surgery Archives - Resource Library - Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

What is an ingrowing toenail? An ingrown toenail is when the edge of the nail ‘grows’ into the skin at the edge of the nail. This causes a skin infection which may bleed, discharge and overgrow. It is like having a splinter in the skin. The inflammation will not settle down until the bit...

This information resource will help you understand what to expect with your operation and how you can play an active part in your recovery. The aim of the enhanced recovery programme is to get you back to full health as quickly as possible after your scoliosis surgery. It is used after many...

This resource is for children who have been offered surgery for their kyphosis. Your child’s surgeon will go through all the information in this document in clinic during the consent process. This will hopefully help you understand the terms used and allow you to think of any questions before...

What is a stoma? A stoma is an opening on the tummy where the bowel is brought to the skin surface and allows poo to come out. Your baby will need a general anaesthetic and an operation to have a stoma formed. The nurses and the doctors will explain this all to you in more… Continue Reading...

What is Hirschsprung’s disease? Hirschsprung’s disease is a rare condition that causes poo to become stuck in the bowels. It mainly affects babies and young children. Normally, the bowel continuously squeezes and relaxes to push poo along, a process controlled by your nervous system. In...

What are anorectal malformations? Anorectal malformations are birth defects where the anus and rectum (bottom) do not develop properly. They occur in an around 1 in 4,000 newborn babies and can range from mild to complex. What type of anorectal malformation does my baby have? Perineal fistula or...

What is umbilical hernia? Umbilical (belly button) hernia is a defect or hole in the wall of the tummy at the belly button. This causes a bulge and sometimes the bowel or fat from inside the tummy can come up into the hernia through the belly button. What cause umbilical hernia? Umbilical hernia is...

A pyeloplasty (kidney pelvis reconstruction) is an operation we do when your child has a blockage between the pelvis (main drainage area) and the ureter (the tube that joins the kidney and the bladder). For more information, please visit this infoKID resource. How do I know if my child has...

What is urodynamics? Urodynamics is a test that gives us information about the layout or anatomy of the urinary tract but also gives us information about how it functions. It is a day procedure with no overnight stay. The test is in 2 parts: the filling and the emptying.  It has to be done...

For more information about anaesthetic risks, please see the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) infographic here. The following information below provides more detail about the side effects and risks associated with general anaesthesia in children. Common side effects of general anaesthesia...

A resource created with Widgit of the journey of going for a daycase operation.

What do I need to do before the operation? You will need to come into the hospital with your child and you will be asked to sign a consent form for this operation. What happens on the day of the operation? When you arrive at the hospital you will have the chance to talk about… Continue...

This resource is aimed at children aged 7 to 12 years old but may be found useful by anyone who is undergoing limb reconstruction surgery themselves or who knows somebody who is. It can be used to help you look at how you feel about the surgery and give you some ideas to help you… Continue...

Important information If your child has to go into hospital for an operation or procedure they may need to have a ‘general anaesthetic’. A general anaesthetic makes sure that your child is unconscious and free of pain during an operation or procedure. Having an anaesthetic is very safe,...

What is an endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV)? An endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is an operation, done by our neurosurgical team, under a general anaesthetic. It treats some types of hydrocephalus by making a small hole in the bottom of the third ventricle to improve the flow of...

Why is hip reconstruction surgery necessary? Children who have difficulty standing and walking are at increased risk of hip problems. The hip joint is made up of a ball and a socket. Reduced standing and walking can lead to the shape of the hip developing differently increasing the risk of the ball...

This resource has been designed to help you remember the exercises and advice the therapist went through with you whilst in hospital. The exercises should be done slowly and smoothly. Some discomfort may be noted whilst doing these exercises after surgery. If pain is limiting doing the exercises,...

Why am I being asked if I might be pregnant before I have my operation, X-ray, treatment or test? We know that some tests and procedures put an unborn baby at risk of harm. These include certain X-rays, scans, operations and some medicines. In order to prevent the possibility of harming an unborn...

The ‘FITBONE ® Nail’ is a very clever metal rod that is inserted into a bone and used to lengthen it. It is similar to the precice limb lengthening. Below shows an example of a girl who had her right thigh bone lengthened using a FITBONE nail.            ...

Emergency, urgent, and trauma theatre list The EUT theatre list is for patients who need an operation very quickly. Your child has been added to this theatre list to have a procedure or operation under general anaesthetic. This means that they will be given medicine so that they are not awake for...

Before your operation Keep yourself as active and as strong as you can. Carry on doing your normal sports, walking and activities, unless you have been told not to by your doctor or physiotherapist. Have a go at the exercises in this resource so you know that you can do them and what they...

Will my child be in pain after the procedure? There is usually some pain or discomfort in the first few days after an operation. How much pain your child is in, depends on the type of procedure they have had. The pain may not be too bad straight away, because of the medicines and anaesthetic…...