a happy little girl is wheeled into surgery by a smiling, caring nurse.

Surgery

Wolfson Children’s Hospital provides technologically advanced surgical care in a kid-friendly setting. From routine tonsillectomies and appendectomies to complex brain surgeries and heart procedures, our pediatric specialists perform nearly 11,000 surgical procedures each year to treat infants, children and adolescents with a wide range of conditions.

Why Wolfson

We know kids

When a procedure requiring anesthesia is needed, it's important to bring your child to a place designed specifically for children and staffed by professionals trained to provide health care to kids.

Experienced team at the ready

The pediatric surgical specialists at Wolfson Children’s are highly qualified and specialized. Our surgeons and anesthesiologists are board certified and surgical nurses are certified in pediatric advanced life support.

child life specialist plays with young girl sitting in a hospital bed

Easing Fears and Reducing Pain

Child Life specialists are an essential part of the team. They help patients and families prepare for surgery and assist with uncomfortable procedures. They can help ease fears and help children understand what's happening through play, education and support. Together, our physicians, nurses and child life specialists aim to make injections, IVs and blood draws as pain-free as possible, using advanced technology, numbing and distraction.

child getting ready for surgery

Full-Service Anesthesia Just for Children

Small bodies need specialized attention. That’s why patients at Wolfson Children’s will have a board-certified pediatric anesthesiologist during surgery. For complex heart procedures, we have anesthesiologists with additional expertise in cardiac care.

The anesthesia team also provides acute pain management for post-operative care and works with the palliative care program to help manage pain and make children as comfortable as possible. Additionally, we can block nerves and numb a specific area using ultrasound-guided techniques, which are often more effective and use less medication.

High-Tech Facilities

  • Surgery facilities feature state-of-the-art technology and imaging capabilities in a child-friendly atmosphere.
  • Specialized hybrid operating room brings imaging into the sterile operating room environment.
  • In many cases, surgery can be done with a minimally invasive surgical approach with the da Vinci robotic surgical system, laparoscopy or other techniques.
  • Specialized operating suites allow us to provide the highest level of care for some of our most critically ill and injured patients.
  • Gold-level status PICU for recovery of the most critical patients.
surgeons in an operating room

Outpatient Surgery

For most surgeries that don’t require an overnight stay, you’ll probably visit an outpatient surgery center at Wolfson Children’s designed with your family in mind. After checking in, you’ll meet your child’s nurse, who will communicate regularly with you. Younger children are sometimes transported in wagons that look like boats rather than wheelchairs. If able after surgery, patients can stay hydrated with cool, slushy drinks. Families spend time in comfortable waiting areas and meet with surgeons in private rooms.

Family approach with coordinated care

Our commitment to providing exceptional care begins with a family-centered approach that includes close coordination with your child’s primary care physician. This allows for a seamless transition between the hospital and your child's primary care provider's office.

Types of surgeries

These are some of the outpatient (no overnight stay) and inpatient (admitted to hospital) procedures we perform:

Wound Care

With a 24/7 in-house pediatric trauma team, we provide faster, direct access to specialized care during the critical "golden hour" following a trauma. Treatment at our emergency centers comes with the full range of resources of our nationally recognized children’s hospital. We specialize in kids and we're one of the few award-winning hospitals in the nation with a "peds-only" Burn & Wound program.

We understand the issues that affect children and work to keep your child comfortable and as calm as possible during treatment. Large, deep, or complicated wounds may heal slowly and require irrigation, cleaning, or dressing.

Surgery Resources

  • Pre-Op Tours

    Kids 3-18 years and their families can take a tour to prepare for the surgical experience, from check-in through recovery. To schedule a pre-operative tour, call Child Life at 904.202.8541