Pediatrics

A pediatric cardiac surgeon or interventional cardiologist repairs the defect either through open-heart surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass or, where anatomy allows, a minimally invasive catheter-based closure device.

Recommended for infants and children with septal defects, valve abnormalities, or complex congenital anomalies identified on echocardiogram, particularly where growth, oxygenation or heart function is affected.

Under general anaesthesia, the team accesses the heart via sternotomy or, for catheter-based repairs, via a small vessel puncture; the defect is closed or corrected under continuous cardiac monitoring, with surgery typically taking 3-6 hours depending on complexity.

Most children show improved oxygen saturation and growth trajectory within weeks, with full cardiac remodelling and normalised heart function typically confirmed over 6-12 months of follow-up echocardiograms.

An internal receiver-stimulator and electrode array are surgically placed in the inner ear and connected to an external sound processor, bypassing damaged hair cells to stimulate the auditory nerve directly.

Recommended for infants and children with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss who gain limited benefit from conventional hearing aids, ideally identified through early newborn hearing screening.

Under general anaesthesia, the surgeon creates a small incision behind the ear, drills a cochleostomy, and threads the electrode array into the cochlea before securing the internal device; the procedure typically takes 2-4 hours per ear.

The external processor is activated 2-4 weeks after surgery, with hearing thresholds and speech perception improving progressively over months as the child undergoes auditory-verbal therapy and mapping sessions.

A pediatric plastic or maxillofacial surgeon repositions and closes the separated tissues of the lip, and separately the palate, to restore normal structure, feeding and speech function.

Recommended for infants born with a cleft lip and/or palate, typically performed in staged procedures once the child meets specific age and weight milestones for anaesthesia safety.

Under general anaesthesia, the surgeon realigns the muscle and soft tissue layers of the lip or palate and closes them with layered sutures; lip repair typically takes 1-2 hours and palate repair 2-3 hours.

Feeding and lip symmetry improve immediately after lip repair, while palate repair progressively improves speech development, with most children requiring ongoing speech therapy and monitoring through childhood.

A pediatric orthopedic surgeon corrects bone length or alignment using guided growth plates, an external fixator frame, or an internal lengthening nail, depending on the child's age and the degree of deformity.

Recommended for children with congenital or growth-related limb length discrepancy, bowing, or angular deformity affecting gait, joint alignment, or long-term mobility.

Under general anaesthesia, the surgeon performs a controlled osteotomy and applies the chosen correction device, which is then gradually adjusted over subsequent weeks to lengthen or realign the bone; initial surgery typically takes 1-3 hours.

Bone correction and lengthening typically progress over 2-6 months depending on the amount needed, with full bone consolidation and return to normal alignment confirmed on X-ray over 6-12 months.

The tonsils and/or adenoids are removed from the back of the throat and nasal passage using traditional dissection, electrocautery, or coblation (radiofrequency) technique.

Recommended for children with recurrent tonsillitis, sleep-disordered breathing or obstructive sleep apnoea, or chronic nasal obstruction linked to enlarged tonsils and adenoids.

Under general anaesthesia, the surgeon accesses the throat through the open mouth without external incisions and removes the tissue using the chosen technique; the procedure typically takes 20-45 minutes.

Breathing and sleep quality typically improve within days to weeks, with a marked reduction in throat infections and, where obstructive sleep apnoea was present, resolution confirmed on follow-up assessment.