Get to Know Me
Kellianne Kleeman, MD is an experienced cardiothoracic surgeon who is board-certified and leads the Chest Wall Institute at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Florida. She joined the Nemours Cardiac Center in September 2021 to provide exceptional cardiac care to patients throughout the state of Florida. Dr. Kleeman earned her medical degree at the University of Michigan, after she graduated with honors from Vanderbilt University. She then went on to complete her cardiothoracic surgical residency at the University of Michigan. Following this, she underwent advanced training in congenital and pediatric cardiothoracic surgery at Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan. Dr. Kleeman is passionate about outcomes research related to surgical treatment of chest wall disorders and improving access to quality treatment for chest wall patients. Her primary interest lies in caring for children with chest wall disorders, and she strives to empower them to live up to their potential. During her free time, Dr. Kleeman enjoys traveling with her husband and two children.
Why I Treat Children
I chose to become a surgeon because I love the technical challenge and the tangible and instantaneous feedback of fixing a physical problem. I feel like I get to be an artist, but one that works on the human body! And I think wearing a headlight is kind of cool.
The satisfaction I derive from my work stems from more than just the technical aspects of surgery. Witnessing the transformation in a child's demeanor and watching them thrive after surgery is immensely rewarding.
Kids are the future. I love helping kids feel better so they can get back out there and change the world. If there is something holding a child back and I can fix that for them, that is the best feeling in the world.
What I'm Passionate About
My goal is to enable kids to reach their full potential, experience life fully, and not be limited by treatable medical conditions. Chest wall disorders can have a huge impact on a child's life. Kids are often told that their disorder is "just cosmetic," but that is almost always not true. I am passionate about advocating for every child who would benefit from treatment. All children deserve access to the treatment they need!
I am excited to be working on several research projects related to the treatment of chest wall disorders. From new surgical techniques (like 3D modeling and virtual reality augmented surgery) to clinical protocols and patient outcomes — there are so many questions we want to answer! Other topics include: non-surgical treatment of pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum; outcomes following minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum; and safety and reporting of clinical outcomes.
How I Try to Make A Difference
I believe that every kid should have a voice in their care and decision making. Kids have a lot to say when they are asked, and their opinions should be respected. I make a point to ask and listen to what every kid has to say.
It is an honor to be named as the director of the Nemours Children's Chest Wall Institute, and a responsibility that I take very seriously. I have the opportunity to create a center where everyone shares the same goal: to deliver the best possible care to kids with chest wall disorders. I'm passionate about making the experience seamless, delivering excellent treatment and paying attention to every detail. One of my goals is to never have a patient who is "lost to follow-up."
I am working to improve access to the health care that kids need. Getting the right work-up and treatment and coordinating all of that. It is my goal to make our system more user-friendly. There is a lot of red tape in health care, and I'm trying to slash my way through it on my patients’ behalf.
