Pediatric General Surgery

Our pediatric general surgeons treat a range of problems in your child’s chest and abdomen. Turn to us for specialized care of your child’s surgical needs.

Call Us: 954-265-0072 Our Providers

Explore Our Pediatric General Surgery Services

To schedule an appointment with one of our pediatric general surgeons, call:

954-265-0072

Pediatric general surgeons at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital treat problems in your child’s chest and abdomen, areas of the body containing many important organs. We’re also qualified to remove skin growths, such as cysts or lipomas. Turn to us for specialized care of your child’s unique needs.

playing with toys on floor — The healing Power of Play is an integral part of patient care at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.

Why Choose Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital for Pediatric General Surgery?

Our experienced, dedicated surgeons offer a full range of abdominal, pelvic and soft tissue surgery. Here, you’ll find:

A focus on children: Children’s bodies are different from adult bodies, so it’s important to choose a doctor who focuses on their unique needs. As a comprehensive children’s hospital, we’re equipped to provide an accurate diagnosis for your child and recommend appropriate treatment options.
Many specialists under one roof: We look at your child’s individual needs from every relevant angle. Doctors and care team members from multiple disciplines collaborate on your child’s care.
Minimally invasive care: Surgery can be a major event for your whole family. Whenever possible, we use minimally invasive techniques, such as laparoscopy and thoracoscopy (using small cameras to see inside your child’s body). That translates to fewer stitches and generally a smoother, more comfortable recovery than with traditional surgery.
Convenient locations: We offer easy access to pediatric care for busy families. Our surgeons operate at several locations in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Conditions We Treat

We treat many common and rare conditions, including:

Appendicitis

An infected appendix is the number one reason for emergency surgery among children of all ages. We care for both acute and complicated cases. Learn more about how we treat appendicitis.

Biliary Anomalies

One type of anomaly is biliary atresia, in which the bile ducts become inflamed and blocked soon after a baby is born. This blockage causes digestive fluid to damage the liver.

Crohn’s Disease

This is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract. While surgery doesn’t cure Crohn’s disease, we can remove diseased areas of the intestines to ease inflammation and reduce symptoms.

Gallstones

Gallstones are hardened deposits of digestive fluid that can form in your child’s gallbladder. Our surgeons can remove them to relieve pain and other symptoms.

Gastroesophageal Reflux

When stomach acid flows in reverse, it can irritate the tube (esophagus) connecting the mouth and stomach. Gastroesophageal reflux is usually temporary, but if it becomes a long-term problem, it’s called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Imperforate Anus

Babies with an underdeveloped anus are not able to pass stool normally. Our surgeons repair tissue so the rectum (at the end of the large intestine) and anus function together as they should.

Intestinal or Small Bowel Atresia

This birth defect obstructs a baby’s small intestine, which connects the stomach to the large intestine. In duodenal atresia, the first part of the small bowel (the duodenum) has not developed properly.

Intussusception

This type of bowel obstruction happens when one part of the intestine slips, or “telescopes,” into another segment.

Pyloric Stenosis

Babies who have a thickened pylorus (valve between the stomach and small intestine) can have trouble digesting food. That can cause them to vomit, become dehydrated, lose weight and feel constantly hungry.

Ulcerative Colitis

This is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects a child’s large intestine, or colon, causing irritation and swelling. Our surgeons can safely remove the entire colon or only the section that is damaged.

Pediatric Hernias

When an organ pushes through the muscle wall, it can cause a swelling known as a hernia. We care for hernias in the belly, groin, upper abdomen and abdominal wall. Learn more about hernia surgery.

Growths and Masses

Tumors and blood disorders

Our surgeons work closely with pediatric oncologists (children’s cancer specialists) when your child needs surgery to remove a growth. We also help with treating blood disorders such as leukemia and lymphoma. Our team performs biopsies (testing tissue samples for disease) and places ports and catheters in a child’s body for chemotherapy.

To schedule an appointment with one of our pediatric general surgeons, call:

954-265-0072

MyChart

Meet Dr. Oliver Lao: General Surgeon

Oliver Lao, MD, is a pediatric general surgeon at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital.

"My goal as a pediatric surgeon is to partner with children and their families to understand what's going on, provide information, answer questions and help make an informed decision about the next steps.

When I do recommend a procedure, I prefer to use minimally invasive techniques (either laparoscopic or thoracoscopic), if possible, which usually allows for faster healing and recovery"

Moments that Count – Grace’s Abdominal Surgery Story

After spending the first four weeks of her life in intensive care, see how we were there in the moments that count for Grace and her family when she was diagnosed and had major abdominal surgery for a rare condition, microgastria with limb reduction syndrome, and how we continue to be there for her as she continues to grow.

Meet Jill Whitehouse, MD - Pediatric General Surgeon, Vice-Chief Pediatric General Surgery Program

I am a pediatric general surgeon at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. I perform a wide variety of procedures but also specialize in minimally invasive surgery, thoracoscopic lung surgery to treat congenital lung diseases, neonatal surgery and procedures to treat ovarian disease.

Each surgical case is as unique as the child we are treating. I devote a lot of time to getting to know my patients and their families. Then, together, we explore all of the possible treatment options for your child.

At Joe DiMaggio, you will be treated like family. We are driven not by numbers, but by the satisfaction of healing and helping the patients we have devoted our lives to caring for.

In addition to providing patient care, I participate in surgical research projects and serve on the National American Pediatric Surgery Association Education Committee. I am also a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Moiz Mustafa, MD - Pediatric General Surgeon, Co-Medical Director of the Fetal Medicine Program

I am a pediatric general surgeon and co-medical director of the Fetal Medicine Program at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.

As a pediatric surgeon, I have a broad scope of practice and operate on most areas of the body for various reasons. The most common procedures are in line with the most common conditions, including laparoscopic appendectomies for appendicitis, laparoscopic cholecystectomies for cholecystitis or cholelithiasis and surgery to treat inguinal and umbilical hernias. I also perform surgery to address congenital lung lesions, remove cancers as well as treat congenital problems in newborns such as congenital diaphragmatic hernia, esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula and intestinal atresia.

I am also helping to build and grow the Fetal Medicine Program at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, which fills a great need for families in South Florida and beyond. We provide counseling for parents with pregnancies with prenatally diagnosed issues, which can include lung lesions, abdominal wall defects such as gastroschisis and omphalocele, esophageal atresia and more. Our goal is to develop a comprehensive program including fetal interventions for fetuses with diagnosed conditions so we can offer more options for pregnant women and their families.

In addition to providing patient care, I’m also involved in clinical research and organizational committees focused on retrospective case studies, health outcomes and quality improvement.