The child is too young, can this disease be operated on?
This is a question that children’s surgeons are often asked by parents. In clinical work, many parents fear or refuse surgery because they do not understand the disease, resulting in delayed treatment and adverse effects on children. Parents generally have the following worries: Can surgery bear the child’s age? Does surgical anesthesia affect children’s intelligence? Have a fluke mentality, I think the child may be fine without surgery, Or look for alternative treatments. In fact, Diseases that generally require surgery, Surgery is more beneficial to children than harmful, Anesthesia does not affect intelligence either. So, It is necessary here to tell the majority of parents about the type of surgery. The surgery that should be done, The advantages outweigh the disadvantages. 1. Emergency surgery, Immediately do it is suitable for situations that directly threaten the child’s life or delay surgery will lead to loss of body function. For example, severe digestive system malformation (anal atresia, intestinal atresia, etc.) in neonatal period, If the child does not receive effective treatment within 3-4 days after birth, Intestinal perforation will occur, Causing death. 2. Deadline surgery, Do it as soon as possible is suitable for situations where the delay time is too long and may cause serious harm. For example, pathological jaundice of newborns, One of the causes is biliary atresia, This condition usually needs to be diagnosed and treated surgically before the age of 2 months. The liver function can still maintain life needs after operation. However, if the child is over 3 months old and has not received effective treatment, Will lead to cirrhosis of the liver, Even after the operation, The liver has also lost its function, By then, The only chance of survival is to have a liver transplant. 3. Elective surgery, Be ready to do it again because of the nature of the disease itself, Adequate preparation is required before surgery, Choose the right time. For example, the most common pediatric hernia, Because of the possibility of incarcerated hernia, Causing intestinal necrosis, Therefore, surgery should be arranged immediately after diagnosis. However, before surgery, it is necessary to confirm that all conditions of the child are ready, which is both safe and conducive to rapid recovery. 4. Special circumstances (1) malnutrition, other serious acute and chronic diseases, or infection in areas requiring surgery should be performed after the disease is cured or the situation improves. (2) Children who have a history of contact with infectious diseases or suffer from infectious diseases, Parents can consult their doctor if they can perform the operation. Surgical anesthesia will not affect children’s intelligence. Large doses of anesthesia do cause damage to the nervous system. But after more than a hundred years of exploration, Scientists and doctors have already determined the safe dosage of existing narcotic drugs. In addition, In the study of adverse reactions to anesthesia, there is little direct evidence that anesthesia will damage children’s cognitive ability. Therefore, anesthesia within a safe dose range is relatively safe for children and will not affect children’s intelligence. Is there any other treatment besides surgery? In real life, Some parents think surgery is not the best choice, Will seek other treatments. In fact, As to whether the child can [not undergo surgery], Doctors will consider at least the following points: 1. Is there any possibility of self-healing? Some diseases may heal with the growth and development of children. Therefore, the operation should not be performed until a certain age has not improved. For example, some children suffering from hydrocephalus can improve on their own before 12 months. No more related symptoms. 2. Effect of non-surgical therapy Some deformities are well treated with non-surgical therapy in the early stage. However, surgery is required for patients over a certain age. For example, developmental dislocation of hip in children, If you use manual reduction before the child is 18 months old, It is possible to fully recover. 3. The rate of disease development. Although some diseases are benign, But its growth rate is faster than that of children’s development and growth, Should also be operated on in time. I once met a child with melanoma nevus on wrist in outpatient department, Due to the failure to deal with it in a timely manner, When I came to see the doctor, the pigmented nevus already occupied the whole Skin grafting has to be performed after resection. 4. Possibility of malignant transformation Although some tumors are benign, But its malignant transformation rate is high, Surgery should also be carried out as soon as possible. For example, sacrococcygeal The disease is mostly benign in the neonatal period, Generally, the effect is good after surgical treatment, But as the child grows older, The probability of malignant transformation of tumors will multiply. 5. The degree of surgical invasion, the child’s tolerance to surgery, And the extent of surgical invasion, It will also be used as a factor in choosing the timing. With the progress of medicine, Some hospitals have been able to carry out [intrapartum surgery] [fetal surgery], That is, during and after the delivery of the fetus, Immediately carry out surgical treatment for birth defects, In addition, Minimally invasive surgery has been able to do some operations without leaving obvious scars, For example, minimally invasive treatment of pediatric hernia, appendicitis, etc. There are many kinds of children’s diseases, and most of the time there is no timely surgical treatment because of parents’ fear and worries. As the child grows up, either there will be no more opportunities for surgery, or the recovery time will take longer. To believe in doctors, cooperate with doctors, is really good for children.