C. S. Mott Children's Hospital
surgical specialties
surgical specialties
Here are some good general explanations for you to discuss with your child. For more detailed information on the surgical specialty you're interested in, click the link under the description.
Cardiovascular
If you were born with a heart problem, these doctors care for patients of all ages, who have congenital defects of the heart and great vessels. They operate on new-born babies through adults. Sometimes they can correct the heart problem with just one procedure, sometimes they know they will need to do a series of procedures to help the children as their bodies grow.
More Information
Neurosurgery
If you have a problem with your brain or spine that makes it hard to move these doctors help you. They take care of a variety of patients, from those who have hydrocephaly and spinal bifida, or other congenital problems to those who have tumors of the brain and spinal cords, or who have had brain or spinal trauma. They are the brain surgeons.
More Information
Ophthamology (Eye Care)
This is a group of doctors who care for children of all ages. They operate on your eyes and eye lid areas! If you have lazy eye or crossed eyes, they can help! Sometimes kids get cataracts (not just grandmas and grandpas), which makes it look like you see through fog all the time, they can help you see clearly again! Sometimes kids have trouble with droopy eyelids, or your tears are not draining well, and they can help you here too.
More Information
Orthopaedic Surgery
This is a group of doctors who care for children of all ages, having trouble with their bones. If you have a broken bone, they are the ones to fix this! However, they also help children whose bones or joints haven't formed properly, such as babies with hip deformities or clubbed feet. They help older children too, whose spines have developed unusual curvatures (scoleosis).
More Information
Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose, Throat)
This is a group of doctors who care for children of all ages, having trouble with the ears, nose and/or throat. Some of their most common surgeries involve placing ear tubes to help with chronic ear infections, and removing tonsils and/or adenoids. Some of these doctors even can place special equipment in children with some types of hearing loss, to actually help them hear!
More Information
Pediatric Surgery
This is a group of surgeons who care for children of all ages. They do many different types of surgery, but mostly operate in the abdominal (stomach) area. If you need your appendix taken out, they are the ones to do it! They also repair hernias and remove cysts (or bumps). They use TV's sometimes to operate, through tiny incisions with really skinny, long instruments. These doctors even have a robot they sometimes use to help with their operations!
More Information
Plastic Surgery
If you've been burned or have a bad scar these doctors can help you. These doctors also care for patients of all ages who have a malformation in many parts of the body. They help babies who are born with cleft lip and palate problems, or other facial problems such nasal or ear malformations. Sometimes they work with the neurosurgeons on patients who have craniofacial defects. They help children whose hands haven't formed normally, or those who have had some traumatic injury. They also help patients who have port-wine stain birth marks, fading these with staged laser treatments.
More Information
Urology
This is a group of three doctors who care for children of all ages. Sometimes kids have trouble making urine, or trouble having it come out well, or trouble with infections of the kidneys and bladder. It might sound silly, but if it is happening to you, it is not. These are the doctors who can help you, no matter what sort of trouble you are having. Sometimes these problems are embarrassing to kids. They understand this, and will help you without making you feel embarrassed.
More Information
