Department of Surgery
The Department of Surgery at Lurie Children’s, led by Thomas H. Inge, MD, PhD, provides surgical services that range from routine appendectomies, tonsillectomies, and fractures, to complex organ transplantations and surgeries for congenital heart defects. The Department is also the pediatric surgery training partner for Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and other local and regional hospitals, providing extraordinary resident and fellow training in each of its 10 divisions.
Lurie Children’s is the first children’s hospital in Illinois to be designated as a Level 1 children’s surgery center by the American College of Surgeons, a recognition only achieved by meeting the highest standards for training, staffing, quality improvement and care. Lurie Children’s is also a designated Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center, meaning it is equipped to handle the most severely injured children.
Our experienced team, comprised of approximately 80 surgeons in 10 sub-specialty divisions, is ready to serve your child’s every surgical need.
Nationally-Ranked Care
Lurie Children’s continues to be the #1 children's hospital in Illinois and is ranked in 11 specialties by U.S. News & World Report.
Leadership Team
Thomas H. Inge, MD, PhD
Surgeon-in-Chief and Chair
Daniel Skarzynski
Vice President
Nicole Lantero
Operations Manager
Sid Chittajallu
Director, Business Operations and Analytics
Jamie Schechter
Senior Director Business Operations, Surgical Services
Courtney Jones
Director, Medical Education
Jeffrey S. Raskin, MS, MD
Vice Chair of Quality and Safety
Michael G. DeCuypere, MD, PhD
Vice Chair of Finance
Timothy B. Lautz, MD
Vice Chair of Clinical Operations
Vineeta T. Swaroop, MD
Vice Chair of Medical Education
Justin Ryder, PhD
Vice Chair of Research
Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery
David S. Winlaw, MBBS, MD, FRACS
Division Head, Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgery
Genny, Genevieve M. Frey MSN, RN, CPN
Associate Vice President, Heart Center Transformation
Chicago Institute for Fetal Health
Aimen F. Shaaban, MD
Director, Chicago Institute for Fetal Health
Chen Cheng
Executive Director, Chicago Institute for Fetal Health
Neurosurgery
Sandi K. Lam, MD, MBA
Division Head, Neurosurgery
Madeline Sherman
Division Administrator, Neurosurgery
Ophthalmology
Brenda L. Bohnsack, MD, PhD
Division Head, Ophthalmology
Adrian Anderson
Division Administrator, Ophthalmology
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Dana M. Thompson, MD, MS, MBA, FACS
Division Head, Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Ryan Cyzman
Division Administrator, Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Orthopedic Surgery
Erik C. King, MD, MS
Interim Division Head, Orthopedic Surgery
Poonam Jambhekar
Division Administrator, Orthopedic Surgery
Pediatric Surgery
Mehul V. Raval, MD, MS, FACS
Divison Head, Pediatric Surgery
Rachel Wankel
Division Administrator, Pediatric Surgery
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Arun K. Gosain, MD
Division Head, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Rachel Wankel
Division Administrator, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Transplant and Advanced Hepatobiliary Surgery
Juan C. Caicedo, MD, FACS
Division Head, Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery
Johanna Mishra
Senior Director, Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery
Department of Surgery News
Chicago's Top Doctors for Kids 2025
Several of Lurie Children's providers were recognized in Chicago Magazine Castle-Connolly Top Doctors 2025 list.
Surgical Innovations in Genitourinary Conditions with Drs. Julia Grabowski & Julia Geynisman-Tan
In this episode, two of the Collaborative Advanced Reconstructive Evaluation (CARE) Clinic's leaders, Dr. Julia Geynisman-Tan and Dr. Julia Grabowski, talk about the transformative surgical innovations they’ve developed and life-changing procedures and supportive care they offer and more.
A Pioneering Pediatric Living Organ Transplant Team
Dr. Juan Caicedo and Dr. Satish Nadig, who lead the program, offer insight into this decades-long collaboration that has resulted in more than 1,700 solid organ transplants since its inception.
Advancing Congenital Heart Disease Care with Dr. Kiona Allen
In this episode, Dr. Kiona Allen discusses key components of a supportive, long-term approach for children with congestive heart (CDH) disease.
Helping Families Navigate Drug-Resistant Pediatric Epilepsy with Dr. Sandi Lam
In this episode, Dr. Sandi Lam, Division Head of Neurosurgery at Lurie Children’s, talks about her work to help pediatric patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and their families manage this condition by investigating the outcomes that matter most to patients and their families.
First Pediatric Guideline on Opioid Prescribing in Primary Care Focuses on Preventing Overdose
With its emphasis on opioid overdose prevention, the first guideline for primary care providers from the American Academy of Pediatrics on prescribing opioids for acute pain in children and adolescents extends beyond responsible pain management.