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Matthew Boelig, MD

Surgery

Primary Office

ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Children's Hospital, Delaware ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Children's Hospital, Delaware 1600 Rockland Road Wilmington, DE 19803 Appointment: (800) 416-4441

Other Offices

Get to Know Me

Dr. Boelig is a board-certified pediatric general surgeon with a broad clinical practice and an interest in minimally invasive surgery and surgical education. He is the associate program director for the pediatric surgery fellowship and director of the surgical clerkship for medical students at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Children’s Hospital, Delaware. 

Why I Treat Children

As a pediatric surgeon, I believe I have the best job in the world. Caring for children is motivating and rewarding. I am fascinated by the ability of children to maintain resilience, hope and kindness of heart in the face of illness. Parents place a sacred trust in us to operate on and care for their children, and for that I am honored and grateful. I am also drawn to the extraordinary breadth of pediatric surgical care, which is unique in the profession of surgery. On any given day, I may care for a pre-term baby in our neonatal intensive care unit, fix an inguinal hernia in a toddler and treat a teenager who has sustained injuries in an accident.  

What I'm Passionate About

Operating on the smallest of patients demands a high level of meticulousness and technique. I am interested in adapting minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopy, thoracoscopy and robotic surgery) to pediatric patients in such a way as to minimize pain and scars, to preserve function and to promote a speedier recovery. I am also passionate about family-centered care and understanding the values and priorities of parents regarding the care of their child. My goal is to speak openly and honestly with parents, educate them on pediatric surgical disease and the options for care, and to build a plan together that best meets the needs of the patient and family.

My medical interests include:

  • Minimally invasive thoracic/chest and abdominal surgery, including laparoscopy and thoracoscopy, and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair
  • Robotic Surgery
  • Surgery for congenital lung lesions (CPAM, bronchopulmonary sequestration)
  • Newborn surgery
  • Pediatric surgical oncology (Wilm’s tumor, neuroblastoma)
  • Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH)
  • Congenital abdominal wall defects (gastroschisis, omphalocele)
  • Counseling for fetal surgical anomalies
  • Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)  
  • Hirschsprung disease
  • Anorectal malformations
  • Prenatal counseling
  • Medical/surgical education

How I Try to Make A Difference

Every child is unique. I approach each patient with an open mind and a commitment to tailoring a surgical plan that fits the patient and family’s needs. I also strongly believe that pediatric surgeons are educators and need to be completely invested in training the next generation of pediatric surgeons. I try to make a difference by focusing much of my time and energy into teaching and training medical students, residents and our pediatric surgery fellow.

Education & Training

Fellowship

  • Pediatric Surgery - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Program, 2019
  • Clinical Research - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2015

Internship Residency

  • General Surgery - University of Pennsylvania Program, 2017

Medical/Dental School

  • MD - Johns Hopkins University, 2010

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Surgery/Pediatric Surgery
  • American Board of Surgery

Awards & Recognition

  • 2024 Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctor
  • 2023 Castle Connolly Top Doctor
  • 2023 Sidney Kimmel Medical College Dean’s Award for Excellence in Education
  • 2022 Delaware Today Magazine Top Doctor
  • 2018 Penn Pearl Teaching Award, Fellow Category, University of Pennsylvania

Insurance Accepted

  • Aetna Better Health PA Kids HMO
  • Aetna HMO
  • Aetna PPO/EPO/POS
  • Aetna PPO/POS/EPO
  • Amerihealth Caritas DE - PENNSYLVANIA SPECIALISTS ONLY
  • Amerihealth Caritas Delaware
  • Amerihealth Caritas Delaware Next
  • Amerihealth Caritas Delaware NJ
  • Carefirst MD Community Health Plan Mcaid
  • Cigna & Great West HMO/POS/EPO
  • Cigna & Great West PPO
  • Cigna Lifesource Transplant
  • Cigna/Great West HMO EPO POS
  • Cigna/Great West PPO
  • Delaware First Health
  • Delaware Medicaid/Diamond State
  • Delaware Medicare
  • Fidelis Care NJ Medicaid HMO
  • First Health PPO
  • First Health/Affordable PPO
  • Geisinger Health Plan Commercial
  • Global Medical Managment DE/PA
  • Global Medical Mangment NJ
  • Health Partners Medicaid/Kidz Partner HMO
  • Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware
  • Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware *PA Loc Contiguous to DE*
  • Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware *PA Loc NONContiguous to DE*
  • Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Pennsylvania
  • Highmark Medicaid Health Options
  • Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey
  • Independance Blue Cross/Amerihealth/Keystone Health Plan
  • Insurance Administrators of America
  • INTEGRA Administrative Group (ClaimsBridge)
  • Keystone First Medicaid HMO
  • Lifetrac Transplant
  • Maryland Medicaid
  • Multiplan PPO
  • National Transplant (Humana)
  • New Jersey Medicaid
  • Olympus Managed Healthcare PPO DE/PA
  • Olympus Managed Healthcare PPO NJ
  • Pennsylvania Medicaid
  • Plan Vista/NPPN PPO
  • Preferred Healthcare PPO
  • Private Health Care Systems (PHCS)
  • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
  • Qualcare HMO/POS/PPO
  • Star Healthcare Network
  • Star Healthcare Network
  • Three Rivers Provider Network
  • Tricare/Humana Military Health Services/CHAMPVA
  • United Healthcare of the Mid-Atlantic
  • UPMC MCAID/CHIP PA DE
  • US Family Health Plan
  • Wellpoint Maryland Medcaid

  • Abdominal Masses
  • Anti-Reflux Surgery
  • Breast Disorders
  • Burn Care
  • Chest Wall Disorders
  • Gall Bladder Disease
  • Hernias and Hydroceles
  • Wound Care

Research Activities

My research interests include:

  • Surgical education
  • Surgery simulation
  • Gastroschisis care and outcomes
  • Clinical outcomes 

  • Sutureless Abdominal Closure in twin gastroschisis; Journal of Pediatric Surgery Case Reports; (2021).

  • Abdominal Pain, Vomiting, and Fever in a 3-Year-Old Female; Surgery Morning Report; (2019).

  • Short-Term Neurodevelopmental Outcome in Children Born With High-Risk Congenital Lung Lesions; Annals of Thoracic Surgery; (2018).

  • Prenatal growth characteristics of lymphatic malformations; Journal of Pediatric Surgery; (2017).

  • "In Utero Stem Cell Transplantation"; Fetal Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine; (2016).

  • The Intravenous Route of Injection Optimizes Engraftment and Survival in the Murine Model of In Utero Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation; Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation; (2016).

  • Enhanced in utero allogeneic engraftment in mice after mobilizing fetal HSCs by α4β1/7 inhibition; Blood; (2016).

  • Effect of single and multiple courses of maternal betamethasone on prenatal congenital lung lesion growth and fetal survival; Journal of Pediatric Surgery; (2016).

  • ChildWith Abdominal Pain and a Cystic Pelvic Mass; JAMA Surgery; (2015).

  • Thoracoamniotic shunts for the management of fetal lung lesions and pleural effusions: A single-institution review and predictors of survival in 75 cases; Journal of Pediatric Surgery; (2015).

  • Are sequential compression devices commonly associated with in-hospital falls? A myth-busters review using the patient safety net database; Journal of Patient Safety; (2011).

  • English
  • Spanish