Babies present a unique challenge when it comes to surgery because of their small size, complex conditions and rapidly changing metabolisms. Their health can change in an instant, requiring quick action and expertise. No other hospital in the region is prepared to meet this challenge like CHOC Children’s. We proudly offer the only Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on the West Coast, providing highly specialized care for babies who need surgery.

The Surgical NICU provides expert pre- and post-operative care, as well as intra-operative care, with the ability to convert a specialized room within the NICU into a state-of-the-art operating room when the need arises. All surgical equipment, supplies and technology, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and high-frequency ventilation, are readily available, just as they are in our traditional operating rooms.

Some conditions requiring surgery may be identified during prenatal testing. OB/GYN specialists or perinatologists who identify a problem may make a referral to our Surgical NICU team. We will meet one-on-one with a family, along with our top specialists, to review a baby’s condition and plan for a surgery that will take place after the baby is born. For prenatal consultations, please call 714-509-4373.

When a baby is born, the CHOC Children’s Transport Team is ready and waiting to transport newborns to CHOC from other hospitals in Southern California. Our neonatologists and surgeons are available for consultations with other hospitals around the clock and are able to collaborate with referring physicians via phone, telemedicine and secure text messaging. To consult with our team or schedule a transport, referring hospitals may call the CHOC Children’s NICU at 714-509-8540.

Dr. Irfan Ahmad is the co-director of the Surgical NICU and is board certified in neonatology. He has expertise in diagnosing and treating various medical and surgical conditions in premature and mature babies. He has been with CHOC Children’s for seven years and also serves as an associate clinical professor of pediatrics with academic appointment at UC Irvine Health. Dr. Ahmad emphasizes the importance of having a unit dedicated to surgical care for babies because of their unique needs and challenges. The unit also provides a foundation for staff to refine the most proven techniques in caring for babies, rather than using techniques meant for older children. “I am dedicated to providing the very best evidence-based care by effective team-building, communication, education and most of all, care and compassion for babies and their families.” Learn more about Dr. Ahmad.

Dr. Mustafa Kabeer is the co-director of the Surgical NICU. “My role as co-director of the Surgical NICU is to contribute surgical and critical care expertise from a surgical perspective. This provides insight into the nuances of surgical procedures not fully realized and appreciated by non-surgeons. This, combined with the medical management expertise from neonatology, yields a unique blend that allows for total care of these babies at a level surpassing the ability of any single service to be able to provide,” he says. Dr. Kabeer has fellowship training in pediatric surgery as well as pediatric surgical critical care combined with experience working as a neonatal hospitalist, all driving his philosophy to work on collaborative relationships that greatly benefits patients. “I am passionate because this type of program exists for adults and has done so for over half a century. It has been proven to improve communication and provide better care and outcomes for critically ill adults. Yet, it is still a novel idea for neonates and premature babies even though they tend to have the most significant physiological changes and are the most fragile and susceptible. We need to be committed to providing our sickest and smallest babies with the best coordinated care we can provide.” Learn more about Dr. Kabeer.

Little Alicia was born at full term, beautiful with 10 fingers, 10 toes and a life-threatening defect buried inside her tiny chest. Alicia had a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), a condition wherein a hole in the diaphragm allows abdominal organs to move into the chest. And this case was especially serious.