St. Jude Care & Treatment

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Surgery

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital surgeons are world renowned for using advanced surgical approaches that help save the lives of children with cancer and other serious childhood illnesses. 

Medical staff prep operating room for surgery

The St. Jude surgery team has years of experience performing complex and rare surgeries in children. These include procedures to promote long-term survival and quality of life. Our goal is for your child to be disease-free and able to live a healthy, active life.

Our experienced surgical team includes many specialists, including: 

  • Surgical oncologists (cancer surgeons)
  • Ophthalmologists (eye surgeons)
  • Orthopedic (bone, muscle, and joint) surgeons 
  • Neurosurgeons (brain surgeons)
  • Plastic surgeons
  • Dental surgeons
  • Ear, nose, and throat surgeons
  • Gynecological (female reproductive organ) surgeons 
  • Urological (male reproductive organs and male and female urinary tract) surgeons

Our surgeons work closely with the oncology team to make sure your child gets the best care.  

Meet your surgery team

Services we provide

Our pediatric surgeons and other specialists work with you and your child’s doctor at home to develop a treatment plan for your child. We accept some of the toughest cases, including tumors other surgeons may consider inoperable.

Because of our extensive experience surgically managing children with cancer, we have a more aggressive willingness to perform complex surgical procedures rather than saying they can’t be done.

- Andrew Davidoff, MD

Can my child come to St. Jude for surgery?

Some children come to St. Jude just for surgery. In many cases, they have already had chemotherapy somewhere else. After recovery from surgery, these patients return home to finish their therapy.

Learn more about referrals

Solid tumor surgery

Surgery plays a vital role in most solid tumor treatment. Your child’s team will decide the best treatment plan to go along with surgery. The plan may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both. You will help make that decision.

Learn about solid tumor surgery

Read about these types of solid tumors:

Yariel Canas-Rios

“As a parent, you look at an X-ray or scan, and you only see surface details, but when you put on the virtual reality glasses, I was in tears because you don’t truly understand the size until you physically see it in 3D. I’m so grateful that I could ask questions while Dr. Davidoff was turning the model around and showing me because I had such a better understanding"

- Nancy, mother of Yariel, Read their story

Brain tumor surgery

St. Jude partners with Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital to form one of the nation’s largest surgical brain tumor programs. Ours is one of the few programs devoted solely to children with brain tumors.

Learn about brain tumor surgery

Read about these types of brain tumors:

Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgery

Our skilled surgeons use a delicate touch to remove head and neck tumors. The surgery team is also a part of your child’s care team to help your child hear, speak, and swallow after treatment. 

Learn about ENT surgery

Why choose St. Jude for my child’s surgery?

St. Jude surgeons have pioneered safer, more effective surgical procedures for children with cancer and serious illnesses since the hospital opened in 1962. We are experienced in performing all types of pediatric surgeries.

 

Learn more

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