Center for Children’s Surgery
Surgery of Newborns, Infants, Children and Adolescents
Endoscopy, General, Thoracic, Laparoscopic & Genitourinary Surgery
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Some questions that are commonly asked by our patients:
Q: Does my child have to be put to sleep for his/her operation?
A: Yes. Many children due their tender age are afraid of strangers and do not understand the nature of surgery. General anesthesia provides safe relaxation, anesthesia (no pain), amnesia and allows the surgery to progress in a very humane fashion. Your child's anesthesiologist is a Board-Certified Pediatric anesthesiologist. What this means is that they have completed extra training of usually another year or two beyond that required for an anesthesiologist. This training is entirely with children.
Q: Will my child have any side effects from anesthesia?
A: Common side effects from general anesthesia are mild nausea and vomiting. These are usually lessened my medications administered by the anesthesiologist during surgery.
Q: Will my child have to have an I.V. ( intravenous)?
A: In most cases an IV will be necessary. The IV is useful to administer medications for pain, nausea, or sedation either during the operation or during the recovery period. In most cases the IV is started after your child is asleep from breathing some laughing gas.
Q: My child was born with an umbilical hernia (protruding belly button). When is the best age for it to get fixed?
A: A good number of children are born with umbilical or navel hernias of varying sizes. Sometimes there is a family history of umbilical hernias. The majority of umbilical hernias will close by 18 to 24 months. We will usually wait until your child is two years old before considering surgical repair. There are exceptions to this rule. If your child should become symptomatic and have pain or discomfort with their hernia, than surgery can be scheduled prior to age two.
Q: My child has an inguinal (groin) hernia. Will this ever go away on it's own?
A: No. Inguinal hernias are very different from umbilical hernias. There can also be a family history of these. Inguinal hernias are more likely to cause problems with incarceration or strangulation. This means a risk or injury to the intestine, testicle, or ovary. Once an inguinal hernia is diagnosed, it will be scheduled fairly quickly, usually within one to two weeks.
Q: My baby is only a few weeks/months old. Is it too soon for surgery?
A: If your baby's problem or diagnosis is entirely elective, it is safe to wait until you are comfortable or your baby is at least three months old. Infants with problems requiring urgent surgery will be scheduled quickly to avoid any complications. If your child is younger than three months, usually they will need to be watched overnight in the hospital. The younger the infant the more they are likely to have apnea (breath holding) secondary to the general anesthesia. Observation is usually overnight with an apnea monitor to rule out any breathing issues.
MAIN OFFICE next to Sunrise Hospital
3121 South Maryland Parkway,
Suite 400, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
Tel. (702) 650-2500 Fax (702) 650-2220
2nd OFFICE
653 Town Center Drive
Suite 114, Las Vegas NV 89144
Tel. (702) 650-2500 Fax (702) 650-2220