Pediatric Surgery

Surgeons who perform surgeries on infants, children, and adolescents are called Pediatric Surgeons. Neonatal surgery and fetal surgery are the subspecialties of pediatric surgery. Pediatric surgeons are the medical doctors who must complete the following training programs during their education:

• At least 4 years of medical school
• Five additional years of general surgery
• Post two additional years of residency training in pediatric surgery
• Certification by the American Board of Surgery

Major pediatric surgeries include,

• Pediatric oncological surgery
• Pediatric cardiothoracic surgery:  heart and lung transplantation in children
• Pediatric nephrological surgery: kidneys and ureters surgeries in children
• Pediatric neurosurgery:  surgeries on brain, central nervous system, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves of children
• Pediatric urological surgery:  surgery involving urinary bladder and other structures below the kidney of children
• Pediatric emergency surgery: fetuses or embryos surgeries in children
• Pediatric hepatological and gastrointestinal surgery: surgeries involving liver and intestinal transplantation in children
• Pediatric orthopedic surgery: surgeries on muscle and bone in children
• Pediatric plastic and reconstructive surgery

Common diseases in children that may require pediatric surgery include:

• Childhood tumors
• Congenital malformations
• Chest wall deformities
• Separation of conjoined twins
• Abdominal wall defects