Pediatric minimally invasive surgery

Using minimally invasive techniques has rapidly become the standard for many surgeries, especially when it comes to providing pediatric care. Our adaptable, experienced and innovative teams have led the way in minimally invasive surgical care for children.

For many of our pediatric procedures, we were the first in the region, country and world to perform them. By providing such care across our network, we have unparalleled access to high-tech equipment that’s designed to provide top-notch care for your child. We are proud to provide access to state-of-the-art operating rooms, critical care nursing, diagnostic testing, imaging services and pediatric surgeons and support staff who are leaders in research and innovation.

Many types of procedures use minimally invasive pediatric surgery techniques. When appropriate, we offer these procedures to reduce the impact on your child while enhancing our vision and precision.

Some of the surgeries that use this minimally invasive method include:

• Ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery
• Gastrointestinal (GI) surgery
• General surgery

Age requirements for minimally invasive surgery

Thanks to technological advances, minimally invasive surgery can safely be performed on infants and children weighing as little as two pounds. Today, our computers and high-resolution video cameras allow both surgeon and staff to evaluate your child and their response to the procedure in real time.

The benefits of minimally invasive surgery

As pioneers of minimally invasive pediatric surgery — in addition to providing newer, safer and potentially more effective outcomes — the techniques we use can bring your child:

• Decreased pain
• Faster recovery times
• Lower complication rates
• Reduced scarring
• Smaller, more precise surgical movements

Types of minimally invasive procedures we perform

Performed to provide pediatric care for a wide range of conditions, our surgical treatment options include:

To perform the procedures listed above, we may use the following methods:

• Endoscopic — Describes procedures where we use an endoscope, which is a thin tube with a tiny camera
• Laparoscopic — A type of surgery where an endoscope is inserted through a small incision in the abdomen to access the stomach, liver and female reproductive organs
• Robot-assisted — Allows access to the tiniest areas with extreme precision at the controls of robotic arms
• Thoracoscopic — Performed through a small surgical opening in the chest to access the areas around the lungs and heart