World-Renowned Colorectal Surgeons Join Children's Hospital Colorado

Children’s Hospital Colorado is excited to welcome Drs. Alberto Peña and Andrea Bischoff as the director and assistant director of the Children’s Hospital Colorado International Center for Colorectal and Urogenital Care. Drs. Peña and Bischoff are respected worldwide for redefining colorectal surgery and bring their expertise, passion for teaching and dedication to family-centered care to Colorado.

Two internationally respected colorectal surgeons join our team

According to Drs. Peña and Bischoff, approximately 1 in 4,000 babies worldwide are born every year with anorectal malformations such as cloaca, a condition in which the rectum, vagina and urinary tract develop into a single, fused orifice. Before 1980, the accepted surgical method to correct anorectal malformations was done in a semi-blind manner, but Dr. Peña proved there was a better way, and now the “Peña Pull-Through” procedure has become the treatment standard around the world. 
 
Collectively, Drs. Peña and Bischoff have treated more than 3,000 patients with anorectal malformations. They remain committed to their patients for decades and are now even providing care for patients who are expecting babies of their own. This commitment to providing a lifetime of care was one of the leading reasons the doctors selected Children’s Colorado for their practice.

Bringing expertise and patient-centered care to Colorado's children 

“Providing exceptional, personalized care, within a culture that fosters new ideas and continuous innovation, is the cornerstone of the experience we deliver to our patients and their families,” said Dr. Peña. “We are inspired by the passion for research, innovation and patient-centered care at Children’s Colorado and look forward to joining the first-in-class teams here in Colorado.”

At Children’s Colorado, they will work with a multidisciplinary team in the provision of care, including specialists in Adolescent Gynecology, Gastroenterology, and Urology as well as partnering with the Colorado Fetal Care Center (CFCC) to continue the advancement of prenatal diagnosis of anorectal malformations, improving prenatal and delivery care for patients.

“I am delighted to be working in close collaboration with Dr. Peña and Dr. Bischoff in order to provide world class multidisciplinary care to these patients with complex problems,” said Dr. Duncan Wilcox, Division Chief of the Department of Pediatric Urology at Children's Hospital Colorado. “They are respected worldwide and I am extremely excited about what we’ll work on together as they join the Children’s Colorado team.”

A global focus with international partnerships

In addition to leading the Section of Pediatric Colorectal Surgery, Dr. Peña has been appointed professor of surgery at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and director of the Children’s Hospital Colorado International Program. Dr. Bischoff will be an associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Research also will be a primary focus for Drs. Peña and Bischoff at Children’s Colorado, with 20% of their time allocated to it. Furthermore, Dr. Peña will continue to focus on international partnerships to improve training and education so that international patients can receive the appropriate care when they return home following a surgery.

“On behalf of the entire Children’s Colorado community, I want to share our excitement for the addition of Drs. Peña and Bischoff to our expert multidisciplinary team dedicated to caring for patients worldwide,” said Gil Peri, senior vice president and chief strategy officer. “Drs. Peña and Bischoff literally wrote the book on pediatric colorectal surgery, and we look forward to establishing a destination Center here at Children’s Colorado.”

Drs. Peña and Bischoff will begin seeing patients at Children’s Colorado starting in February 2016.

Learn more about the International Center for Colorectal and Urogenital Care.