Outpatient Practice: Surgical Conditions

Abstract

Although neonatal surgical emergencies constitute a large part of pediatric surgical practice, there are several surgical conditions and lesions in the newborn that are assessed in the outpatient clinic. Quite frequently, the first clinician to whom such patients are brought by the parents is the pediatrician. The parents are usually very anxious and worried about their child's condition. It is, thus, very important that pediatricians should be sufficiently aware and have enough knowledge about the diagnosis and management of these conditions so that the parents can be counseled and given appropriate advice, especially regarding the referral to a pediatric surgeon or other surgical specialist. This review article discusses the presentation and diagnosis of common neonatal surgical conditions that may be seen by a pediatrician in his outpatient practice. The broad principles of management, especially the timing, if required, of surgical intervention areoutlined.