The mission of Department of Paediatric Surgery is to deliver and promote high-quality surgical care for children. The department manages surgical problems in newborns, infants, toddlers, children and teenagers up to the age of 18 years.
We work closely with paediatricians and surgeons from affiliated surgical services, including Opthalmology, Ear Nose Throat (ENT), Neurosurgery, Cardiothoracic and Vascular, Orthopaedics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Plastic Surgery, ensuring optimal care for paediatric patients.
Children experiencing urological problems are managed by paediatricians experienced in these specific issues.
Obstruction in the urinary tract: Often identified during prenatal screenings or post-birth investigations, obstruction at various levels of the urinary tract require a nuanced approach. We work closely with paediatric nephrologists to devise both short-term and long-term management plans tailored to each child’s needs.
Intersex disorders: This complex area involves disorders of sexual differentiation leading to ambiguous sexual characteristics. Our approach encompasses identifying the appropriate gender, ensuring internal organ consistency with external genitalia, deciding on gender rearing, assessing future fertility potential and offering counselling and informed choices regarding surgical procedures. We work closely with paediatricians specialising in endocrinology to ensure holistic care for the child and their family.
Lower urinary tract symptoms: For children experiencing lower urinary tract symptoms, wetting and neurologically affected bladders, we provide specialised diagnostic and individualised care. Our team offers bladder dynamic evaluations in a child-friendly setting and devices management plans, which may include urotherapy or surgical interventions, based on the diagnostic results.
The Paediatric Neurosurgical Service, part of the Division of Neurosurgery, delivers care for paediatric neurosurgical patients. Our clinical management and outcomes align with global benchmarks set by academic paediatric neurosurgical units.
We work closely with paediatricians and surgeons from other affiliated medical and surgical services such as Paediatric Neurology, Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Paediatric General Surgery, Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Diagnostic Imaging (Neuroradiology) to provide care for paediatric patients.
For more information about Paediatric Neurosurgery, click here.
We provide counselling sessions with obstetricians for parents facing abnormal prenatal scans. The aim is to address concerns, reduce anxiety and assist in informed decision-making.
Emphasising minimally invasive surgeries, laparoscopy is becoming increasingly significant. This approach allows children to experience reduced pain, shorter hospital stays and quicker recovery.
We offer minimally invasive surgeries for a range of conditions related to the lungs, appendix, stomach, kidneys, internal reproductive organs, and developmental malformations of the rectum and anus. These include gastro-oesophageal reflux, anorectal malformations, intersex disorder, non-functioning kidneys, undescended testis, appendicitis, varicoceles and thoracic lesions.
The surgical team focuses on biopsies, central line insertions for chemotherapy and tumour resections. The tumours commonly operated on are Wilms' tumour, neuroblastoma and hepatoblastoma.
Paediatric organ (liver and kidney) transplantation has developed as a specialised treatment for children suffering from irreversible organ failure. The National University Centre for Organ Transplantation (NUCOT) features a paediatric solid organ transplant unit, where children suffering from irreversible organ failure receive specialised care from our paediatric transplant team.
We provide a range of services, including chronic wound care, stoma care, stoma siting or planning, and instructions for clean intermittent catheterisation (CIC).
We treat a broad range of conditions involving the abdomen, chest, conjoined twins, genitourinary, head and neck, hepatobiliary, and various types of tumours:
| Abdomen | Genitourinary |
|---|---|
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| Chest | Head and Neck |
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| Conjoined Twins | Hepatobiliary |
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| Tumours | |
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During the first appointment, a paediatrician specialising in surgery will conduct a comprehensive review of your child’s surgical condition. Depending on the specific situation, additional tests such as blood investigations or diagnostic imaging may be necessary.
We also provide a 24-hour emergency surgical service. The Children's Emergency department is staffed by paediatricians across different specialties. For after-hours assistance, the paediatric surgical registrar and surgeons can be reached through the Hospital switchboard (65) 6908 2222.
If your child is admitted to the hospital for a planned surgery, you will receive detailed guidelines, such as specific feeding instructions prior to the surgery.
1. What does paediatric surgery involve?
Paediatric surgery encompasses the diagnosis, preoperative, operative and postoperative management of surgical issues in children.
Our team, including surgeons, anaesthetists and support staff, is prepared to undertake common procedures, focusing on managing risk and minimising emotional trauma for the child.
2. How do we decide whether to operate or when to operate?
The decision to operate is based on:
The timing of the operation is carefully planned to align with your child's age and the progression of the condition, aiming to maximise the benefits of the surgery.
3. What are the common conditions requiring surgical treatment in children?
Common conditions include congenital abnormalities detected during foetal development and identified in pregnancy scans by obstetricians. Other issues such as lumps and bumps on various body parts, phimosis, undescended testes and scrotal swellings like hernia and hydrocele are often identified by GPs. Additionally, issues with major body system like the intestines, liver and kidneys might require a surgical intervention.
4. How can we make the hospitalisation for operation easier for your child and family?
Email: [email protected]
Click here to make an appointment online.
