A pediatric surgeon specializes in treating birth defects and childhood medical conditions through surgery and ongoing care.
Surgical errors during these procedures may profoundly impact the child’s physical and mental development and severely alter their quality of life.
The Chicago medical malpractice attorneys of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC work with families to ensure they can recover fair compensation when their child has been injured due to a surgical error to continue to provide for the child’s needs throughout their life.
Procedures Performed by Pediatric Surgeons
To become a pediatric surgeon, doctors must be able to perform numerous types of procedures and treat a wide range of medical conditions.
The conditions they may treat through surgery include the following.
- Appendectomy— when the appendix becomes infected or painful due to inflammation, it may need to be removed. Emergency appendectomies may be performed if the appendix ruptures.
- Biliary atresia— this surgical procedure corrects a congenital disability where the bile produced by the liver cannot be emptied properly. The bile ducts are rerouted during this operation so that the liver can drain as needed.
- Various cancer treatments— several childhood cancers that a pediatric surgeon may be required to treat, including liver, abdomen, kidney, or pancreas. The surgeon may operate to implant a port cath or to remove a cancerous tumor before radiation or chemotherapy.
- Congenital disabilities— multiple congenital disabilities may impact the ability of a child to thrive. Malformed lungs, kidneys, and hearts are the most common defects that require surgical care. The surgeon may need to reconstruct the impacted organ and then prescribe medicine to help with the ongoing treatment of an associated condition.
- Gallbladder surgery— the gallbladder may become infected due to a virus, the formation of a stone, or another medical condition. Surgery to remove the gallbladder may be required if other treatment methods fail.
- Gastroschisis— this defect causes the intestines and stomach to fall from the body through a hole in the infant’s abdomen. A pediatric surgeon will perform surgery immediately following birth to place the organs back into place and seal the opening.
- Bowed chest occurs when a child’s breast bone and ribs grow disproportionately and may require surgical intervention if braces and other forms of treatment do not correct the issue.
- Reproductive defects— if a child has had a congenital disability of the genitals, surgical intervention may be required to remove tumors and cysts or correct organ dysfunction.
- Removal of the spleen— it is possible for a child to undergo a splenectomy if suffering from certain disorders of the blood or if they have suffered a traumatic injury.
- Bariatric surgery— a treatment for childhood obesity where a balloon is inserted into the esophagus to narrow the opening and reduce appetite.
- Removal of diseased intestines— some congenital disabilities result in the inflammation of the bowel followed by tissue death. The only way the condition can be treated after the bowel has been seriously damaged is through surgery.
- Hernia surgery— if a child is born with a hole in the groin that does not close on its own, the surgeon may need to perform a surgical procedure to prevent the intestines from falling through this opening.
- GERD treatment— also referred to as acid reflux- often occurs when stomach acid can flow back up the esophagus. It can be corrected by tightening the opening between the esophagus and the stomach to contain the acid.
- Abnormal pathways— when a child’s trachea or esophagus is malformed, it can result in respiratory or digestive problems. It may even threaten the child’s life and could require surgical intervention to reconstruct the airway or the path of the esophagus to the stomach.
- Imperforate anus— if a child is born without an opening in the anus or when the opening is in the wrong location, a surgical procedure is required to eliminate waste through the bowel.
The Impact of Surgical Errors on Child Health
A medical error during childhood can impact how the child grows throughout their formative years and may set them back physically and mentally compared to their peers.
Certain defects or complications may also affect the child’s social development, making them more prone to ridicule and ostracism.
If your child has suffered from a surgical error, you may be able to recover compensation so that you can provide the care and comfort they need to lead a happy and productive life.
Contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC today to learn more about your legal options and how we have helped thousands of families like yours find the justice they deserve.
Once one of our award-winning Chicago medical malpractice attorneys has a chance to review your claim, we can let you know how best to approach your case so that you can succeed.
If we cannot recover compensation on your behalf, our services will be free.
