgery, you have a lot to plan and do. Learn what to expect and how to prepare. Find resources for everything from places to stay and things to do, to transportation options, educational materials, services and support. Learn more about planning your stay.

If you’re traveling to Phoenix Children’s from out of town, get information and help to plan your visit. Find details about hotels and other places to stay, including on-campus and off-campus choices, services and other accommodations for out-of-town visitors.