OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital has Oregon’s only operating rooms just for children and teens. We offer: 

• Team-based care, with specialists working together.
• More pediatric surgeons than any other hospital in Oregon and southwest Washington. 
• Experts in less-invasive surgery to reduce pain and healing time. 
• Leading-edge technologies and techniques. 
• Compassionate support services for you and your child.

Learn more

• Preparing your child for surgery
• Frequently asked questions
• Meet our team

Our excellence

• Level 1 children’s surgery and trauma center: We are one of the nation’s best for children's surgery and trauma care.
• Top children’s hospital: Doernbecher Children’s Hospital is ranked among the nation’s best in five specialties, including pediatric neurosurgery.
• Operating rooms for children: Oregon’s only surgical rooms designed and used just for kids.

Complete care

OHSU Doernbecher surgeons, anesthesiologists and other specialists work together to care for your child. Find answers to common questions.

Expertise

All our team members love caring for children and teens.

• Our team has general and specialty surgeons to meet the needs of every child.
• Our anesthesiologists treat only children and teens.
• Our nurses have advanced pediatric training.

Advanced technology and techniques

Less-invasive surgery: Our surgeons are experts in methods with fewer and smaller incisions. This can reduce pain and healing time.

• Our neurosurgeons can use neuroendoscopy, a tiny telescope and video camera, for brain surgery. Learn more on our hydrocephalus and Chiari malformation pages.
• Our urologists are skilled with robot-assisted surgery for complex surgery on a tiny scale.

Pain relief: Our anesthesiologists work only with children. They will use the best option for your child, during and after surgery.

Intra-operative MRI: We have the West Coast’s only child-focused intraoperative MRI to provide high-resolution images during brain surgery. This gives our neurosurgeons the precision to safely remove tumors in one operation.

Status updates: You will know your child’s status at all times. You can see their status on boards in the waiting room. You will also have a pager that gives you text updates anywhere in the hospital.

General surgery

Our general surgeons have the expertise and training to treat common to complex conditions. We offer surgery for:

• Hernias, to repair the abdominal wall when tissue pokes through.
• Appendicitis, to remove an inflamed appendix that could cause serious infection.
• Traumatic injuries
• Tumors
• Birth defects, including chest surgery not related to the heart.

Specialty surgery

• Cancer surgery
• Cardiac surgery
• Craniofacial surgery
• Dental surgery
• Ear, nose and throat surgery
• Neurosurgery (brain and spine)
• Orthopaedic surgery
• Plastic surgery
• Thyroid surgery
• Urologic surgery

Follow-up care

Rehabilitation: Our pediatric rehabilitation therapists specialize in helping children move, function and communicate better after surgery.

In-home care: Our nurse case managers will help arrange in-home support and equipment if needed.

Additional services

• Our Child Life Therapy Program helps your child and family cope with being in the hospital.
• Social workers offer emotional support and help with housing and transportation.
• In our Preparing for surgery (PREP) clinic, specialists will answer questions about your child’s anesthesia.
• Therapists in our Help Keep Me Calm program can tailor a plan for a child with special needs.
• Our Hospital School Program offers lessons and keeps students connected to school.