GS23P PAEDIATRIC SURGERY PERFORMED BY GENERAL SURGEONS IN A PROVINCIAL NEW ZEALAND (NZ) HOSPITAL

Abstract

Purpose To perform an audit of paediatric surgical patients in a provincial general surgical unit.Methodology Data was prospectively recorded using a standardized proforma on all children aged up to 15 yrs, seen between 11th December 2005 and 11th December 2006.Results There were 209 admissions (194 children), median age 8 yrs (6 wks–15 yrs) with 153 (73%) acutes. 37 children (18%) were under 2 yrs. Male : female ratio was 3 : 2. Procedures (n = 119) were appendicectomy (35), inguinal herniotomy (30), skin procedures (29), endoscopy (10), testicular (10) and others (5). The commonest acute and elective operations were appendicectomy and inguinal herniotomy respectively. 51% of operations were acute.There were 10 tertiary hospital transfers (5%) for burns (4), pyloric stenosis (3), intussusseption (1), neonatal inguinal hernia (1) and pyoderma gangrenosum (1). Median age of transfers was 11 months (6 wks–14 yrs).Complications were wound infection (1), post‐operative ileus (2) and infarcted ovary (1).Conclusion There are increasing moves towards centralization in paediatric surgery.1 With only 4 paediatric tertiary centres in NZ, many general surgeons routinely perform paediatric surgery. A large number of children presented to our surgical department. Around half of these children required surgery and half of operations were acute. There is still a significant need for general paediatric surgery in the provinces and hence close collaboration with specialist paediatric surgeons.