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The miracle of minimally invasive surgery for children
Children face special challenges when surgery is needed. Adapting adult surgical techniques isn't always the answer, since a child' physiology is fundamentally different than grown ups.
At the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children we understand all too well that children not only need to have their body healed, but their mind and spirit too. That's why our hospital is designed with children in mind. From the moment your child enters the front door until it's time to go home, your child will feel safe, secure and well cared for at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children.
Our child-centric patient care extends to surgery as well. Our medical team is the finest in the world and will ensure that your child's fear and uncertainties are addressed. Every member of our medical team has dedicated their respective lives to helping children live their lives to the fullest.
Thanks to our leadership in the field of minimally invasive surgery for children, your child will benefit from state-of-the art techniques, procedures and technology that will have them back on their feet in now time. Our procedures are especially designed for children and are less invasive, less painful, have fewer complications and offer reduced recovery times than traditional surgeries.
Ask anybody who cares for the children here and they'll tell you that their biggest reward is the smile on the face of a child who they've cared for at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children as they return home.
Doctors at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children offer advanced MIS options for:
Atresia Show Description
As babies develop there are times when an orifice either doesn’t open properly or is entirely absent. When this occurs, surgeons at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children can perform minimally invasive surgery to restore the functionality of the openings. In some cases, time is of the essence and surgery must be performed immediately following birth, such as when the anus doesn’t allow fecal matter to pass from the child.
Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation (CCAM) Show Description
When there is an overgrowth of abnormal lung tissue in a newborn, the child can experience difficulty breathing. When the baby is three to six months old, surgeons at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children will operate to remove this abnormal lung tissue thorascopically rather than having to make a large incision between the ribs of the chest, which was the traditional method. The use of MIS offers the child a quick window of recovery because of the small incisions made to remove the tissue. The chances are extremely good that the child’s lungs will continue to develop normally following surgery.
Congential Diaphragmatic Hernia Show Description
When a baby’s diaphragm develops abnormally, time is of the essence. The experts at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children are at the ready to repair the area using minimally invasive surgery. Offering a feasible and safe method for treating CDH, MIS allows surgeons to forego the larger incisions required to access this area, which not only increased the level of surgical risk, but left significant scarring. In the MIS procedure, surgeons make small incisions either in the thorax or the abdomen. Instruments are inserted into these incisions so that the hole in the muscle between the chest cavity and the abdomen can be closed using traction sutures. Usually, CDH can be identified while the baby is still in the womb, so the family and the medical team at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children can develop a plan for treatment immediately after birth.
Ex Utero Intrapartum Show Description
If the child’s airway is blocked or improperly developed, surgeons at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children will use what is known as the Ex Utero Intrapartum Treatment, or EXIT, to open the airway right after birth. Using MIS techniques, surgeons work in close coordination with the mother’s physician to perform the procedure while the mother provides oxygen to the baby through the umbilical cord. Once the airway is opened, the baby is then delivered through a standard C-Section. The advantage of the EXIT procedure compared to open fetal procedures is that it doesn’t require general anesthesia for the mother and child, which can be problematic and increase risks. Instead, local anesthesia can be used, even for more complex fetoscopic procedures.
Gastroschisis Show Description
Babies occasionally develop their intestines and other organs on the outside of the body. Known as Gastroschisis, the defect can be detected through a detailed fecal ultrasound. Once the baby is born, surgeons at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children will utilize minimally invasive surgery to return the intestines and organs to their rightful place in the abdomen. Depending on the nature of the Gastroschisis, surgeons may elect to do the surgery in stages. Fortunately, MIS procedures place less stress on the newborn so staging does not cause undo risk or place additional stress on the baby as traditional surgical techniques do.
Omphaocele Show Description
Similar in nature to Gastroschisis, this disorder is characterized by the intestines, liver and occasionally other organs being developed outside of the abdomen. The cause of this is incomplete development of the abdominal wall muscles and is corrected after birth using minimally invasive surgery. Surgeons return the organs to the cavity using small incisions in the abdomen and microscopic tools to secure them. Compared to a thoractomy, which required a large incision to be made in the chest, MIS significantly reduces the chance of air leaks, bleeding and infections, which were common complications before.
Pectus Carinatum (Pigeon Chest) Show Description
Depending on the severity of the condition, doctors at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children may recommend minimally invasive surgery (MIS) to correct Pectus Carinatum. MIS offers the patient far better outcomes than the traditional method, which required surgeons to open the chest and remove portions of the sternum and rib cartilage to rebuild the chest wall. Using the Nuss procedure, surgeons can introduce a curved bar into the chest through relatively small incisions. The bars are then anchored to the ribs with stabilizers so the chest cartilage can harden as the child ages into its correct position.
Pectus Excavatum (Funnel Chest) Show Description
Similar in nature and treatment to Pectus Carinatum, Pectus Excavatum (Funnel Chest) has been traditionally treated by making a large incision in the chest and removing cartilage. Since MIS offers patients the same outcome with less pain, a reduced chance of complications and far less scarring, surgeons install steel bars under the sternum through small incisions on both sides of the chest. These bars are left in the chest until the bones have solidified and set into their proper places. Once this is confirmed, the bars are removed through a simple outpatient surgery that limits scarring and offers a quick recovery period.
Polyhydramnios Show Description
When a baby in the womb is unable to swallow and absorb amniotic fluid in normal amounts, it could be the sign of a birth defect or a problem with the heart, brain, intestines or lungs. One of the leading signs of a problem is the presence of Polyhydramnios, which can be detected in an ultrasound. If there is a problem, specialists at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children will review options with you, which could include minimally invasive surgery following birth to correct the problems. Fortunately, the hospital’s highly skilled team of medical professionals are well versed in these issues and will be there by your side to provide you with the answers you need to make informed decisions.
Sequestration Show Description
When a piece of tissue in a developing baby develops into lung tissue that isn’t connected to the pulmonary blood supply or the bronchial airways, it needs to be removed shortly after birth. In the past, this meant that a large incision had to be made which caused significant scarring. Today, surgeons at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children use laparoscopic thorascopic resection to remove the tissue. Tiny incisions through which advanced pediatric laparoscopic equipment can be inserted reduce scarring and reduce the pain of the procedure. That, when combined with the improved patient outcomes and quicker healing, make MIS an attractive option for traditional surgical techniques.
Teratomas Show Description
One of the most common tumors a newborn can have, Teratomas are located in the base of the tailbone. To correct the issue, surgeons will recommend that you give birth to your child at the hospital so skilled teams can perform surgery soon after the baby’s birth. Traditionally, large incisions had to be made to access the tumor, creating complications, increasing the risk of infection and causing scarring. With minimally invasive surgery, surgeons at the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children insert high precision, miniaturized tools through small incisions to access the tailbone and remove the tumor. The MIS procedure allows your child to make a recovery quickly so you can enjoy the true joys of parenthood sooner.
Undescended Testicles Show Description
As your baby boy develops, the testicles should descend into the scrotum shortly before birth. If they don’t descend fully, the condition is known as Cyptorchdisim. If the testicles still don’t descend within the first six months, surgeons may recommend a procedure known as an orchipexy. Performed on an outpatient basis, a small incision is made in the scrotum, the testicle is removed, then placed in the scrotum through another small incision. The procedure takes about 90 minutes and the patient can return home the same day.
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