PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) community is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Dr. C. Everett Koop. Dr. Koop served as CHOP's surgeon-in-chief from 1946 to 1981, before taking on the role of U.S Surgeon General.

A pioneer in the field of pediatric surgery, Dr. Koop's contributions include advances in complex surgical procedures, such as the separation of conjoined twins, establishment of the nation's first newborn surgical intensive care unit, and the implementation of Children's Hospital's surgical fellowship training program.

"Both during his time at CHOP and in the years beyond, Dr. Koop made an immeasurable impact on health worldwide," said Steven M. Altschuler, M.D., chief executive officer of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "He transformed the relatively new field of pediatric surgery into a significant specialty in its own right. And later, as Surgeon General, he applied the same energy and vision to a much broader spectrum of health issues."

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia will be forever indebted to Dr. Koop for the imprint he left upon the institution and upon all of pediatric healthcare.

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country, ranking third in National Institutes of Health funding. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 516-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu.

CONTACT: Dana Mortensen, +1-267-426-6092

SOURCE The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia