Setting a High Bar in Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery

Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital is home to a team of top-flight pediatric general surgeons performing the latest minimally invasive procedures, from routine to complex. Yet according to Marybeth Browne, MD, even other doctors and clinicians often are unaware of how broad-based her specialty actually is. 

“A more accurate term is pediatric general and thoracic surgeon,” says Dr. Browne, Chief, Division of Pediatric Surgical Specialties. “Within pediatrics, we perform not only abdominal and soft tissue procedures, but also lung and chest wall surgery.”

Other types of children’s surgery are performed by specialists in pediatric ear-nose-throat, orthopedics, urology and plastic surgery as well as pediatric neurosurgery. Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital boasts the region’s largest group of surgeons from all these disciplines combined.

“We are the only children’s hospital in eastern Pennsylvania that participates in NSQIP (the American College of Surgeons’ National Surgical Quality Improvement Program),” Dr. Browne says. “This involves reporting our outcomes and being compared with more than 150 children’s hospitals nationwide. With data to guide us, we are able to constantly improve.”

Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital’s pediatric general and thoracic surgery team includes three board-certified, fellowship-trained surgeons: Dr. Browne; Daniel Relles, MD; and Sarah Sapienza, MD. They are joined by nurse practitioner Mary Fragassi, CRNP, MSN. The team treats a wide range of conditions in children from birth to age 18, including, but not limited to:

• Appendicitis
• Bowel obstruction
• Chest wall abnormalities
• Congenital abdominal and chest anomalies
• Gallbladder disease
• Gastroesophageal reflux
• Gastrostomy tube placement and care
• Hernias and hydroceles
• Ovarian cysts and masses
• Pilonidal disease
• Soft tissue and skin masses
• Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease

“We pride ourselves on doing what’s best for families, and bringing care closer to home can make a huge difference.” - Marybeth Browne, MD

“We strongly emphasize best practices and follow the most-up-to-date surgical guidelines,” Dr. Browne says. “We also use minimally invasive techniques whenever possible, which results in shorter hospital stays, less postoperative pain and faster recovery times.”

Outpatient procedures are performed at the J.B. and Kathleen Reilly Children’s Surgery Center, the region’s only pediatric ambulatory surgery facility. For children who require an inpatient stay, Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital is the area’s premier institution for pediatric care. Pediatric anesthesiologists, pediatric nurses and child life specialists help ensure an optimal experience.

Preop and postop visits with the pediatric general and thoracic surgery team are offered at three LVPG locations:

• 1210 Cedar Crest (Allentown)
• Palmer Township (Easton)
• Steamtown (Scranton)

“We pride ourselves on doing what’s best for families, and bringing care closer to home can make a huge difference,” Dr. Browne says