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Forward4th Annual Pediatric Surgical Symposium Management of Neonates with Surgical Emergencies 2026
The 4th Annual Pediatric Surgical Symposium provides a focused, multidisciplinary review of the management of neonates with surgical emergencies. Expert faculty will cover key neonatal conditions—including thoraco-abdominal wall defects, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, biliary atresia, acute abdomen, and anorectal malformations—through evidence-based lectures and case discussions. Designed for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, this program highlights current surgical strategies, perioperative management, and collaborative approaches that improve outcomes for critically ill newborns.
This conference is being held in person/virtually.
NOTE: Please note this activity will be presented 7:00am – 5:00pm CST / 8:00am - 6:00pm EST
Target Audience
This course is intended for physicians, nurses, physician assistants, and other health care professionals.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this session, learners should be able to:
- Identify the pathology, diagnostic considerations, and clinical presentation of major neonatal surgical emergencies, including thoraco abdominal wall defects, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, biliary atresia, acute abdomen, and anorectal malformations.
- Apply evidence based surgical, perioperative, and stabilization strategies to optimize care for neonates requiring urgent surgical management.
- Integrate multidisciplinary perspectives across surgery, neonatology, anesthesia, radiology, and maternal–fetal medicine to enhance collaborative decision making and improve neonatal outcomes.
AGENDA
7:00-7:35am | Registration / Breakfast |
7:35–7:45am | WELCOME Frank Belmonte, D.O.
|
7:45-8:15am | CHALLENGES IN THE ANESTHETIC MANAGEMENT OF NEONATES |
8:15–9:45am
8:15-8:50am
8:50-9:10am
9:10-9:30am | MIDLINE THORACO-ABDOMINAL WALL DEFECTS
NEWER STRATEGIES IN OMPHALOCELE AND GASTROSCHESIS MANAGEMENT
WHAT TO DO FOR ECTOPIA CORDIS AND STERNAL DEFECTS
THE ROLE OF A PLASTIC SURGEON |
9:30-9:45am | QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
9:45-10:00am | REFRESHMENT BREAK |
10:00-11:15am
10:00-10:20am
10:20-10:40am
10:45-11:15am | CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA
IS THERE A ROLE FOR PRENATAL INTERVENTION?
POSTNATAL STABILIZATION; IS ECMO NEEDED?
SURGICAL OPTIONS: WHEN AND HOW |
11:15-12:15am
11:15-11:40am
11:40-12:15pm | BILIARY ATRESIA
AN OVERVIEW|
STATE OF THE ART MANAGEMENT; PALLIATION VS TRANSPLANTATION |
12:15-12:30pm | QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
12:30-1:15pm | LUNCH BREAK |
1:15-3:00pm
1:15-1:45pm
1:45-2:05pm
2:05-2:25pm
2:25-3:00pm | ACUTE ABDOMEN IN THE NEWBORN
RADIOLOGICAL EVALUATION AND TREATMENT
MANAGEMENT OF NEONATAL SURGICAL SEPSIS
SURGICAL SEPSIS; FUTURE DIRECTIONS
SURGICAL APPROACHES TO NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS AND OTHER COMMON CAUSES OF ACUTE ABDOMEN |
3:00-4:00pm
3:00-3:15pm
3:15-3:35pm
3:35-4:00pm | ANORECTAL MALFORMATION
PRENATAL EVALUATION
MANAGEMENT OF ASSOCIATED URINARY TRACT LESIONS
CURRENT SURGICAL APPROACHES |
4:00-4:30pm | MANAGEMENT OF PSYCHO-SOCIAL IMPACT OF THORACOABDOMINAL LESIONS ON PATIENT AND FAMILIES |
4:30-5:00pm | QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
5:00PM | ADJOURNMENT |
Faculty
| Name of individual with credentials | Job title | Hospital affiliations/Company names |
| Frank Belmonte, DO | Senior Vice President Women and Children's Service Line, Advocate Health Interim President, The Chicagoland Children's Health Alliance | Advocate Health The Chicagoland Children's Health Alliance |
| Edward Barksdale, MD | Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine Chief Surgical Officer, The Chicagoland Children's Health Alliance | The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine The Chicagoland Children's Health Alliance |
| Michel Ilbawi, MD | Surgeon Emeritus | Advocate Children's Hospital |
| DeAnn Martin, MSN, MBA, RN | Director of Pediatric Surgical Services | Advocate Children's Hospital |
| Emily Pena, PA | Physician Assistant, Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery | Advocate Children's Hosptial |
| Michelle Tracy, MPH, MBA, RN, CPN | Chief Nursing Officer/Vice President Nursing Services | Advocate Children's Hospital |
| Sarah Ruzich | Coordinator, Pediatric Surgery Department | Advocate Children's Hospital |
| Muhammad Rafique, MD | Anesthesia, Advocate Christ Medical Center | Advocate Christ Medical Center |
| Thomas Pranikoff, MD | Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics Surgeon-in-Chief Brenner Children's Hospital Co-Executive Director, Children's Service Line | Brenner Children's Hospital |
| Narutoshi Hibino, MD | Professor of Surgery Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon Advocate Children's Hospital University of Chicago School of Medicine | Advocate Children's Hospital University of Chicago School of Medicine |
| Sanjay Naran, MD | Section Chief, Pediatric Plastic Surgery Advocate Children's Hospital Director, Craniofacial Trauma Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Clinical Associate, Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Service Clinical Instructor, Department of Plastic Surgery University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine | Advocate Children's Hospital University of Chicago Medical and Biological Service University of Pttsburgh School of Medicine |
| Suwan Mehra, MD | Physician Maternal and Fetal Medicine Advocate Lutheran General Hospital | Advocate Lutheran General Hospital |
| Kristen Nelson McMillan, MD | Pediatric Critical Care Advocate Children's Hospital - Oak Lawn | Advocate Children's Hospital - Oak Lawn |
| David Kays, MD | Medical Director of the Center for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), John Hopkins All Children's Hospital Director of the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Program Co-Director fo the Fetal Diagnosis/Treatment Program | John Hopkins All Children's Hospital |
| Baddr Shakhsheer, MD | Associate Professor of Surgery, Section of Pediatric Surgery The University of Chicago, Comer Children's Hospital Faculty, The MacLean Center for Medical Ethics, Co-Director, Ethics Consult Service | The University of Chicago, Comer Children's Hospital The MacLean Center for Medical Ethics |
| George Mazariegos, MD | Chief, Pediatric Transplantation Professor of Surgery and Critical Care, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine | University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine |
| Matthew Olen Thompson, MD | Pediatric Radiology Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging | Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist |
| James E. Jones, DO | Levine Children's Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Medical Director Associate Professor of Pediatrics Wake Forest University School of Medicine Advocate Health Levine Children's Hospital Division of Neonatology | Advocate Health Levine Children's Hospital Wake Forest University School of Medicine |
| Jeffrey Upperman, MD | Professor and Chair, Department of Pediatric Surgery Vice Chair for Pediatric Surgical Services Section of Surgical Services Surgeon-in-Chief, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital | Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital |
| Jason Sulkowski, MD | Pediatric General Surgeon, Advocate Children's Hospital Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Chicago | Advocate Children's Hospital University of Chicago |
| Mohan Gundeti, MD | Professor - Pediatric Urology (surgery) Professor - MFM (OB/GYN) and Pediatrics The University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences Director Pediatric Urology, Comer Children's Hospital | The University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences Comer Chilren's Hospital |
| Marc Levitt, MD | Chief, Division of Colorectal & Pelvic Reconstruction - Children's National Hospital Professor of Surgery & Pediatrics, The George Washington School of Medicine | Children's National Hospital The George Washington School of Medicine |
| Marion Henry, MD | Professor, Pediatric Surgeon Medical Director, Pediatric Trauma Center Chief Quality Officer, Pediatric Surgery Comer Children's Hospital, The University of Chicago Medicine | Comer Children's Hospital, The University of Chicago Medicine |
Disclosure
Faculty disclosures are being reviewed and will be presented to the audience in advance of the program.
Accreditation Statement
In support of improving patient care, Advocate Health is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Credit Statement(s)
American Medical Association (AMA)
Advocate Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 8.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
Advocate Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 8.25 ANCC contact hours. Nurses should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA)
Advocate Health has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 8.25 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
Board Recognition Statement(s)
American Board of Pediatrics (ABP)
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn up to 8.25 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABP MOC credit.
American Board of Surgery (ABS)
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME and Self-Assessment requirements of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.
Available Credit
- 8.25 ABP MOC Part 2Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the activity and individual assessment of and feedback to the learner, enables the learner to earn up to 8.25 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics’ (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABP MOC credit.
- 8.25 American Board of SurgerySuccessful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME and Self-Assessment requirements of the American Board of Surgery's Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.
- 8.25 ABS Self-Assessment
- 8.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™Aurora Health Care is accredited by the Wisconsin Medical Society to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Aurora Health Care designates this activity for a maximum of 8.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 8.25 AttendanceAttendance Credit
- 8.25 Approved AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 8.25 Continuing Nursing Education (CE)Aurora Health Care is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Wisconsin Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. 8.25 contact hours have been awarded to this activity by the Wisconsin Nursing Association. To receive contact hours, participants must attend the entire activity.
- 8.25 Physician Associates CreditAdvocate Health has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 8.25 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
Price
How to Register
Click “Take Course” to fill out the enrollment question and complete registration
Once attendance has been claimed click "Take Course" to claim credit for this program.
For those attending this conference virtually, a link to the meeting will be provided prior to the event.
For Further Information
If you have any questions regarding the conference, please contact [email protected]
If you have any questions regarding registration, please contact the IPCE Office at [email protected]
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