University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Welcomes World-renowned Experts to the Division of Pediatric Urology

CLEVELAND, Ohio – University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s (UH Rainbow) is pleased to announce two highly experienced physicians and surgeons have joined the Division of Pediatric Urology. Pedro-Jose (PJ) Lopez, MD, is the new Chief of the Division of Pediatric Urology, and Juan Manuel Moldes, MD, is senior surgeon. Dr. Lopez and Dr. Moldes presence in Cleveland brings a depth of services not previously available in Northeast Ohio.

Dr. Lopez comes to UH Rainbow from Hospital Dr. Exequiel González Cortés and Clinica Alemana de Santiago (Chile) where he served as Chair of the Department of Pediatric Urology. Dr. Moldes previously served as Chief of the Pediatric Surgery Department at the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, the largest and most complex private hospital in Argentina. The two surgeons plan to continue and build upon UH Rainbow’s legacy of clinical and surgical care with compassion.

“Dr. Lopez and Dr. Moldes are highly regarded physicians and surgeons with extensive experience in the field of pediatric urology, managing everything from routine childhood conditions to the most complex and rare urologic issues,” says Patti DePompei, RN, MSN, President, UH Rainbow and UH MacDonald Women’s Hospital. “We are excited to bring their leadership and expertise to our patients and families in Northeast Ohio and beyond.”

Well-known in South America and Europe for their work in pediatric urology, Dr. Lopez and Dr. Moldes share UH Rainbow’s patient and family-centered approach to compassionate healthcare, building a pediatric urology team around the individual patient’s journey and experience.

Dr. Lopez focuses his clinical and academic interests around complex reconstructive urological procedures; minimally invasive surgery, including laparoscopic, robotic and endourological techniques; and prenatal/in-utero urologic intervention. Dr. Moldes’ areas of clinical interest include kidney and bladder surgeries, kidney transplantation and complex reconstructive surgeries, especially those that involve endoscopic, laparoscopic or robotic techniques.

“I am thrilled to be a part of the world-renowned UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s team here in Cleveland and emphatically embrace the patient and family-centered care model that is woven in the hospital’s fabric of excellence,” says Dr. Lopez. “We treat every patient as one of our own and closely partner with families on their child’s health care journey with compassion and extensive clinical expertise.”

“Dr. Lopez and I are proud to establish the guiding principle of providing surgery with compassion by creating a supportive, caring environment where kids feel safe and understood,” says Dr. Moldes. “The pediatric urology team at UH Rainbow takes the time to listen, explain what’s happening in a way that’s easy to understand and be there emotionally for both the child and their parents, and I truly feel that is so important to the overall patient experience.”

Both Dr. Moldes and Dr. Lopez are Professors of Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. They are passionate about mentoring and training students for a future in medicine, especially urology, and are building training programs for students and residents to enhance their future medical careers.

“What sets Dr. Lopez and Dr. Moldes apart is their depth of experience in both complex and routine cases,” says Lee Ponsky, MD, FACS, Chairman, UH Urology Institute, and the Leo & Charlotte Goldberg Chair in Advanced Surgical Therapies. “We are excited for our community to have access to internationally known experts in the field of pediatric urology who not only excel in complex surgical management but also prioritizes compassionate care for their patients and families.” 

UH Rainbow’s Division of Pediatric Urology features a team of board-certified providers who diagnose and treat a wide range of urological conditions affecting newborns, children and teenagers. Conditions range from circumcision, bedwetting and urinary tract infections to complex congenital anomalies involving the reproductive organs, kidneys or bladder.

The team is experienced in performing prenatal diagnosis and intervention, complex reconstructive urologic procedures, offering minimally invasive approaches and collaborating with other subspecialists in multidisciplinary clinics and programs. In addition, the providers offer a compassionate, sensitive, and child-friendly approach to care, that centers on the unique needs of young patients and their families.

Dr. Lopez has contributed original articles or served as an editor and/or reviewer for a variety of peer-reviewed journals, including Journal of Urology, Journal of Pediatric Urology, World Journal of Urology, Pediatric Surgery International and British Journal of General Practice. Additionally, he has served as president, vice president and other executive roles for a number of professional medical societies.

Dr. Moldes has been an invited speaker/presenter, moderator and teacher at international meetings and symposiums including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Congress of the American Confederation of Urology, and World Congress of the World Federation of Associations of Pediatric Surgeons, among others.

To reach UH Rainbow’s Division of Pediatric Urology call 216-844-8440, or learn more at UHRainbow.org/UroSurgInfo.