Normal life looks a lot different these days, especially in healthcare. But there is one thing that hasn’t changed at Children’s Colorado: Your child’s health and safety are our highest priority. Kids need great pediatric care as much now as ever, and it’s for that reason that we’re reactivating services we temporarily suspended due to the pandemic. We are here to deliver safe, thoughtful, high-quality care for kids who need it. Learn what to expect – and all the ways we’re keeping patients safe.
If you're concerned that you or your child may have been exposed to COVID-19, please do NOT visit an emergency or urgent care location. Instead, call your doctor or our free ParentSmart Healthline at 720-777-0123 for guidance.
In life-threatening emergencies, find the emergency room location nearest you. For non-life-threatening medical needs when your pediatrician is unavailable, visit one of our urgent care locations.
To help inform you about the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) updates, experts from Children's Colorado have gathered information from local and national health authorities.
Minimally Invasive Surgery at the Center for Children's Surgery
Minimally invasive surgery is an innovative technique that uses smaller incisions, compared with traditional “open” surgery. Whenever possible, our surgeons perform these procedures rather than traditional surgery. Our specialists are among the best in the field of pediatric minimally invasive surgery.
What are the benefits of minimally invasive surgery?
Compared with traditional surgery, minimally invasive surgery offers:
Less tissue damage because we make smaller incisions
Less pain
Shorter hospital stays
Quicker recovery and return to regular activities
Lower risk of infection
Less scarring internally and smaller and less obvious scars on the skin
Magnified, detailed, real-time images for surgeons work from
What are the types of minimally invasive surgery?
Laparoscopy: Procedures performed in the abdomen
Thoracoscopy: Procedures performed in the chest
Fetoscopy: Procedures performed on an unborn baby in the womb (uterus)
How do I help prepare my child for minimally invasive surgery?
Preparing for minimally invasive surgery is like preparing for other surgical procedures. Please make sure to:
Follow the eating and drinking rules so your child’s stomach is empty before getting anesthesia. If their stomach isn’t empty, the contents can come up and enter their lungs (a serious problem called aspiration).
Discuss your child's medicines with the anesthesia team to find out if your child can take them before the procedure. Your child may be able to take medicine with a sip of water.
Here’s what to expect from minimally invasive procedures:
Receiving anesthesia
Your child receives general anesthesia before the surgery. Anesthesia keeps your child asleep so they don’t feel pain or remember the procedure.
Making an incision and viewing the area
Your child’s surgeon makes a small incision (about 2 to 5 millimeters) to access the appropriate part of the body. A 2-mm incision is about the size of a peppercorn, while a 5-mm incision is about the size of a chickpea.
The surgeon places surgical instruments through special ports (openings). They also insert a camera with a light through the port to allow them to see the area. The surgeon fills the area with safe carbon dioxide gas to expand it, which provides a better view.
Performing surgery
Your child’s surgeon surgeon uses surgical instruments to explore, remove or repair the problem inside the body. After the procedure, the surgeon closes the port site with absorbable sutures (stitches) under the skin.
Surgery time for minimally invasive procedures varies based on the procedure. Most surgeries take between 30 minutes and 2 hours, and some more complex procedures take longer.
What can my child expect from minimally invasive surgery?
Your child’s hospital stay varies depending on the type of procedure they had and usually lasts 1 to 5 days.
Side effects your child may have after minimally invasive surgery include:
Nausea and vomiting: Anesthesia medicines or surgical movements in your child’s body can cause these symptoms. We use special approaches to reduce nausea, vomiting and pain after surgery.
Shoulder pain: Your child may have shoulder pain for up to 2 to 3 days. The pain comes from the carbon dioxide gas that is used during the procedure and goes away on its own.
Recovery time depends on what procedure your child had, but many children return to most regular activities within 3 to 7 days. Your child may take a shower two days after surgery, but they shouldn’t swim or take a bath for at least one week.
How do I care for my child during recovery from minimally invasive surgery?
Your child’s care team provides a detailed plan to make their recovery as smooth as possible.
Pain control: Your child’s doctor will provide a pain management plan for you to follow at home. Your child may only need acetaminophen (such as Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (such as Motrin®) to control pain. In some cases, we may prescribe pain medicine for a short time.
Eating and drinking: In most cases, your child can return to their regular diet after they’re discharged from the hospital.
Activity: Your child should return to activities gradually. If your child is taking prescription pain medicine, keep them at home. Certain complex procedures require specific activity instructions and limitations. Your child's care team will provide these instructions to you.
Why choose us for minimally invasive surgery?
Our expert pediatric surgeons perform both complex and routine minimally invasive procedures in several surgical specialties, treating unborn babies to adolescents. The departments that commonly offer minimally invasive surgery include: Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Urology and Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology.
At Children’s Colorado, doctors from many specialties work together as a team, so your child receives the most comprehensive care. This multidisciplinary approach ensures that the surgical team considers treatment from every angle in order to recommend the best surgical or nonsurgical treatment options for your child’s unique needs.
Children’s Colorado also offers a one-of-a kind continuum of care for babies with conditions diagnosed prenatally, including:
Thorascopic repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia or diaphragmatic eventration (diaphragm is positioned in an abnormally high position) in qualified babies
Laparoscopic adrenalectomy (removal of adrenal gland)
If you have any questions and/or concerns, call the ParentSmart Healthline toll free at 1-855-KID-INFO (543-4636). Caring pediatric nurses are available 24/7 to help answer your health questions.
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Provider affiliation
Children's Hospital Colorado providers
Children’s Hospital Colorado providers are faculty members of the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Our specialists are nationally ranked and globally recognized for delivering the best possible care in pediatrics.
Community providers
Some healthcare professionals listed on our website have medical privileges to practice at Children’s Hospital Colorado, but they are community providers. They schedule and bill separately for their services, and are not employees of the Hospital.