What is paediatric surgery?

Paediatric or children’s surgery is concerned with the surgical treatment of children’s diseases, from the foetal period up until adolescence (0-18 years). The branch includes two over-specialisations:

•  Paediatric visceral surgery 
• Paediatric orthopaedic surgery.

Paediatric surgery is different from other types of surgery in that it entails a specific way of operating (specially sized instruments, limited surgical site, etc.) and a crucial understanding of the morphological and physiological growth process.

What does a paediatric surgeon do ?

A paediatric surgeon will try to gain the trust of the young patient, to the same extent as the parents. Indeed, the impact of anxiety, fears, loss of bearings, pain, etc. on childhood disorders has been proven. With the help of the entire surgical team and other specialists monitoring the child (particularly the paediatrician), the paediatric surgeon will determine the type of testing (imaging, biopsy, etc.), operation and follow-up treatment to be conducted or offered. Whether it be the consequences of a premature birth, an accident, a congenital malformation or an abnormality diagnosed in adolescence (scoliosis, for example), the objective of any paediatric surgeon is to ease the child’s pain and allow them to return home as soon as possible.

How to choose a surgeon for your child

Paediatric surgery is poorly represented in France and parents should therefore seek out the most suitable facility. This may be a large multidisciplinary hospital with a paediatrics, infant anaesthesia and neonatal and paediatric intensive care unit, or a facility that deals specially with childhood diseases. Some of the criteria that should also be considered include the anaesthesia techniques used (hypno-sedation, for example), the availability of wards that are specially adapted for parents, outpatient surgery or whether follow-up care can be provided in day hospitals.

What are the risks of paediatric surgery ?

Paediatric surgery entails a very specific type of care. Anaesthesia is meticulously adapted to each child (dosage and technique) and the preoperative consultation is particularly important. While the risks of allergies, haemorrhage and infections are the same as for adult surgery, their effects may be more severe in children, hence the need for greater surveillance and a very rapid response.