Frequently Asked Questions

Pediatric surgery is concerned with the surgical management of children's conditions, from the fetal period to adolescence (0-18 years).

This specialty has many areas of interest like gastrointestinal and thoracic malformations and urologic disorders.

This specialty is distinct. The surgeon needs the knowledge of how to operate a being who is in growth, with different morphological and physiological characteristics. This assessment is very different compared to adult surgery.

It is distinguished by a specific modus operandi like instruments of adapted size, restricted operating field, use of the magnifying lens as an example.

Not all children who go to see a pediatric surgeon will have surgery. Their doctor referred them to a pediatric surgeon because he can give a specialized opinion which does not always mean surgical therapy.

This is someone who only treats children. Such surgeons are generally based in large regional hospitals or children’s hospitals.

Although some of their work is the minor surgery of children (e.g. hernia repair, surgery for undescended testis, appendicitis, etc.), their main role is in the complex surgery of the newborn (neonatal surgery), major surgical diseases of children and surgery in children with complex medical disorders. These surgeons work with specialist pediatric anesthesiologists and nurses.

Some specialist pediatric surgeons have chosen to sub-specialize in pediatric urology. They are specialist pediatric surgeons but in addition, they had training in pediatric urology. They are involved in managing complex genitourinary problems in children.

Antenatal counseling: in the diagnosis of congenital malformations during pregnancy, with scheduling for surgical correction after birth if needed. In some cases, the surgical procedure can be performed in the mother’s uterus that we called fetal surgery.

Neonatal surgery: it comprises babies from birth to 28 days of life, premature or full-term births. Congenital malformations predominate in this age group.

General pediatric surgery: after the neonatal period, it involves both congenital malformations with later diagnosis, as well as other elective or urgent pathologies, of the various organic systems.

Pediatric urological surgery: investigation and treatment of urinary system diseases and external genitalia problems.

Pediatric trauma surgery: the treatment of polytraumatized children has a different assessment due to their distinct characteristics when compared to adults. The pediatric surgeon plays an essential role in emergency services.

Pediatric oncologic surgery: tumors, benign or malignant, have differentiated presentation and outcome, based in unusual histological characteristics that define the therapy.

Pediatric video laparoscopy: in fact, it is not an area of activity, but a surgical technique that requires surgeon’s skills for being applied in various situations of daily practice of the specialty.

Robotic pediatric surgery: like laparoscopy, it is a surgical technique that requires specific and intensive training with highly sophisticated and expensive equipment. Few pediatric hospitals in Europe avail this method as a treatment choice in selected cases.