Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Run of the Mill
So what kind of surgeries do kids get? A lot of my month was occupied by orthopedics. From skiing injuries to bicycling accidents, I had a lot of patients who agonized over choosing the color of their cast (while it was Christmas, we could not convince anyone to get red-and-white-striped candy cane). If the child had a stuffed animal, we'd put a cast, hat, and mask on it as well, which at least delighted parents. We also got a lot of business from ear, nose, and throat surgeons. From ear tubes to sinus surgeries to tonsils and adenoids, much of our days were occupied by fast-moving quick procedures. Children also get general anesthesia for small procedures. I provided anesthesia for many kids getting lumbar punctures, ports removed, dialysis lines, and gastric tubes. For some of these patients, I realized the risk from general anesthesia might have been higher than the risk from the procedure itself, but often general anesthesia is necessary. For the pediatric anesthesiologist, these types of procedures comprise our daily schedule.
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4 comments:
Out of curiosity, do you have a favorite type of surgery to do?
that's a great question. it's hard to say honestly; i think part of the fun of the job is to have a lot of diversity. if I'm looking for a challenging day with interesting procedures and cases, I tend to like thoracic and even cardiac surgeries. if I'm looking for tough airways and intubations, I enjoy days working with ENT surgeons. If I'm just looking for a standard not-too-exciting but not-too-boring day, gallbladders and appendicies are not bad. I've never been a big fan of neuro or spine cases, though they pose unique challenges as well.
Hi Craig! One of my friends suffered a broken finger from a recent accident. Her orthopedic advised to undergo a minor surgery but she is afraid of going under the knife. Is there any way she can be cured without getting operated upon?
Hi - That's a good question for your orthopedic surgeon. Some fractures can be managed nonoperatively, but a hand surgeon would be the best person to comment.
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