Surgery

There are many reasons why having an operation might be needed or recommended for babies, children or young people. This will be discussed with each family at an appointment with their doctor or surgeon before the operation takes place. This can be a worrying time and there are lots of ways to help children – and their families – feel ready for surgery. This might include watching videos, talking about what will happen, playing with toys to help understand about equipment and conditions, or reading books and advice leaflets. If you feel like your child needs some extra help to prepare them for their operation, please speak to their doctor or nurse or call the ward on their admission letter. We will be very happy to help. Find out more information about having an operation, for children and young people.

Our surgical wards

The RHCYP has three wards for children needing operations:

• The Crichton Unit is a dedicated ward for day case surgery and procedures needing a general anaesthetic or sedation, with most children going home the same day.
• Dunvegan Ward is for children needing a short stay after having surgery – usually up to 48 hours.
• Tantallon Ward is for anyone needing a longer stay after more complex surgery.

Sometimes a child might need to be admitted to Critical Care as part of their recovery from an operation or surgical procedure, moving on to a different ward once they are well enough. Each child’s medical team will make a decision about which ward to admit them to, based on the care that they need. This will be discussed with families wherever possible before a child moves. St. John’s Hospital in Livingston has a dedicated children’s ward and some types of surgery take place there.

Surgical specialties are usually grouped by areas of the body or by particular conditions, allowing surgeons and the expert teams helping them to specialise in a particular type of surgery. Our specialities include:

• Trauma
• Orthopaedics
• Neurosurgery – including the Scottish Paediatric Epilepsy Surgery Service
• Spinal surgery
• Ear, Nose & Throat
• Plastic surgery
• Ophthalmology (eye surgery)
• General surgery for a range of other conditions

You might hear or see surgery described as ‘elective’ – this means that it can be scheduled in advance. Emergency surgery is when something unexpected happens, like an injury or a sudden change in a child’s health.

Most operations involve an anaesthetic:

• A local anaesthetic is where special medicine is used to make part of the body feel numb, but you usually stay awake.
• A general anaesthetic is where some special ‘sleepy medicine’ is given before your operation, meaning that you go to sleep while it takes place.

You can find out more about having an anaesthetic here.

There is more helpful information for children and young people about coming to hospital, staying on a ward and having an operation in the children and young people pages.