Biographical summary
Dr. Polites is a pediatric surgeon and researcher who specializes in pediatric cancer surgery, vascular and lymphatic anomalies, and aerodigestive disorders. She works in multidisciplinary teams to treat children with the most complex conditions. Her clinical interests include:
- Pediatric surgical oncology including lung, chest wall and mediastinal tumors, neuroblastoma, hepatoblastoma, Wilms tumor, germ cell tumors, rare tumors of the abdomen, and soft tissue sarcoma including rhabdomyosarcoma. Dr. Polites has experience in minimally invasive tumor resection, refractory or recurrent tumors, and is active nationally in pediatric oncology research.
- Pediatric vascular malformations including venous malformations, and lymphatic malformations. She collaborates with Interventional Radiology for novel, hybrid approaches to removing malformations. She also has interest in the multidisciplinary management of lymphatic conduction anomalies.
- Aerodigestive conditions including tracheobronchomalacia, esophageal disorders, and gastroesophageal reflux. Dr. Polites performs tracheopexy, aortopexy, external airway splinting, fundoplication, Heller myotomy, and esophagogastric disconnection, utilizing minimally invasive techniques whenever possible to help children recover faster.
Dr. Polites' research interests include multi-omic identification of blood-based markers in pediatric cancers, novel techniques for cancer and vascular malformation localization during surgery, and transfusion in pediatric surgery. She is also experienced in health services research, utilizing institutional and national databases to study patient outcomes.
Conditions treated
Procedures performed
- Abdominal surgery
- Adrenalectomy
- Chest surgery
- Chest wall resection
- Diaphragmatic hernia repair
- Fertility preservation
- Heller myotomy
- Hiatal hernia repair
- HIPEC
- Laparoscopic surgery
- Liver resection
- Lung surgery
- Minimally invasive surgery
- Neonatal surgery
- Nephrectomy
- Nissen fundoplication
- Nuss procedure
- Oophorectomy
- Pelvic tumor surgery
- Single-incision laparoscopic surgery
- Soft tissue sarcoma surgery
- Thoracoscopy
- Thoracotomy
- Tracheobronchoplasty
- Tumor resection
- Vascular access surgery
Interests
- Pediatric cancer surgery
- Surgery for recurrent or complex tumors
- Minimally invasive surgery in children including neonates
- Use of localization for minimally invasive tumor resection
- Intercostal cryoablation for less pain and faster recovery after thoracic surgery
- Minimally invasive posterior tracheopexy and aortopexy for tracheomalacia
- External airway splinting for severe tracheobronchomalacia
- Glue embolization and surgical resection of venous malformations
- Management of complex lymphatic anomalies
Mayo Clinic locations
Education
- 2020
Fellowship - Pediatric SurgeryOregon Health Sciences University
- 2018
Clinical Fellowship - Vascular Anomalies and OncologyCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
- 2017
ResidentSurgery, Programs in Rochester, Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
- 2017
Resident - General SurgeryMayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
- 2016
MPH - Executive Public Health Administration and PolicyUniversity of Minnesota
- 2014
Research Fellowship - Surgical OutcomesMayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery
- 2011
MDCase Western Reserve University
- 2011
MS - Applied AnatomyCase Western Reserve University
Activities and honors
Certifications
- 2021
Pediatric SurgeryAmerican Board of Surgery
- 2018
General SurgeryAmerican Board of Surgery
Awards and honors
- 2017
2nd Place Poster PresentationCanadian Association of Pediatric Surgeons
- 2015
C. Robert Chambliss M.D. Best Paper AwardAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
- 2015
Dr. Kaare K.. Nygaard Travel Award for Research - Department of SurgeryMayo Clinic College of Medicine
- 2014
2nd Place Podium PresentationWestern Pediatric Trauma Conference
- 2011
William D. Holden Award in SurgeryCase Western Reserve University
- 2008
T-35 Training Grant - National Institutes of HealthCase Western Reserve University
Professional memberships
- 2024 - present
Assistant ChairPediatric Research Committee, Mayo Clinic Committees
- 2024 - present
MemberPediatric Quality Committee, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
- 2024 - present
MemberDepartment of Surgery Quality Committee
- 2024 - present
MemberMidwest Surgical Quality Subcommittee
- 2023 - present
Panel MemberInternational Program Steering Committee, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN); International Program Steering Committee
- 2023 - present
Surgeon ChampionACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP)
- 2023 - present
Committee MemberInternational Society of Paediatric Oncology
- 2023 - present
Active MemberInternational Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies
- 2022 - present
MemberInternational Society of Paediatric Oncology
- 2022 - present
Committee MemberAmerican Pediatric Surgical Association
- 2022 - present
Working Group MemberChildren's Oncology Group
- 2022 - present
MemberInternational Society of Paediatric Surgical Oncology
- 2021 - present
MemberPediatric Disease Group
- 2021 - present
MemberDepartment of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine AI Advisory Group
- 2021 - 2023
Committee MemberPediatric Trauma Society
- 2021 - present
Committee MemberChildren's Oncology Group
- 2021 - present
MemberEastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma
- 2020 - present
MemberChildren's Oncology Group
- 2020 - present
MemberDepartment of Surgery Innovation Committee
- 2020 - present
MemberSurgery Research Committee, Department of Surgery
- 2020 - present
MemberPediatric Surgical Oncology Research Collaborative
- 2019 - present
MemberPediatric Trauma Society
- 2017 - 2021
Committee MemberAmerican Pediatric Surgical Association
- 2014 - present
MemberAmerican Pediatric Surgical Association
- 2014 - present
MemberAssociation for Academic Surgery
- 2014 - present
MemberSurgical Outcomes Club
- 2014 - present
MemberAssociation of Women Surgeons
- 2011 - present
FellowAmerican College of Surgeons
Publications