Dr. Alhajjat is a pediatric surgeon and specialist in the area of surgical fetal intervention. He completed a two-year fellowship in Pediatric Surgery at Phoenix Children’s Hospital/Mayo Clinic Arizona, as well as a one-year fellowship in Fetal Surgery at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. He completed his residency in General Surgery at the University of Iowa.
As a physician scientist, Dr. Alhajjat’s research has focused on the maternal and fetal immune response to In-Utero Stem Cell Transplantation and Prenatal Tolerance following Hematopoietic Cellular Transplantation. He also focuses on understanding of the delicate maternal-fetal immune tolerance during pregnancy and the imbalances that occur with various fetal procedures.
Clinically, Dr. Alhajjat practices pediatric general and thoracic surgery with a range of conditions spanning newborns through young adults. He has a strong interest in laparoscopic and thoracoscopic newborn surgery.
Clinical and Research Expertise
Fetal Health Conditions
- Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS)
- Myelomeningocele (MMC), or open spina bifida
- Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH)
- Fetal teratomas and other masses or tumors
- Congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM/CCAM)
- Bronchial atresia
- Twin-reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence
- Selective growth restriction in a twin pregnancy
- Bladder outlet obstruction (BOO)
- Congenital heart defects
- Amniotic band syndrome
- Fetal chylothorax
- Fetal lymphatic malformations
- Abdominal wall defects
- Esophageal or intestinal atresias
- Congenital airway obstruction
General Pediatric Conditions
- Congenital diaphragmatic hernia
- CPAM (congenital pulmonary airway malformation)
- Extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
- Sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT)
- Abdominal wall defects—gastroschisis and omphalocele
- Hirschsprung’s disease
- Spinal muscular atrophy
- Hernia (umbilical, inguinal)
- Intussusception (intestinal obstruction, intestinal telescoping)
- Surgical oncology
- Pediatric trauma
Procedures Performed
Fetal Health Procedures
- Selective fetoscopic laser procedures for twin-twin transfusion syndrome
- Open and fetoscopic surgery for MMC/spina bifida
- Radiofrequency ablation for TRAP
- Thoraco- and vesico-amniotic shunting procedures
- Percutaneous amnioinfusions or placement of an amnioport
- Amniocentesis and amnioreduction
- Ex-utero intrapartum treatment procedures
- EXIT-to-airway
- EXIT-to-resection
- EXIT-to-ECMO
- Open fetal surgery for rare life-threatening fetal conditions
- Fetoscopic devascularization for chorioangiomas and placental tumors
- Comprehensive care for genitourinary conditions including bilateral renal agenesis
General Pediatric Surgical Procedures
- Laparoscopic and thoracoscopic newborn surgery
- Diaphragmatic surgery
- Lung surgery
- Airway surgery
- Esophageal surgery
- Anti-reflux surgery
- Bowel surgery
- Treatment of chest wall deformity
- Pancreatic surgery
- Oncologic surgery
- Spleen surgery, splenectomy
- Rectal surgery
- Laparoscopic and open Inguinal hernia repair
