Alan W. Flake, MD, FACS, FAAP

Alan W. Flake, MD, FACS, FAAP

Alan Flake, MD, is an attending pediatric and fetal surgeon in the Division of Pediatric General, Thoracic and Fetal Surgery and holds the Ruth M. and Tristram C. Colket, Jr. Endowed Chair in Pediatric Surgery at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Areas of Expertise: Clinical applications of fetal diagnosis and therapy, In utero stem cell transplantation, Neonatal Surgery
Locations: Main Campus
Phone: 215-590-2730

Background

Dr. Flake is an attending surgeon in the Division of Pediatric General, Thoracic and Fetal Surgery and holds the Ruth M. and Tristram C. Colket, Jr. Endowed Chair in Pediatric Surgery at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He serves as Director of CHOP’s Center for Fetal Research and is a professor of Surgery and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Tackling Extreme Prematurity

Marcus Davey, researcher, in the lab

CHOP researchers design a unique womb-like, fluid-filled environment to bridge critical time from mother’s womb to outside world.

Dr. Flake was the Director of Fetal Surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan before joining the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment at CHOP in 1996. Today, he spearheads an active research laboratory focused on fetal stem cell and gene therapy. He has been at the forefront of cutting-edge studies aimed at treating genetic disorders before birth. Dr. Flake is committed to discovering ways to help children live disease-free, and is currently moving toward a human clinical trial for sickle cell disease, utilizing in utero transplantation of maternal cells to the fetus. The goal is to increase the newborn’s tolerance for a successful bone marrow transplant.

“We’ve made significant progress in the lab,” he says. “The dream is to prevent these diseases before the children are born so they can live healthy lives.” Dr. Flake’s work in sickle cell disease has the potential to offer new hope for many other immunodeficiency disorders.

Dr. Flake’s clinical specialties include fetal diagnosis and therapy and neonatal surgery.

“I have been fortunate to be a part of developing the fetal treatment program here and we have the best in the world,” he says.

Dr. Flake is a leader in performing minimally invasive surgery, mostly on neonates, including thoracoscopic and laparoscopic procedures. He continues to refine and develop these delicate surgical techniques for the unique requirements of pediatric patients.

Dr. Flake earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas and his medical degree from University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He completed his general surgery residency and fellowship in fetal biology and therapy research at the University of California, San Francisco, and served as a pediatric surgery fellow at Children’s Medical Center in Cincinnati. He is board certified in general and pediatric surgery.  

To contact the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, call 1-800-468-8376 (1-800-IN-UTERO).

Education and Training

Medical School

MD - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AK

Internship

Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

Residency

University of California, San Francisco, CA

Fellowship

Fellow, Fetal Biology and Therapy Research - University of California, San Francisco, CA
Fellow, Pediatric Surgery - Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

Board Certification

Pediatric Surgery
Surgery

Undergraduate Degree

BS - University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AK

Titles and Academic Titles

Attending Surgeon

Director, Center for Fetal Research

Ruth M. and Tristram C. Colket Jr. Endowed Chair, Pediatric Surgery

Professor of Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Conditions Treated

Departments and Services

Publications

Papers

2018

Joyeux L, Danzer E, Flake AW, Deprest J. Fetal surgery for spina bifida aperta. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2018 Jul 13. pii: fetalneonatal-2018-315143. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2018-315143. [Epub ahead of print]

Rossidis AC, Baumgarten HD, Lawrence KM, McGovern PE, Mejaddam AY, Li H, Hwang G, Young K, Peranteau WH, Davey MG, Gaynor JW, Flake AW. Chronically Hypoxic Fetal Lambs Supported by an Extra-Uterine Device Exhibit Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Elevations of Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1-Alpha. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2018 Jun 28; 1-8. [Epub ahead of print]

Riley JS, Antiel RM, Rintoul NE, Ades AM, Waqar LN, Lin N, Herkert LM, D'Agostino JA, Hoffman C, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Reduced oxygen concentration for the resuscitation of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Perinatol. 2018 Jun 11. [Epub ahead of print]

Vrecenak JD, Pearson EG, Todorow CA, Li H, Johnson MP, Flake AW. A Preclinical Canine Model of Graft Versus Host Disease Following in Utero Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2018 May 23. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29802901

Baumgarten HD, Gebb JS, Khalek N, Moldenhauer JS, Johnson MP, Peranteau WH, Hedrick HL, Adzick NS, Flake AW. Preemptive Delivery and Immediate Resection for Fetuses with High-Risk Sacrococcygeal Teratomas. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2018 May 7; 1-8. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29734172 

Partridge EA, Davey MG, Hornick M, Dysart KC, Olive A, Caskey R, Connelly JT, Hedrick HL, Peranteau WH, Flake AW. Pumpless arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: A novel mode of respiratory support in a lamb model of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2018 Mar 9;. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29605270

Laje P, Fraga MV, Peranteau WH, Hedrick HL, Khalek N, Gebb JS, Moldenhauer JS, Johnson MP, Flake AW, Adzick NS. Complex gastroschisis: Clinical spectrum and neonatal outcomes at a referral center. J Pediatr Surg. 2018 Mar 14;. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 29628208 

2017

Peranteau WH, Iyoob SD, Boelig MM, Khalek N, Moldenhauer JS, Johnson MP, Hedrick HL, Flake AW, Coleman BG, Adzick NS. Prenatal growth characteristics of lymphatic malformations. J Pediatr Surg. 2017 Jan;52(1):65-68.

Victoria T, Danzer E, Oliver ER, Edgar JC, Iyoob S, Partridge EA, Johnson AM, Peranteau WH, Coleman BG, Flake AW, Johnson MP, Hedrick H, Adzick NS. Right Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernias: Is There a Correlation between Prenatal Lung Volume and Postnatal Survival, as in Isolated Left Diaphragmatic Hernias? Fetal Diagn Ther. 2017 Mar 21. Doi:10.1159/000464246. [Epub ahead of print] Read the abstract.

Antiel RM, Flake AW, Johnson MP, Khalek N, Rintoul NE, Lantos JD, Curlin FA, Tilburt JC, Feudtner C. Specialty-Based Variation in Applying Maternal-Fetal Surgery Trial Evidence. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2017 Mar 17. Doi:10.1159/000455024 [Epub ahead of print]

Emily A. Partridge, Marcus G. Davey, Matthew A. Hornick, Patrick E. McGovern, Ali Y. Mejaddam, Jesse D. Vrecenak, Carmen Mesas-Burgos, Aliza Olive, Robert C. Caskey, Theodore R. Weiland III, Jiancheng Han, James T. Connelly, Kevin C. Dysart, Alexander J. Schupper, Jack Rychik, Holly L. Hedrick, William H. Peranteau, and Alan W. Flake. “An extra-uterine physiologic support system for the extreme premature lamb.” Nature Communications. Published online April 25, 2017.

Partridge EA, Davey MG, Hornick MA, McGovern PE,  Mejaddam AY, Vrecenak JD, Mesas-Burgos C, Olive A, Caskey RC, Weiland TR, Han J, Schupper AJ, Connelly JT, Dysart KC, Rychik J, Hedrick HL, Peranteau WH, Flake AW. Corrigendum: An extra-uterine system to physiologically support the extreme premature lamb. Nat Commun. 2017 May 23;8:15794. Doi: 10.1038/ncomms15794.

Antiel RM, Halpem SD, Stevens EM, Vrecenak JD, Patterson CA, Tchume-Johnson T, Smith-Whitley K, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Baraket LP. Acceptability of In Utero Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Sickle Cell Disease. Med Decis Making. 2017 May 1:272989X17707214. Doi: 10.1177/0272989x17707214. [Epub ahead of print].

Kim AG, Danzer E, Moldenhauer JS, Khalek N, McClain LE, Waqar LN, Hedrick HL, Johnson MP, Adzick NS, Peranteau WH, Flake AW. Amniotic Fluid Concentrations of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Do Not Correlate with Prenatal Metrics in Fetuses with Myelomeningocele. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2017 Jul 29. Doi: 10.1159/000478258. [Epub ahead of print].

2016

Burgos CM, Pearson EG, Davey M, Riley J, Jia H, Laje P, Flake AW, Peranteau WH. Improved pulmonary function in the nitrofen model of congenital diaphragmatic hernia following prenatal maternal dexamethasone and/or sildenafil. Pediatr Res. 2016 Oct;80(4):577-85. Read the abstract.

Danzer E, Hoffman C, D'Agostino JA, Gerdes M, Bernbaum J, Antiel RM, Rintoul NE, Herkert LM, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Neurodevelopmental outcomes at 5 years of age in congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2016 Aug 30. pii: S0022-3468(16)30284-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2016.08.008. Read the abstract.

Rychik J, Khalek N, Gaynor JW, Johnson MP, Adzick NS, Flake AW, Hedrick HL. Fetal Intrapericardial Teratoma: Natural History and Management Including Successful In Utero Surgery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016 Aug 13. pii: S0002-9378(16)30575-0. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2016.08.010. Read the abstract.

Partridge EA, Peranteau WH, Herkert L, Rendon N, Smith H, Rintoul NE, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Right- versus left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a comparative outcomes analysis. J Pediatr Surg. 2016 Jun;51(6):900-2. Read the abstract.

Partridge EA, Peranteau WH, Herkert L, Rintoul NE, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Rate of increase of lung-to-head ratio over the course of gestation is predictive of survival in left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2016 May;51(5):703-5. Read the abstract. 

Laje P, Hedrick HL, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Peranteau WH. Delayed abdominal closure after congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair. J Pediatr Surg. 2016 Feb;51(2):240-3. Read the abstract.

Danzer E, Gerdes M, D'Agostino JA, Bernbaum J, Hoffman C, Herkert LM, Rintoul NE, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Younger gestational age is associated with increased risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcome during infancy in congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2016 Jan 5. Read the abstract.

Peranteau WH, Boelig MM, Khalek N, Moldenhauer JS, Martinez-Poyer J, Hedrick HL, Flake AW, Johnson MP, Adzick NS. Effect of single and multiple courses of maternal betamethasone on prenatal congenital lung lesion growth and fetal survival. J Pediatr Surg. 2016 Jan;51(1):28-32. Read the abstract.

Antiel RM, Riley JS, Cahill PJ, Campbell RM, Waqar L, Herkert LM, Rintoul NE, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Management and outcomes of scoliosis in children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2016;51(12):1921-1925. 

2015

Laje P, Pearson EG, Simpao AF, Rehman MA, Sinclair T, Hedrick HL, Adzick NS, Flake AW. The first 100 infant thoracoscopic lobectomies: Observations through the learning curve and comparison to open lobectomy. J Pediatr Surg. 2015 Nov;50(11):1811-6. Read the abstract.

Laje P, Peranteau WH, Hedrick HL, Flake AW, Johnson MP, Moldenhauer JS, Adzick NS. Ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) in the management of cervical lymphatic malformation. J Pediatr Surg. 2015 Feb;50(2):311-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2014.11.024. Epub 2014 Nov 10. Read the abstract.

Peranteau WH, Boelig MM, Khalek N, Moldenhauer JS, Martinez-Poyer J, Hedrick HL, Flake AW, Johnson MP, Adzick NS. Effect of single and multiple courses of maternal betamethasone on prenatal congenital lung lesion growth and fetal survival. J Pediatr Surg. 2015 Oct 23. Read the abstract.

Olive A, Moldenhauer JS, Laje P, Johnson MP, Coleman BG, Victoria T, Flake AW, Adzick NS. Axillary lymphatic malformations: Prenatal evaluation and postnatal outcomes. J Pediatr Surg. 2015 Oct;50(10):1711-5. Read the abstract.

Peranteau WH, Tharakan SJ, Partridge E, Herkert L, Rintoul NE, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Systemic hypertension in giant omphalocele: An underappreciated association. J Pediatr Surg. 2015 Sep;50(9):1477-80

Moldenhauer JS, Soni S, Rintoul NE, Spinner SS, Khalek N, Martinez-Poyer J, Flake AW, Hedrick HL, Peranteau WH, Rendon N, Koh J, Howell LJ, Heuer GG, Sutton LN, Johnson MP, Adzick NS. Fetal Myelomeningocele Repair: The Post-MOMS Experience at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2015;37(3):235-40. Epub 2014 Aug 15.

Danzer E, Gerdes M, D'Agostino JA, Bernbaum J, Hoffman C, Herkert L, Rintoul NE, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Neurodevelopmental outcome at one year of age in congenital diaphragmatic hernia infants not treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. J Pediatr Surg. 2015 Jun;50(6):898-903. doi: 10.1016. Read the abstract.

Laje P, Pearson EG, Simpao AF, Rehman MA, Sinclair T, Hedrick HL, Adzick NS, Flake AW. The first 100 infant thoracoscopic lobectomies: Observations through the learning curve and comparison to open lobectomy. J Pediatr Surg. 2015 Jun 3. pii: S0022-3468(15)00369-3. pii: S0022-3468(15)00369-3. doi: 10.1016. Read the abstract. 

Partridge EA, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Frequency and complications of inguinal hernia repair in giant omphalocele. J Pediatr Surg. 2015 May 29. pii: S0022-3468(15)00353- PMID: 26078212. Read the abstract. 

Danzer E, Gerdes M, D’Agostino JA, Bernbaum J, Hoffman C, Rintoul NE, Herkert LM, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Patient characteristics are important determinants of neurodevelopmental outcome during infancy in giant omphalocele. Early Hum Dev. 2015 Mar;91(3):187-93.

Partridge EA, Peranteau WH, Rintoul NE, Herkert LM, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Timing of repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in patients supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). J Pediatr Surg. 2015 Feb;50(2):260-2. Read the abstract.

Partridge EA, Hanna BD, Rintoul NE, Herkert L, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL, Peranteau WH. Brain-type natriuretic peptide levels correlate with pulmonary hypertension and requirement for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2015 Feb;50(2):263-6. Read the abstract.

Peranteau WH, Scott Adzick N, Boelig MM, Alan W F, Hedrick HL, Howell LJ, Moldenhauer JS, Khalek N, Martinez-Poyer J, Johnson MP. Thoracoamniotic shunts for the management of fetal lung lesions and pleural effusions: a single-institution review and predictors of survival in 75 cases. J Pediatr Surg. 2015 Feb;50(2):301-5. Read the abstract.

Danzer E, Gerdes M, D'Agostino JA, Bernbaum J, Hoffman C, Rintoul NE, Herkert LM, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Patient characteristics are important determinants of neurodevelopmental outcome during infancy in giant omphalocele. Early Hum Dev. 2015 Feb 9;91(3):187-193. Read the abstract.

Partridge EA, Victoria T, Coleman BG, Martinez-Poyer J, Laje P, Hedrick HL, Flake AW, Adzick NS. Prenatal diagnosis of esophageal bronchus: first report of a rare foregut malformation in utero. J Pediatr Surg. 2015 Feb;50(2):306-10. Read the abstract.

Peranteau WH, Tharakan SJ, Partridge E, Herkert L, Rintoul NE, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Systemic hypertension in giant omphalocele: An underappreciated association. J Pediatr Surg. 2015 Feb 23. pii: S0022-3468(15)00131-1. doi: 10.1016. Read the abstract. 

Rychik J, Cohen D, Tran KM, Szwast A, Natarajan SS, Johnson MP, Moldenhauer JS, Khalek N, Martinez-Poyer J, Flake AW, Hedrick HL, Adzick NS. The role of echocardiography in the intraoperative management of the fetus undergoing myelomeningocele repair. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2015;37(3):172-8. Read the abstract.

2014

Vrecenak JD, Howell LJ, Khalek N, Moldenhauer JS, Johnson MP, Coleman BG, Victoria T, Hedrick HL, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS. Outcomes of prenatally diagnosed lung lesions in multigestational pregnancies. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2014 Dec;36(4):312-9.

Partridge EA, Hanna BD, Panitch HB, Rintoul NE, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Pulmonary hypertension in giant omphalocele infants. J Pediatr Surg. 2014 Dec;49(12):1767-70.

Partridge EA, Bridge C, Donaher JG, Herkert LM, Grill E, Danzer E, Gerdes M, Hoffman CH, D’Agostino JA, Bernbaum JC, Rintoul NE, Peranteau WH, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Incidence and factors associated with sensorineural and conductive hearing loss among survivors of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2014 Jun;49(6):890-4.

Tsai J, Blinman TA, Collins JL, Laje P, Hedrick HL, Adzick NS, Flake AW. The contribution of hiatal hernia to severe gastroesophageal reflux disease in patients with gastroschisis. J Pediatr Surg. 2014 Mar;49(3):395-8.

Partridge EA, Canning D, Long C, Peranteau WH, Hedrick HL, Adzick NS, Flake AW. Urologic and anorectal complications of sacrococcygeal teratomas: prenatal and postnatal predictors. J Pediatr Surg. 2014 Jan;49(1):139-43.

Peranteau WH, Moldenhauer JS, Khalek N, Martinez-Poyer JL, Howell LJ, Johnson MP, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Open fetal surgery for central bronchial atresia. Fetal Diagn Ther. 2014;35(2):141-7.

2013

Laje P, Howell LJ, Johnson MP, Hedrick HL, Flake AW, Adzick NS. Perinatal management of congenital oropharyngeal tumors: the ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) approach. J Pediatr Surg. 2013 Oct;48(10):2005-10.

Danzer E, Gerdes M, D’Agostino JA, Hoffman C, Bernbaum J, Bebbington MW, Siegle J, Sulkowski J, Rintoul NE, Flake AW, Adzick NS, Hedrick HL. Longitudinal neurodevelopmental and neuromotor outcome in congenital diaphragmatic hernia patients in the first 3 years of life. J Perinatol. 2013 Nov;33(11):893-8.

Laje P, Howell LJ, Johnson MP, Hedrick HL, Flake AW, Adzick NS. Perinatal management of congenital oropharyngeal tumors: the ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) approach. J Pediatr Surg. 2013 Oct;48(10):2005-10.

2012

Danzer E, Zarnow D, Gerdes M, D'Agostino JA, Siegle J, Bebbington MW, et al. Abnormal brain development and maturation on magnetic resonance imaging in survivors of severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia. J Pediatr Surg. 2012 Mar;47(3):453-61. Cited in PubMed; PMID:22424337. Read the abstract

Roybal JL, Laje P, Vrecenak JD, Flake AW. Use of manipulated stem cells for prenatal therapy. Methods Mol Biol. 2012;891:169-81. Cited in PubMed; PMID:22648772. Read the abstract

Nijagal A, Flake AW, MacKenzie TC. In utero hematopoietic cell transplantation for the treatment of congenital anomalies. Clin Perinatol. 2012 Jun;39(2):301-10. Epub 2012 May 8. Cited in PubMed; PMID:22682381. Read the abstract 

Abi-Nader KN, Boyd M, Flake AW, Mehta V, Peebles D, David AL. Animal models for prenatal gene therapy: the sheep model. Methods Mol Biol. 2012;891:219-48. Cited in PubMed; PMID:22648775. Read the abstract

Roybal JL, Endo M, Buckley SM, Herbert BR, Waddington SN, Flake AW. Animal models for prenatal gene therapy: rodent models for prenatal gene therapy. Methods Mol Biol. 2012;891:201-18. Cited in PubMed; PMID:22648774. Read the abstract 

Laje P, Johnson MP, Howell LJ, Bebbington MW, Hedrick HL, Flake AW, Adzick NS. Ex utero intrapartum treatment in the management of giant cervical teratomas. J Pediatr Surg. 2012 Jun;47(6):1208-16. Cited in PubMed; PMID:22703795. Read the abstract