A Pioneer in Minimally Invasive Pediatric Urology Surgery Leads the Way at Tampa General
While urology is commonly thought of as an adult specialty, children have unique urologic needs that require dedicated expertise. At Muma Children’s Hospital at Tampa General Hospital (TGH), families have access to advanced pediatric urology care tailored specifically for children — combining innovation, precision and a deeply compassionate approach.
In fact, Muma Children’s Hospital at TGH is leading the way in the advanced, minimally invasive specialty, known as endourology, with the recent addition of a nationally acclaimed leader in pediatric urology.
Dr. Michael Ost has built a dedicated program and care team — including a nurse practitioner and nurse navigator — to support families at every step, combining advanced surgical expertise with compassionate, patient-centered care.
The program brings together expertise in both traditional pediatric urology and endourology, enabling the team to treat a wide range of conditions — from abnormalities present at birth to stone disease in adolescents — using minimally invasive techniques whenever possible.
Endourology — relying on precision robotic techniques — has evolved over the past three decades, resulting in faster recovery times and excellent outcomes. And Dr. Ost has been immersed in the approach from the start.
“In the early 2000s, there were very few people, if any, who could do minimally invasive surgery on kids — procedures that involved laparoscopy or robotics — because the technology was just coming to light,” Dr. Ost said. “Furthermore, stones were uncommon in children some 30 years ago and doctors just didn’t have the necessary instrumentation or techniques.”
During his residency at Mount Sinai Hospital, Dr. Ost developed a strong interest in these techniques while treating adult patients. His passion for pediatric care led him to recognize a gap in bringing these approaches to children.
He went on to become the first in the nation to train in both areas, completing dual fellowships in endourology at Northwell Health and pediatric urology at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
He mastered the approaches as division chief at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and recently joined the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as a professor of urology and chief of Pediatric Urology, while serving as a Tampa General medical director.
“I’ve been doing this now for about 20 years, and I’m seasoned in many things in pediatric urology and minimally invasive surgery,” Dr. Ost said. “I have a tremendous amount of experience in treating congenital abnormalities of the kidney, the ureter and the bladder, doing either open surgery or minimally invasive fashion when indicated.”
That minimally invasive approach entails either laparoscopic (a small incision in the abdomen, allowing for a thin, lighted telescope with a camera) or robotic techniques that insert special scopes through the bladder and ureter and to the kidney.
“This is another area where I have an expertise and that comes into play in the treatment of stone disease. Endourology has become more commonplace with children in the past 15 to 20 years, but I was one of the first.”
“Dr. Ost is a pioneer of pediatric endourology and we are so proud to have him establish a state-of-the-art program here at Tampa General,” said Jerilys Flowers, senior administrator at Muma Children’s Hospital at TGH.
“Dr. Ost’s surgical expertise in robotic and minimally invasive surgery allows us to treat every condition with precision while prioritizing each child’s comfort and safety.”
Originally published in the July 2026 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine. Presented By: TGH| Photos Provided By: TGH