Dr. Peter T. Yu, Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgeon
Peter Yu, MD
is on staff at
CHOC Hospital Orange
Specialty:
Board Certified:
General Surgery Referrals
Physicians can refer patients to CHOC through our eCeptionist Referral Portal.
Dr. Peter Yu is an accomplished pediatric surgeon with education and training from the finest institutions in the United States. This background and experience has translated into high-quality, effective care with a patient-centered and data-driven approach. He strongly believes that the key factors in an excellent surgical outcome are compassion, technical excellence and clear communication with patients, their families, his surgical team and referring physicians.
Dr. Yu hails from St. Louis. He earned an undergraduate degree in psychology from Stanford University with an additional master’s degree in biology coursework at Washington University in St. Louis. His medical education was completed at the University of Missouri, Columbia. His internship, residency and research fellowship in general surgery were completed at UC San Diego, where he also served as chief resident. Dr. Yu also completed fellowships at Boston Children’s Hospital and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is board-certified in three specialties: general surgery, surgical critical care and pediatric surgery.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Yu has secured research grants and has an extensive list of publications with a focus on outcomes research. He consistently presents lectures at national conferences and is a member of several professional associations dedicated to the advancement of surgical care for children. He completed a master’s degree of public health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Dr. Yu is a compassionate physician dedicated to working together with community pediatricians to treat and heal the children of Orange County and beyond. His inpatient expertise spans the breadth of pediatric surgery, including fetal surgery, neonatal surgery and trauma, and his outpatient expertise includes thoracic surgery, abdominal surgery, minimally invasive surgery, tumors, pediatric hernias, hydrocele and circumcision.
Locations
CHOC Specialists, Pediatric Surgery
505 S. Main St., #225
Orange, CA 92868
phone: 714-364-4050
fax: 714-364-4051
Education
- Undergraduate
Stanford University, Stanford, CA - Medical School
University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO - General Surgery Residency
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA - Surgical Critical Care Fellowship
Boston Children’s Hospital, MA - Pediatric Surgery Fellowship
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA - Master of Public Health
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
Professional Organizations
- American College of Surgeons
- Society of Critical Care Medicine
- American Pediatric Surgical Association
- American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Surgery
- American Medical Association
Publications
- Yu, P.T., Parsa P.V., Hassanein O., Rogers S.O., Chang D.C. Minorities Struggle to Advance in Academic Medicine: A 12-Year Review of Diversity at the Highest Levels of America’s Teaching Institutions. Journal of Surgical Research. 2013 Jun 15;182(2):212-8.
- Ramirez, M., Chang D.C., Rogers S.O., Yu P.T., Easterlin M, Coimbra R., Kobayashi, L. Can Universal Coverage Eliminate Health Disparities? Reversal of Disparate Injury Outcomes in Elderly Insured Minorities. Journal of Surgical Research. 2013 Jun 15;182(2):264-9.
- McLemore, E., Coker, A., Leland H., Yu P.T., Devaraj B., Jacobsen G., Talamini M., Horgan S., Ramamoorthy S. New Disposable Transanal Endoscopic Surgery Platform: Longer Channel, Longer Reach. Global Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 2013 June;1, 36-40.
- C.R. Harnsberger, E.C. McLemore, R.C. Broderick, P.T. Yu, M.A. Berducci, C. Beck, H.F. Fuchs, G.R. Jacobsen, S. Horgan. “Foramen of Winslow Hernia: A Minimally Invasive Approach.” Surgical Endoscopy. 2014 November 1. Epub ahead of print.
Our pediatric general and thoracic surgeons commonly perform the following surgeries:
- Appendicitis
- Circumcision (not newborn)
- Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation (CCAM/CPAM)
- Gall Stones (Cholecystectomy)
- Gastroschisis
- GERD (Fundoplications)
- Hydrocele
- Inguinal Hernia
- Intussusception
- Lumps & Bumps
- Malrotation
- Omphalocele
- Pectus Excavatum (Nuss procedure)
- Precocious Puberty (Supprelin Implants)
- Umbilical Hernia
- Undescended Testicle (Orchiopexy)
- Anorectal malformation
- Appendicitis
- Biliary atresia
- Circumcision (not newborn)
- Congenital diaphragmatic hernia/CDH
- Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malfunction (CPAM/CCAM)
- Gallstones (cholecystectomy)
- Ganglion cysts
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease/GERD (fundoplication)
- Gastroschisis
- Hernias, including inguinal hernia, umbilical hernia and incarcerated hernia
- Hydrocele
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Intestinal atresia, including duodenal atresia, jejunal atresia, jejunoileal atresia
- Intussusception
- Liver disease and disorders
- Lumps and bumps
- Lung lesions, including congenital pulmonary airway malformation/CPAM and bronchopulmonary sequestration/BPS
- Malrotation
- Omphalocele
- Palmar hyperhidrosis/excessive sweating of the hands (ETS surgery)
- Pectus carinatum
- Pectus excavatum (sunken chest) – Nuss procedure
- Precocious puberty (supprelin implants)
- Pyloric stenosis
- Sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT)
- Tracheoesophageal fistula and esophageal atresia
- Traumatic injuries
- Tumors
- Undescended testes (orchiopexy)
Videos featuring Peter Yu, MD
Dr. Peter Yu, pediatric general and thoracic surgeon, explains the condition pyloric stenosis and the surgical procedure used to correct it.
Dr. Peter Yu explains the different types of anorectal malformations and how they are surgically repaired.
Dr. Peter Yu explains what a sacrococcygeal tumor is and the surgery that is used to remove it so that it does not become cancerous later in life.
Dr. Peter Yu explains the signs and symptoms of an inguinal hernia and how it is surgically repaired.
Esophageal atresia is a birth defect when the esophagus abnormally forms in two parts and food cannot get from the mouth to the stomach.
Peter Yu, MD in the News
Healthcare
CHOC-led study reveals racial disparities in fatal encounters between youth and law enforcement
CHOC “lets the data speak for itself” in first-of-its-kind study into pediatric injuries sustained during law enforcement encounters.
Heart / Cardiology
Fetal Care Center team gives newborn with very rare congenital heart condition a fighting chance
The multidisciplinary, expert fetal team from CHOC and UCI gives infants, like Damian with ectopia cordis, the best chance at survival.
Maternal-fetal care
CHOC accepted as member of prestigious fetal program oversight body
The Fetal Care Center of Southern California is the only fetal program in the region to be designated a member of NAFTNet.
Maternal-fetal care
Centralizing advanced care for congenital anomalies
The Fetal Care Center of Southern California connects experts in maternal-fetal medicine and pediatrics in a single location at CHOC.
Healthcare
Surgeon, NICU nurse say their lifesaving professions have made them better fathers
Two CHOC providers reflect on the challenge of balancing their demanding and often emotionally exhausting work with fatherhood.
Healthcare
CHOC surgeons thriving as productive researchers outside the operating room
Outside the operating room, the 7 physicians who make up CHOC’s pediatric general and thoracic surgery team also are excelling in research.




