Pediatric Urology Services

We offer pediatric urology care from prenatal development of the fetus through age eighteen. Our expert urologists provide care for all urological conditions.

Robotic Surgery

Mohan S. Gundeti, MD, at the da Vinci Surgical System console.

Comer Children's Hospital at the University of Chicago is among the first hospitals in Illinois to offer robotic-assisted surgery for children with urological disorders. With the introduction of new miniaturized tools and the da Vinci Surgical System, this state-of-the-art technique is now available for the most complex and delicate pediatric reconstructive operations. Because the surgery is performed through tiny "keyhole" incisions, patients have reduced risk of infection, much less pain and shorter recovery times. The robotic equipment allows the surgeon better range of motion, dexterity and precision than is possible with other surgical techniques. »Learn more about pediatric robotic urological surgery

Minimally Invasive Surgery

Many urological conditions in children can be diagnosed and treated with minimally invasive procedures, such as endoscopy and laparoscopy, performed with sophisticated, thin instruments. These procedures allow surgeons to probe and operate in very small areas of the body and save the patient the pain and scarring of a large incision. »Learn more about minimally invasive pediatric urological surgery

Reconstruction of Congenital Abnormalities of the Kidney, Bladder and Genitalia

A robotic procedure helped Aaliyah overcome neurogenic bladder, a condition that results in the uncomfortable sensation of always having to urinate. »Read Aaliyah's story

Some of the most common pediatric urological problems -- anomalies in the kidney (UPJ, duplex kidney) and bladder (VUR, neurogenic bladder) -- occur during fetal development. Sometimes these conditions require surgical reconstruction. Dr. Gundeti is an expert in kidney reconstruction (pyeloplasty) and bladder reconstruction (cystoplasty). In most cases, these reconstructions can be done using minimally invasive procedures, including robotic-assisted techniques. Some genital and bladder abnormalities like hypospadias and cloaca bladder exstrophy require open reconstruction. Others, like undescended testis, can usually be corrected laparoscopically.

Multi-Specialty Clinics

The urology service at Comer Children's Hospital has teamed up with the Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and the Section of Pediatric Neurology to create two new multi-specialty clinics.

• The clinic for fetal urological diseases focuses on diagnosis and intervention for various urological anomalies (i.e. hydronephrosis, posterior urethral valve) discovered before a baby is born. The clinic offers diagnosis, treatment and counseling for women with high-risk pregnancies related to bladder and genital abnormalities.
• The clinic for neurogenic bladder disorders concentrates on neurogenic bladder, a condition sometimes seen in children with spina bifida. The urologist works with a team of neurosurgeons and orthopaedic surgeons to evaluate and manage this complex condition. If reconstruction of the bladder is necessary, the procedure is usually performed with the da Vinci robotic surgical system.

Voiding Dysfunction Clinic

If a child is experiencing an interrupted or intermittent flow of urine, he or she may have a voiding dysfunction. Sometimes this is the result of a neurological problem, but is more commonly caused by a child’s habit of "holding in" the urine. The voiding dysfunction clinic at Comer Children’s Hospital, under the direction of a pediatric urologist and a dedicated nurse specialist, offers comprehensive evaluation of voiding dysfunction using state-of the art equipment and treatments, such as urodynamics and biofeedback. In rare cases when surgery is required, minimally invasive techniques including robotic surgery are used,