Diana Leigh Diesen, MD
Pediatric Surgeon
Associate Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center
- Languages Spoken:
- English
Biography
Diana Diesen, M.D., is board certified in pediatric general and thoracic surgery at Children’s Health℠. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at UT Southwestern and a pediatric surgery fellowship program director.
I feel honored and privileged to have families entrust me with the care of the most precious thing they have – their children – and I take that trust very seriously.
Dr. Diesen’s clinical interests include surgical education, clinical outcomes in general and thoracic pediatric surgical conditions and pediatric surgical endocrine disorders, such as pediatric thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer and multiple endocrine neoplasia (MENS). She treats children of all ages – from newborns to young adults – who suffer from a vast array of operable conditions, both congenital and acquired.
“I feel honored and privileged to have families entrust me with the care of the most precious thing they have – their children – and I take that trust very seriously,” Dr. Diesen says. “It’s very gratifying to be able to treat conditions and allow children to grow up and live normal lives with normal life expectancies.”
After receiving her medical degree at The University of Virginia, she completed her general surgical training at Duke University and her pediatric surgery fellowship training at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Dr. Diesen has been named a Top Doctor by D Magazine. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Pediatric Surgical Association, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the Association for Academic Surgery.
Dr. Diesen lives in Dallas with her two shelter dogs. When she’s not working, she enjoys hiking, open-water scuba diving and traveling. She holds a private pilot’s license.
Education and Training
- Medical School
- University of Virginia School of Medicine (2004)
- Residency
- Duke University School of Medicine (2011), General Surgery
- Fellowship
- UT Southwestern - Children's Medical Center (2013), Pediatric Surgery
- Board Certification
- American Board of Surgery/Pediatric Surgery
Conditions
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
- Abdominal Tumors
- Achalasia
- Anorectal Malformation (Imperforate Anus)
- Appendicitis
- Biliary Atresia
- Biliary Tract Problems
- Branchial Cleft Cysts
- Chest Tumors
- Choledochal Cysts
- Cloacal Anomaly
- Cloacal Exstrophy
- Collapsed Lung (Pneumothorax)
- Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH)
- Congenital Lung Lesions
- Cystic Hygroma
- Dermoid Cysts
- Esophageal or Bronchogenic Cyst
- Gallstones and Gallbladder Disease
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Gastroschisis
- Hepatoblastoma (Liver Cancer)
- Hirschsprung's Disease
- Hydrocele
- Inguinal Hernia (Groin)
- Intestinal Atresia
- Intestinal Disorders
- Intestinal Malrotation and Volvulus
- Intussusception
- Kidney Tumors
- Lipomas (Skin Lesions)
- Liver (Hepatic) Tumors
- Liver Cysts
- Lung Cysts
- Lymphangioma
- Meckel's Diverticulum
- Neck Cysts and Lymph Nodes
- Neck Tumors
- Neuroblastoma
- Omphalocele
- Ovarian Cysts
- Ovarian Tumors
- Pancreatic Cysts
- Pancreatic Tumors
- Pancreatitis
- Parathyroid Masses
- Pelvic Masses
- Pelvic Tumors
- Phimosis
- Pilomatrixoma
- Pilonidal Disease
- Pyloric Stenosis
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Spleen Cysts
- Thymus Tumors
- Thyroglossal Duct Cyst
- Ulcerative Colitis (UC)
- Umbilical (Belly Button) Hernia
- Wilms Tumor (Nephroblastoma)
Treatments
- Pediatric Circumcision
- Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
- Fetal and EX Utero Intrapartum Treatment (EXIT)
- Laparoscopic Pull-Through for Anorectal Malformations (ARM)
- Adolescent Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Weight Loss Surgery
- Pediatric Laparoscopic Surgery
- Laparoscopic Pull-Through Surgery for Hirschsprung Disease
- PSARVUP Surgery for Cloacal Malformations
- Posterior Sagittal Anorectoplasty (PSARP)
Departments and Programs
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Research Interests
- Resident and medical student education
- Pediatric solid tumors
- Pediatric Endocrine and thyroid conditions
- Neonatal surgery
- Clinical outcomes research
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Publications
- Diesen DL, Skinner MA. Thyroid cancer in children. World Journal of Pediatrics, 2005, 2, 94-97.
- Diesen DL, Skinner MA. Pediatric Thyroid Cancer. Seminars in Pediatric Surgery. 2012 Feb; 21(1):44-50
- Lairmore T, Diesen DL, Goldfarb M, Milas M, Ying A, Sharma J, McIver B, Wong RJ, Randolph G. AACE Endocrine Surgery Scientific Committee. AACE and American College of Endocrinology Disease State Clinical Review: Timing of MEN Thyroidectomy and Extent of Central Neck Lymphadenectomy. Endocr Pract. 2015 Jul;21(7):839-47.
- Diesen DL. “Thyroid nodules”, multimedia module for the American Board of Surgery Pediatric SCORE curriculum, 2015.
- Diesen DL. “Endocrine disease”, multimedia module for the American Board of Surgery Pediatric SCORE curriculum, 2015.
- Diesen DL, Skinner MA. Endocrine Disorders and Tumors. In Holcomb & Murphy (Eds.) Ashcraft’s Pediatric Surgery. (6th ed.) Elsevier, March 2014.
- Diesen DL, Skinner MA. Head and neck tumors. In Carachi & Grosfeld (Eds.) The Surgery of Childhood tumors. (3rd ed.) Springer, in press 2015.
- Spendlove N, Rialon K, Burkhalter LS, Rong H, Skinner MA, Diesen DL. Contemporary review of Pediatric Thyroid Surgery. AAP 2015.
- Diesen DL Thyroid Nodules in Children. Pediatric Surgery Grand Rounds, Dallas, Tx. January 2015.
- Gardner A. Diesen DL. Scott DJ, Hogg D, Heurta S. The impact of goal setting and goal orientation on performance during a clearship surgical skills training program. Accepted American Journal of Surgery 2015.
- Diesen DL, Erhunmwunsee L, Bennett K, Ben-David K, Yurcisin B, Ceppa EP, Omotosho PA, Perez A, Pryor A. Effectiveness of laparoscopic computer simulator versus usage of box trainer for endoscopic surgery training of novices. Surg Educ. 2011 Jul-Aug;68(4):282-9. Epub 2011 May 4.
- Wadi H, Diesen D, Majewicz A. Training Wheels for Laparoscopic Surgery: Kinematic and Dynamic Constraints for Project Tool Handling. Poster Presentation SAGES. April 2015. Nashville, Tn. Pediatric Surgery Clinical Outcomes
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Professional Activities
- Association for Academic Surgery (2018), Member
- American Pediatric Surgical Association (2010), Member; Member Education Committee
- American College of Surgeons (2006), Fellow (FACS)
- Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (2012), Member; Co-chair Pediatric Committee; Member of Quality Outcomes Committee
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Awards and Honors
- D Magazine Best Pediatric Specialist (2020-2021)
- The R. Randal Bollinger Award for Outstanding Master Educator (2010)
- APSA Clinical Poster of Distinction Award (2010)
- The Bollinger Outstanding Research Resident Award (2007)
Virtual Visit
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