Surgical Procedures
Alongside the requirement for consent, our team believe that keeping parents up to date is part of good treatment. They help us to appreciate the right levels of discussion on forthcoming procedures to suit each child.
In a way, paediatric surgery has similar requirements to adult surgery. Trauma is not rare in childhood, infections, or tumours can require surgical treatment, as can subtle developmental issues.
In other senses, the approach to surgical intervention may be quite different. A child is on a continuum of growth, a surgeon needs to visualise the future to make good decisions in the present.
Where surgery will be visible, particular care must be given to aesthetic needs. Whilst this would be the case at any age, a child has more stages of life to go through and adapt to, along with more years ahead of them.
Aesthetic Decisions
Reconstructive surgery can be a crucial element for children and needs to be carefully planned. Techniques have improved and surgical revisiting in the years ahead is less common but can be required.
Whether for immediate needs, or looking to future surgery, the focus should still be on growth. A treatment plan should be tailored to not unduly interfere with life and lead to a natural, lasting appearance.
Curative treatment matters but so does our patient. The need to minimise scarring and maintain shape, or function are key elements in childhood surgery.
Care At Our London Clinic
Supporting a child’s self esteem is part of a good outcome and of an integrated approach, focused on the wellbeing of the whole child.
This requires sound ethics, clear information and parental involvement, which together create the best decisions. Surgery is not generally welcome at any age, yet can still be a positive experience.
We understand there will still be understandable concerns on almost all paediatric treatment. Our team are available at any time to offer advice and support, to build the confidence which contributes to successful surgery.
