Surgery doesn't always mean large incisions. Minimally invasive surgery is often used today. This uses small cuts, and allows a child to recover faster and with less pain.
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A look at how open surgery compares to minimally invasive surgery, including different types of procedures.
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This is the time to ask questions: What are the expected results? What are the possible risks and complications? How long will the surgery take?
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Touring the hospital before surgery can help your child see the sights, sounds, and events he or she will experience the day of surgery. It is a nonthreatening, often reassuring, way to learn about the hospital.
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It's important to keep your baby's routine the same before the day of surgery. Make sure you, your baby, and your family are well rested.
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Read books to your toddler about going to the hospital. Keep any explanations simple and be careful of the words you use.
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Before coming to the hospital, remove any watches, necklaces, or earrings that your child wears and leave them at home so they are not misplaced.
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Your child will need to know that people in the operating room will be wearing surgical clothes to help prevent germs from infecting the surgical incision.
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An appendectomy is surgery to remove a child’s appendix. An appendectomy may be done as an open surgery or as laparoscopic surgery.
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Hypospadias is a problem where the opening of the urethra is not at the tip of the penis. With hypospadias, the end of the tube is lower down on the underside of the penis. Or it may be in the scrotum.
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Once surgery is done, your child will be brought to the recovery room, also called the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU).
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Intensive care is needed for children who have had certain types of major surgery: heart operations, organ transplants, or neurosurgery.
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