When a child needs surgical care, a pediatric surgeon is the right call.
When a child requires surgery, an “adult” general surgeon will often perform the operation. However, a surgeon who is trained to treat adults in an adult hospital may not have the specific skills required or the child and family focus to address the unique challenges of children. That’s where pediatric surgeons come in.
Stony Brook Children’s Hospital believes that every child in our region who needs surgery — major or minor — should have access to a specially trained pediatric surgeon. The Division of Pediatric Surgery at Stony Brook Children’s comprises five skilled surgeons, all who have completed residency training in general surgery plus additional fellowship training in pediatric surgery. Each of the team’s surgeons meets all the rigorous standards of training required of pediatric surgeons as defined by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Surgeons and the American Board of Surgery. There are also dedicated and certified pediatric nurse practitioners on the team.
The division provides general and specialized surgical services to infants, children and young adults who have a wide range of congenital and acquired conditions. With more than 3,000 outpatient visits and more than 1,000 surgeries annually, the division has the largest pediatric surgery program in Suffolk County. In addition, they also direct the Pediatric Trauma Service, which sees more than 300 admissions a year. When surgery is necessary, it is offered in a family-friendly inpatient or outpatient environment.
All the pediatric surgeons work closely with pediatric anesthesiologists and other team members experienced in caring for children, who understand not only the unique physical needs of children but also their psychosocial development. Equally important is that the equipment, gowns and other medical supplies are kid-sized and age appropriate, and that the team delivers care not just to the child but to the entire family. In addition, Stony Brook Children’s is the only hospital in Suffolk County that performs minimally invasive surgery on pediatric patients.
A new chief at the helm
This year, the Division of Pediatric Surgery was pleased to welcome a new Chief, Christopher Muratore, MD, a renowned surgeon with exceptional experience and outstanding leadership credentials. Dr. Muratore has vast expertise in complicated and innovative procedures in pediatric patients from before birth through age 17 and is also an active scholar.
“Our division includes a dedicated team of five specialty-trained pediatric surgeons offering comprehensive care for children,” said Dr. Muratore. “Having a team of this size helps to ensure that every child, both in Suffolk and beyond, who requires the services of a pediatric surgeon, is able to quickly get the care he or she needs.”
The power of innovation
An academic children’s hospital is where the newest and most innovative pediatric surgery is being developed, practiced and taught. It’s where the care is provided by a team of the best-trained minds in medicine. This is what families and patients get at Stony Brook Children’s.