HWN Suggests

The Right Child/Right Surgeon initiative

The past 50 years have witnessed profound changes in the specialty of pediatric surgery in North America. There has been a marked increase in the number of both pediatric surgical training programs and practicing pediatric general and thoracic surgeons. Despite this trend, the population of children in the United States and the birth rate have recently remained relatively flat. Some pediatric surgeons have become “super specialists”, concentrating their practices in oncology or colorectal surgery. This has the potential to result in a dilution of experience for both pediatric surgical trainees and practicing pediatric surgeons, thus limiting their ability to acquire and maintain expertise respectively.…

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Articles of Interest

Current advances in pediatric surgery

The rapid development of recent technologies and research in the world has helped advance medical care in terms of how we diagnose, give therapies, and predict disease prognosis. It also improves our understanding of diseases leading to more personalized medicine.

Epidemiology of Pediatric Surgery in the United States

The epidemiology of pediatric surgery in the United States and whether disparities in access to surgical care exist on a national level remain inadequately described.

Exploring Pediatric Surgery and Its Unique Challenges

Pediatric surgery is a vital and dynamic field that addresses the unique needs of young patients facing surgical interventions. The challenges pediatric surgeons encounter — ranging from anatomical differences to psychological aspects — demand specialized skills and an empathetic approach. By understanding these complexities and leveraging advancements in technology, healthcare providers can continue to improve surgical outcomes for children, ensuring a healthier future for the next generation. The journey of pediatric surgery is one of resilience, innovation, and unwavering commitment to the well-being of young patients and their families.

History of Pediatric Surgery

When speaking of the history of pediatric surgery in North America, it is difficult to do so without immediately uttering the name Ladd in the next breath. The two are inexorably linked as Dr. William E. Ladd (1880-1967) is universally recognized as the father of pediatric surgery on this continent.

Is Pediatric Surgery Quality a Numbers Game?

It matters how many times a pediatric surgeon has performed a procedure, a new study says. But that isn’t the only factor parents should consider.

Minimally invasive pediatric surgery: how to improve and overcome limitations

The evolution of minimally invasive pediatric surgery is one of modern medicine's most exciting and progressive chapters. This practice, which originated in the development of laparoscopic surgery in adults in the 1980s, has gained a prominent position in the care of pediatric patients because of its many advantages over more invasive traditional surgical approaches.

Pediatric surgery: Past, present, and future

Will this be Utopia, or is Utopia always defined as something in the future rather than the present? I don't know, and I certainly will not be around to find out. Let me conclude by saying that there is surely no better career than that of restoring life and function to our children. It is a legacy that is not limited by time or dimension. There is no more important body than that devoted to the education and fellowship of those of us who have this privilege, and APSA will still exist in 2050. We can all be proud of what we have accomplished and with a renewed faith in what we do, look to the future with enthusiasm and with hope.

The Challenges Facing Training in Pediatric Surgery Worldwide

While much of pediatric surgery involves the treatment of relatively simple but common surgical conditions, such as hernia and undescended testes, the most challenging conditions tend to be rare and are often quite complex, e.g., esophageal atresia or bladder exstrophy. It is their rarity and complexity that creates the challenge for training. Many pediatric surgeons, even at the completion of training, have had relatively little clinical exposure to these conditions. Paradoxically, it is in the emerging nations with large pediatric populations that may see the most cases, but they do not always have the trainees, or the well structured teaching programs and facilities for their treatment at the same level that is found in the better resourced health services.

The Digital Era and the Future of Pediatric Surgery

Pediatric surgeons initially lagged behind their adult counterparts, particularly in neonates and infants, but with availability of miniature instruments, the scenario had changed.

The future of paediatric surgery: What the next few years hold for us

Many new developments lie ahead in paediatric surgery, but I am going to concentrate on three basic factors which will be largely responsible for these events: technological changes, innovation by professionals, and new instruments in clinical training. Many of these changes will depend on the decisions we make now, and these decisions will affect clinical practice for the next 20 years.

The State of Artificial Intelligence in Pediatric Surgery: A Systematic Review

While AI has wide potential clinical applications in pediatric surgery, very few published AI algorithms were externally validated, interpretable, and unbiased. Future research needs to focus on developing AI models which are prospectively validated and ultimately integrated into clinical workflows.

To Specialize or To Generalize – What is the Future of Pediatric Surgery?

Besides the love of children and the secret desire to never grow up, one of the draws of pediatric surgery was to forever be a “true general surgeon”. However, during residency, it became clear that “true general surgeons” were becoming extinct. For example, one of the general surgeons at my residency institution did a majority of the foregut procedures and had privileges to operate both in the chest and abdomen. Starting residency, I thought this was normal. It was not until later that I realized that 1) this was a rarity, and 2) my attending was a specialist (in every sense of the word); by the time I finished, his entire practice focused solely on foregut surgery.

Trends in Pediatric Surgical Care: What’s New in 2024

The world of pediatric surgical care is rapidly evolving, driven by an array of innovative techniques and technologies designed to improve patient outcomes and enhance the overall care experience. Central to these advances is the remarkable progress in minimally invasive surgery, offering an alternative to traditional open surgery procedures.

When a Child’s Surgery Goes Wrong

Doctors, including Mehmet Oz, and a health researcher offer suggestions for improvement.

Why Pediatric Surgery?

So why pediatric surgery? I hope that the answer is clear: “because children are not little adults”. They have some unique problems that require very special surgical management. They also do not vote, so we have another critical role—to be their advocates for the best surgical care in the world. That remains today a daunting challenge.

Resources

Pediataric Surgery Library

PedSurg Resource free open access for residents, students, patients, and parents.