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 or ARM)
- 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 (CH)
- Dermoid cyst
- Esophageal or bronchogenic cyst
- 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 (MD)
- Neck cysts and enlarged lymph nodes
- Neck tumors
- Neuroblastoma
- Omphalocele
- Ovarian cysts and tumors
- Ovarian tumor
- Pancreatic csts
- Pancreatic tumors
- Pancreatitis
- Parathyroid Mass
- Pelvic masses
- Pelvic tumors
- Phimosis
- Pilomatrixoma
- Pilonidal disease
- Pyloric stenosis
- Rhabdomyosarcoma
- Spleen Cyst
- Thymus tumors
- Thyroglossal duct cyst
- Ulcerative colitis
- Umbilical hernia (belly button)
- Wilms tumor (nephroblastoma)
Treatments
- Pediatric circumcision
- Pediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
- Fetal and ex-utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure
- Pediatric laparoscopic pull-through procedure for Hirschsprung disease
- Pediatric laparoscopic pull-through procedure for anorectal malformations (ARM)
- Pediatric laparoscopic surgery
- Pediatric posterior sagittal anorectal vaginal urethroplasty (PSARVUP)
- Pediatric posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP)
Departments and Programs
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Research Interests
- Clinical outcomes research
- Neonatal surgery
- Pediatric Endocrine and thyroid conditions
- Pediatric solid tumors
- Resident and medical student education
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Publications
- The impact of goal setting and goal orientation on performance during a clerkship surgical skills training program. Gardner AK, Diesen DL, Hogg D, Huerta S Am. J. Surg. 2015 Nov
- Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia with Associated Pulmonary Sequestration. Diesen DL, Megison S J. Pediatr. 2014 Sep
- Pediatric surgery on YouTube™: Is the truth out there? Bezner SK, Hodgman EI, Diesen DL, Clayton JT, Minkes RK, Langer JC, Chen LE J. Pediatr. Surg. 2014 Apr 49 4 586-9
- S-nitrosylation therapy to improve oxygen delivery of banked blood. Reynolds JD, Bennett KM, Cina AJ, Diesen DL, Henderson MB, Matto F, Plante A, Williamson RA, Zandinejad K, Demchenko IT, Hess DT, Piantadosi CA, Stamler JS Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2013 Jun
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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
This provider may offer virtual appointments. Please review our Virtual Visit Specialty Clinics page for instructions on setting up a visit.