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Pediatric surgery is both my profession and my passion. As a father of four, including one child with chronic illnesses, I have a deep understanding of the emotional and psychological challenges families face when dealing with serious health issues. This personal experience motivates...
About Me
Pediatric surgery is both my profession and my passion. As a father of four, including one child with chronic illnesses, I have a deep understanding of the emotional and psychological challenges families face when dealing with serious health issues. This personal experience motivates my commitment to providing compassionate, family-centered care while advancing surgical techniques that improve outcomes for children with cancer and other complex diseases.
Areas of Expertise
Pediatric general and thoracic surgery Pediatric surgical oncology Image-guided surgery Minimally invasive surgery, including single-site surgery and single-site retroperitoneoscopic surgery My clinical focus is on the resection of pediatric solid tumors, including rare and complex tumors that require specialized surgical approaches. I am passionate about advancing surgical techniques such as fluorescence-guided and image-guided tumor resection to enhance precision and improve patient outcomes. Minimally invasive surgery is also a central part of my practice, as I aim to minimize recovery time while maximizing treatment effectiveness.
Why I Chose This Specialty
I chose pediatric surgery and pediatric surgical oncology because it allows me to combine my love for surgery with the opportunity to make a meaningful, lasting impact on children and their families. Pediatric cancer care holds a special significance for me due to my personal experience with the emotional and psychological challenges families face when a child is diagnosed with a serious illness. This experience drives my dedication to improving surgical techniques and innovating in ways that provide children the best chance at recovery.
Philosophy or Approach to Patient Care
I believe in providing compassionate, family-centered care that addresses not only the physical aspects of treatment but also the emotional and psychological needs of patients and their families. My goal is to be not only a skilled surgeon but also a supportive advocate throughout the entire process. I work closely with multidisciplinary teams to ensure that every aspect of care is considered, fostering the best possible outcomes for each child.
What I Would Like Patients/Referring Providers to Know
I am dedicated to providing cutting-edge, evidence-based surgical care, with a particular focus on improving tumor resection and minimizing recurrence. My research includes clinical trials investigating innovative approaches such as minimally invasive techniques and fluorescence-guided tumor localization and lymph node mapping for solid tumors. I collaborate closely with families to ensure they feel supported throughout their child’s cancer treatment and recovery journey.
Special Skills or Procedures
I have pioneered the use of single-site retroperitoneoscopic surgery in pediatric cancer surgery, improving access to complex retroperitoneal tumors and enabling more precise surgeries with quicker recovery times. Additionally, I am conducting clinical trials exploring fluorescence-guided tumor localization and lymph node mapping for solid tumors—an innovative approach in pediatric surgery that enhances tumor margin visibility and lymphatic drainage mapping, allowing for more precise surgical outcomes.
Additional Comments
As both a father and a pediatric surgeon, I understand the emotional weight of treating children with cancer. This personal connection fuels my ongoing dedication to refining surgical techniques, advancing research, and supporting families during some of their most challenging moments. I am excited about the future of pediatric surgical oncology and the potential for lasting improvements in care and outcomes for children battling cancer.
Faculty Appointments
Interim Associate Professor
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Department of Surgery, Pediatric Surgery (SMD)
Interim Associate Professor
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Department of Pediatrics (SMD) - Joint
Credentials
Residency & Fellowship
Fellowship, Surgery, Pediatric Surgical Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital-GME. 2016 - 2018
Residency, Pediatric Surgery, Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin (Ireland). 2008 - 2012
Fellowship, Cardiac Surgery Critical Care, University Hospital Southampton (United Kingdom). 2007 - 2008
Residency, Surgery (General Surgery), Royal Lancaster Infirmary. 2004 - 2007
Internship, Surgery (General Surgery), University Of Khartoum (Sudan). 2002 - 2005
Education
MBBS | University of Khartoum Faculty of Medicine (Sudan).2002
Research
Summary of Recent Accomplishments: Over the past year, I have focused on advancing innovative surgical techniques and improving global standards of care in pediatric surgical oncology. Notably, I launched the VISCERALX trial in 2023, a multi-institutional study investigating the feasibility and s...
Summary of Recent Accomplishments: Over the past year, I have focused on advancing innovative surgical techniques and improving global standards of care in pediatric surgical oncology. Notably, I launched the VISCERALX trial in 2023, a multi-institutional study investigating the feasibility and safety of ICG-guided sentinel lymph node mapping for pediatric visceral solid tumors, of which I am the principal investigator. This trial aims to enhance the precision of lymph node evaluation, thus improving oncological outcomes for pediatric patients. I have also pioneered a high-resolution intra-operative lung ultrasound technique for localizing and resecting deep intra-parenchymal lung nodules in patients with sub-centimeter multiple deep lung lesions. This technique successfully navigated the limitations of traditional IR preoperative localization methods. Another key development is the single-site retroperitoneoscopic technique that I created and applied in the resection of neuroblastoma, retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND), and retroperitoneal metastatic disease. Comparative analysis of this technique against laparoscopic surgery has shown a significant reduction in pain, opioid analgesic requirements, and hospital stay, improving recovery times and reducing costs. Global Quality Improvement Initiatives: In the realm of global health, I led the development of the Pediatric Oncology Facility Integrated Local Evaluation Surgical Tool (PrOFILE-ST), a comprehensive tool for assessing health system delivery in pediatric surgical oncology. This tool, piloted in five international pediatric cancer centers, enabled the identification and implementation of crucial quality improvement initiatives. Additionally, I spearheaded the creation and global implementation of synoptic operative report templates—structured reports that improve documentation of critical intraoperative oncologic findings and facilitate better communication across surgical teams. Educational Initiatives: I am also leading the global pediatric surgical oncology fellowship, which was piloted in Latin America and Africa in 2022 and has since expanded to Southeast Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean. This program is training the first pediatric cancer surgeons in four countries across different regions. I am a member of the MSc in Global Child Health Admissions Committee, and I served as thesis committee chair for students during the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years. Over the past year, I have delivered 18 invited lectures on topics related to pediatric surgical oncology. Publications and Scholarly Contributions: Over the last three years, I have published more than 50 manuscripts, serving as the first or last author on 29 of them. During the past year, I co-authored 37 publications, including 20 as first or last author, and contributed to the Pediatric Surgical Oncology book as a co-editor, recently published by Springer. Future Research Directions: My ongoing research explores innovative approaches in pediatric surgical oncology, with a particular focus on improving tumor resection precision. I am leading several high-impact studies, including the ICGLOW trial, which aims to examine the role of fluorescence-guided surgery in enhancing tumor margin identification and reducing the risk of inadequate resection. I also continue to drive the VISCERALX trial, examining the use of ICG-guided sentinel lymph node mapping in pediatric visceral solid tumors. I am also working on the development of evidence-based surgical guidelines for pediatric solid tumors, and I plan to complete and publish rhabdomyosarcoma guidelines by mid-2024. This research will help standardize surgical care globally and improve patient outcomes. Additionally, I am expanding my work on the synoptic operative report template—a project that aims to address the variability in operative documentation and improve the precision and completeness of critical intraoperative findings.
Seyi-Olajide J, Ali A, Powell WF, Samad L, Banu T, Abdelhafeez H, Maswime S, Abbas A, Ademuyiwa A, Ameh EA, Abib S, Aziz T, Bickler S, Bundy D, Chowdhury TK, Echeto MA, Evans F, Gathuya Z, Gray R, Hodges S, Jamison D, Klazura G, Lakhoo K, Martin B, Meara J, Nabukenya M, Newton M, Ozgediz D, Rai E, Philipo GS, Sykes A, Yap A
International health.. 2024 November 18 Epub 11/18/2024.
Abdelhafeez A, Harrison D, Nugud F, Sanhouri K, Grant CN, Aronson DC, Bukhari Z, Israels T, Langer M, Sharma S, Munanzvi K, Muzira A, Moreno A, Ngongola A, Shalkow J, Abib S, Lakhoo K
Pediatric blood & cancer.. 2023 November 70 (11):e30650. Epub 08/28/2023.
Pio L, Abu-Zaid A, Zaghloul T, Halepota HF, Davidoff AM, Losty PD, Abdelhafeez HH
European journal of surgical oncology : the journal of the European Society of Surgical Oncology and the British Association of Surgical Oncology.. 2023 October 49 (10):106923. Epub 05/18/2023.
Bou-Samra P, Muhammad N, Chang A, Karsalia R, Azari F, Kennedy G, Stummer W, Tanyi J, Martin L, Vahrmeijer A, Smith B, Rosenthal E, Wagner P, Rice D, Lee A, Abdelhafeez A, Malek MM, Kohanbash G, Barry Edwards W, Henderson E, Skjøth-Rasmussen J, Orosco R, Gibbs S, Farnam RW, Shankar L, Sumer B, Kumar ATN, Marcu L, Li L, Greuv V, Delikatny EJ, Lee JYK, Singhal S
Journal of biomedical optics.. 2023 May 28 (5):050901. Epub 05/13/2023.
European journal of pediatric surgery : official journal of Austrian Association of Pediatric Surgery ... [et al] = Zeitschrift für Kinderchirurgie.. 2011 December 21 (6):375-6. Epub 10/05/2011.
Books
Pediatric Surgical Oncology
(2025)
Authors: Editors:
Kokila Lakhoo, Abdelhafeez H. Abdelhafeez, Simone Abib
Publisher:
Springers Nature 2025
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