Pediatric Minimally Invasive Surgery

Surgeons in the UF division of pediatric surgery offer a wide range of minimally invasive pediatric surgery procedures for children of all ages, ranging from tiny premature babies to maturing teenagers. 

Associate professor, Saleem Islam, MD., MPH, is the director of pediatric minimally invasive surgery. Islam joined the UF faculty in 2007.

The wide range of minimally invasive procedures includes laparoscopic and thoracoscopic operations for conditions in the lungs, esophagus, diaphragm, chest and abdomen, as well as congenital anomalies.  

Advantages for minimally invasive procedures include:

  • smaller incisions translating to less post-operative pain
  • more rapid recovery resulting in shorter hospital stays
  • less overall use of pain medicine
  • less scar tissue
  • cosmetic benefits

In an effort to further minimally invasive surgery options, procedures are being evaluated to determine if they can be conducted in a less invasive way. There is a strict criteria that the same or better post-operative results are achieved as with open surgeries.

Not all patients are candidates for minimally invasive surgery; they must first be seen and evaluated. To make an appointment to discuss minimally invasive pediatric surgery options, please call 352.392.3739.

Following is a comprehensive list of minimally invasive surgeries offered by UF pediatric surgeons at Shands Children's Hospital:

Abdominal procedures

  • Pull-through for high imperforate anus
  • Hirschprung's pull thru
  • Ileocolectomy - crohn's
  • Partial colectomy
  • Sigmoid colectomy
  • Total colectomy with J-pouch
  • Cholecystectomy
  • Resection of choledochal cyst
  • Guided liver biopsy
  • Splenectomy
  • Adrenalectomy
  • Fundoplications
  • Heller myotomy
  • Pyloromyotomy
  • Duodenal atresia
  • Jejunoileal atresia
  • Ovarian cystectomy
  • Evaluation for ambiguous genitalia
  • Two stage Fowler-Stephen's for undescended testicle
  • Contralateral groin exploration
  • Inguinal hernia repair
  • Ventral hernia repair
  • Small bowel obstruction
  • Distal pancreatectomy
  • Oophorectomy
  • Appendectomy
  • Meckel's diverticulectomy
  • Nephrectomy
  • Pyeloplasty
  • Gastric bypass or banding

Chest procedures

  • Thymectomy
  • Anterior mediastinal
  • Pericardial window
  • Lobectomy
  • Posterior mediastinal tumor
  • Esophageal atresia
  • Hyperhidrosis
  • Eventration
  • Bronchial duplication
  • Foregut duplication
  • Lung biopsy
  • Pneumothorax / pleurodesis
  • Empyema
  • Pectus excavatum
  • Diaphragmatic Hernia
  • Chylothorax

 

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