Paediatric Surgery

The thought of a child going through surgery is a matter of concern for every parent. However, it is a fact that most of children go through surgery better than adults.

Some common questions and apprehensions which come to mind

Is it safe?

Surgery in children is fairly safe at Kokilaben Hospital because:

• Done by specially trained surgeons and aneasthetists
• We routinely perform such surgeries
• The nursing staff, the anaesthetist and the doctors performing the surgery are properly trained

Services at Kokilaben Hospital's Centre for Children's Pediatric Surgery Unit

Surgical Services

• Paediatric General Surgery
• Surgery in Premature and Newborn Babies
• Paediatric Urology and Cystoscopic Surgery
• Genital Reconstructive Surgery
• Thoracoscopy and Chest Surgery
• Laproscopy and Surgery of the Gastrointestinal System
• Bronchoscopy
• Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery
• Paediatric Neurosurgery

Special Clinics

• Antenatal Counselling for Foetal Malformations
• Spina Bifida Clinic
• Nocturnal Enuresis Treatment
• Treatment for Incontinence

Other Facilities

• State-of theart Intensive Care Units
• Transport facilities to the hospital
• Experienced anaesthetists
• Child-friendly, stress-free environment

Is surgery really necessary for children?

Your doctor will have advised surgery in view of the symptoms or the potential complications, which your child is likely to suffer from. Many of these operations may be necessary to help your child grow normally.

What is the ideal age for surgery in children?

Different conditions have a different recommended age for surgery. Certain conditions like a hernia, may look minor, but can lead to complications. It is better to perform surgery as aearly as possible in such cases. Other problems may not have any harmful effects in the near future. Such operations can be planned after the child has grown a bit, or at the convenience of the family members.

Will it be very painful for the child?

Every effort is made to minimize the physiological trauma of surgery for the child and also reduce post operative pain. Most operations will require the child to be asleep during surgery, so sedation or general anaesthesia will be needed. For most routine surgeries, the child will be free from pain a day or two after the operation.

Will my child need to be hungry for too long?

General anaesthesia requires the child to fast for a few hours before and after anaesthesia. Except in those cases where the surgery has been a major one, your child may be fed a few hours after surgery but your doctor will give you instructions for the same.

Will we need to keep the child tied to the cot after the surgery?

It is very difficult to keep children in the bed if they do not have pain or discomfort. Therefore, for most operations, the paediatric surgery plans his surgery and post-operative plan so that the child can sit up and even move around the house as soon as possible.

How can we help improve your childs preparedness for surgery?

If you are stressed, your child will perceive this. We encourage you to be well-informed about all aspects of hospitalization. This will help you to allay your anxiety and will also help your child to cope.

For older children who can understand, it is best to prepare them for surgery by explaining the need for surgery and that it is required for their good health. It is not advisable to lie and trick children into surgery.

Who are paediatric surgeons?

Paediatric surgery is a super specialization of general surgery. It involves specialized training which is given after fully qualifying as a general (adult) surgeon. This course is similar in duration to the course for heart surgery or brain surgery or plastic surgery.

How is paediatric surgery different from adult surgery?

Many of the operations performed by paediatric surgeons involve the correction of defects that a child is born with. These surgeries often require a different approach as compared to operations performed on adults. Besides, tissue in children keeps growing and the surgical procedure needs to account for the same.

Paediatric surgeons are much more than just technicians. They know about all the aspects of the disease which they are treating, including how to handle a child.

Operating on children is a very delicate procedure and requires special care and gentleness on the part of the surgeon. It is necessary for a surgeon to exclusively perform such delicate surgeries on a regular basis in order to develop an expertise in this field.

Is it necessary to use aneasthesia during surgery?

Most surgeries in children require general anaesthesia. Anaesthesia helps:

• Helps keep the children calm and quiet
• Avoids leaving the child with any bad memories about the procedure
• Avoids sudden movements the child may make, allowing the surgeon to complete delicate surgical manoeuvres

We have well-trained anaesthetists, newer drugs and more advanced techniques in paediatric anaesthesia, hence children are able to tolerate anaesthesia almost as safely as adults.

Common causes for surgery in children

Surgery in newborns
Because, some problems that babies are born with will not allow them to live if not tackled immediately. For e.g. absent anus, incomplete development of intestine, etc. Some problems can even make them prone to infections that are life-threatening, while others will interfere with the normal development of the child. Some babies do not look normal. In these cases, performing a surgery will not only make them look better but also help them face the world with greater confidence.

Surgery in older children
Because, some problems that babies are born with may show up later when children are growing up. Some problems noticed at birth need to be treated immediately - these can be treated after children are a little older. There may be infections or other events that need surgical treatments. At times, children have diseases similar to adults, however, their diagnostic criteria and their management may be different from adults, like in cases of appendicitis and hernia. Irrespective of the reason of surgery, gentleness and special care are alwys needed in the surgical treatment of children.

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