When surgery is needed trust us to provide your child with the best possible care. Our experienced, knowledgeable team of surgeons specializes in pediatric surgery, so we understand your child’s unique physiology and needs.  Below is a short list of conditions and procedures commonly found and performed in children.  If you do not see your child's particular condition listed below, or if you would like to know whether we perform a particular operation, please do not hesitate to contact us for further information.

The Miracle of Minimally Invasive Surgery

Thanks to advances in medicine, many surgeries can be performed on children through an opening no bigger than a dime, and in many cases even smaller. Using minimally invasive techniques, highly trained pediatric surgeons make two or three tiny incisions.  The surgeon then inserts a fiber optic camera and miniaturized instruments through these incisions in order to perform the operation.  Thanks to modern technology, very precise procedures can be conducted through very small incisions, which my be closed with one suture, or sometimes with only skin glue.  Many surgeries are now able to be perfomed with this technique.  If you would like further information about whether minimally invasive surgery is right for your child, please feel free to contact us. 

Atresia

As the baby develops sometimes a part of the intestinal tract doesn’t form correctly or is entirely absent. This can include failure at the level of the esophagus, the small or large intestine, or the anus. The surgeons at Disney Children’s Hospital monitor the baby for signs of Atresia and correct these issues with surgery to restore functionality. In most cases of Atresia, a surgery will need to be performed shortly after birth.

Congenital Cystic Adenomatiod Malformation (CCAM)

Caused by an overgrowth of abnormal lung tissue, CCAM is a congenital condition that is detected during a routine ultrasound by your doctor. Because the baby can have trouble breathing, your doctor will recommend that you deliver your baby at the hospital, which has a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Surgeons at Disney Children’s Hospital will remove this abnormal lung tissue, preferably when the child is three to six months old. The removal doesn’t affect your baby in the long term, since lungs continue to develop until your child is 9 years old.

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Several conditions can cause the baby’s diaphragm to develop abnormally. Surgery is required to repair this dome shaped muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen. Under general anesthesia, surgeons at Disney Children’s Hospital may repair the defect or hole thoracoscopically (through the chest), laparscopically, or with a small chest or abdominal incision. Often, this condition can be detected while the baby is still in the womb, allowing the family and medical team time to develop a plan for treatment after birth.

Ex Utero Intrapartum Treatement (EXIT)

When a baby is born, their airway may be blocked or improperly developed. Surgeons at Disney Children’s Hospital access the airway using an Ex Utero Intrapartum Treatment, or EXIT. The baby remains connected to the mother through the umbilical cord while the airway is maintained.  Our surgeons work in careful coordination with the mother’s physician and anesthesia to perform the EXIT procedure, providing exacting care to both the mother and the child throughout. Once completed, the rest of the delivery is treated as a standard C-section.

Gastroschisis

During development the intestines and occasionally other organs will develop outside of the baby. Known as Gastrochisis, this may be defect detected by doctors at Disney Children’s Hospital using a detailed fetal ultrasound. Once the baby is born, skilled surgeons will return the intestines and organs to the abdominal cavity. Depending on the complexity of the condition, the surgical team may opt to do this in a staged approach.

Omphaocele

Similar to Gastrochisis, this disorder occurs when the intestines, liver and occasionally other organs are left outside the abdomen because of improper development of the muscles in the abdominal wall. Following birth, these organs are returned to the cavity by the surgeons. In some situations, gravity does the hard work and the organs return to the cavity on their own. On rare occasions, surgery may be postponed to allow the baby’s abdominal cavity to grow big enough to house the organs.

Pectus Carinatum

Depending on the severity of the condition, Pectus Carinatum is either treated through surgery or through a custom fitted chest brace. Children with Pigeon Chest may experience pain, but more often, are embarrased by the deformity. In rare cases, the condition can be associated with connective tissue disorders, abnormal growth or even the onset of arthritis. In most cases the custom fitted chest-wall brace will correct the problem.

Pectus Excavatum

Usually present at birth, Pectus Excavatum is a deformity in the chest caused by the improper growth of the sternum and some of the ribs. It gives the chest a caved-in look, especially as the child reaches puberty. Left unchecked, Funnel Chest can impair the cardiac and respiratory functions or cause pain in the chest and back. To repair the deformity, surgeons at Disney Children’s Hospital may use minimally invasive surgery to place steel bars under the sternum. These bars are left in the chest until the chest wall has solidified into its proper places.

Polyhydramnios

When a baby is in the womb, it’s natural for him or her to swallow and absorb amniotic fluid in normal amounts. Unfortunately, when this process is disrupted, too much fluid may accumulate around the developing infant.  Polyhdramnios, detected by prenatal ultrasound, has many causes, some of which may require surgery.  The surgeons at Disney Children's Hospital are always willing to discuss the surgical causes of polyhydramnios with any expectant mother and her family.

Sequestration

Occasionally 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. Known as a bronchopulmonary sequestration, this tissue is removed by surgeons at the hospital after birth ideally using Minimally Invasive Surgery. Removal is required to prevent long-term health issues, including infection and even cancer.

Teratoma

Located at the base of the tailbone, the neck or the abdomen, a Teratoma is a tumor sometimes found in newborns. Physicians at Disney Children’s Hospital may detect the presence of the tumor during an ultrasound or through a blood test during pregnancy. Because surgery is required, your doctor will recommend that you have your child at a hospital with pediatric surgery expertise, such as Disney Children’s Hospital at Florida Hospital.

Undescended Testicles

As your baby develops inside the womb his testicles will descend into the scrotum shortly before birth. In some cases, they don’t descend. This condition, known as Cyptorchidism occurs in one-third of boys born prematurely and about 4% of those born full term. If the testicles don’t descend on their own within the first six months to 24 months of life surgeons at Disney Children’s Hospital may perform surgery to reposition them in the scrotum. This is typically done on an outpatient basis, but may require a staged approach.