Newswise — With the recruitment of internationally-known colorectal surgeon Marc Levitt, MD, Nationwide Children’s Hospital has established a Center for Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction. The first of its kind, the center has combined Dr. Levitt’s pediatric surgical expertise with the hospital’s flagship Motility Center, led by renowned gastroenterologist Carlo Di Lorenzo, MD, Nationwide Children’s Division Chief of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the Robert and Edgar Wolfe Endowed Chair in Pediatric Gastroenterology. In addition, the Center will combine specialists from Urology and Gynecological services to create a resource for children with complex colorectal issues to see all specialists within a collaborative team. The combination of these specialists allows for the creation of individualized treatment plans for each patient. Di Lorenzo serves as Medical Director of the new center and Levitt serves as Surgical Director, as well as Director of the newly established Pediatric Colorectal Fellowship.

“Nationwide Children's is knocking down the traditional walls of care for children with complex GI, colorectal or pelvic reconstruction needs,” said Dr. Levitt, who is also Professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. “These patients benefit more from a close collaboration of medical and surgical specialists and I am excited to join forces with some of the country's most talented specialists in the fields of GI, Urology, Pediatric Surgery and Gynecology at Nationwide Children's. Combining all this together is what the future of pediatric medicine will look like and patients everywhere will benefit.”

“This program creates an exciting new collaborative among many of our leading specialties here at Nationwide Children’s,” said Dr. Di Lorenzo, who is also Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. “Dr. Levitt’s exceptional skills complement our current expertise and together we look forward to creating a new paradigm for coordinated care and treatment of these children.”

"We are extremely pleased with the recruitment of Dr. Levitt," said Gail E. Besner, MD, Chief of the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Principal Investigator in the Center for Perinatal Research, Director of the Pediatric Surgery Training Program at Nationwide Children's and the H.William Clatworthy, Jr. Professor of Surgery at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "He is a world-renowned expert caring for children with complex gastrointestinal anomalies including imperforate anus, cloacal anomalies and Hirschsprung Disease. While it is clear from his academic accomplishments that he is a superb surgeon with tremendous expertise, even more importantly, Dr. Levitt is unwaveringly committed to the care of children with colorectal problems and he is tireless in his endeavors to provide the best possible care for these patients."

Dr. Levitt received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He completed his general surgery residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center, a fellowship in Pediatric Colorectal Surgery at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and a Pediatric Surgery fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. Following his training, he was on the faculty at Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, Schneider Children’s Hospital, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Medical Center, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. He comes to Nationwide Children’s from Cincinnati Children’s where he was Director of the Colorectal Center for Children, Program Director of the Pediatric Colorectal Surgery Fellowship and Associate Director of the Pediatric Surgery Training Program.

The new center offers a level of coordination and resources never before available with the patients at the center of care. “Nationwide Children's is known for innovation in building multi-disciplinary programs that integrate clinical care and research side-by-side and they take a very scientific approach to outcomes,” Dr. Levitt added. Dr. Levitt has published more than 120 manuscripts and 60 book chapters, and has delivered over 300 national/international and 100 local/regional presentations of his work. He has been an invited visiting professor all over the world. Dr. Levitt has trained numerous clinical fellows, research fellows and students and has directed numerous colorectal surgery training courses attended by established surgeons and surgical trainees from all over the world. He dedicates much of his free time to mission trips around the world where he trains surgeons in his complex surgical techniques.

Levitt and his wife, Sharyn, have three children.

Patient inquiries regarding the Center for Colorectal and Pelvic Reconstruction at Nationwide Children’s can be directed to [email protected], www.nationwidechildrens.org/ccpr or call (614)722-4086.