surgery
Children's Surgery
Children's surgery may be necessary if your child has an accident or if they have been born with an anomaly to their hand. We are fortunate to have a clinic at the Portland Hospital in order that we can cater for the needs of children of all ages. Mr Paul Smith, Consultant Hand Surgeon from Great Ormond Street, leads the surgical team and brings world renowned expertise in the field of paediatric hand surgery.
The most common conditions requiring surgery are briefly described:
Syndactyly
This is a condition where the web spaces have not divided and therefore the fingers (and sometimes toes) are unable to part. This can be along the full length of the finger or part of the length. These fingers can be assessed for their suitability to be separated. Following surgery, the child is monitored to ensure they do not have a recurrence or any issues with scarring.
Polydactyly
Polydactyly means duplication and can mean a duplication of any of the digits. The most common duplication is the thumb. There are various surgical procedures available to resolve this and the surgeon will be able to explain the options to you. It is often easy to determine which is the best of the duplicates and this one will be retained.
Hypoplastic thumb
An underdeveloped thumb becomes problematic in function as the thumb is required to be stable to facilitate most grips. Surgery can help by stabilizing the thumb. Each child will be assessed and the most suitable procedure discussed with you. Assessment of function may be recommended in cases that are borderline for surgery to help establish the level of need. If the thumb is too unstable for reconstruction, a more functional hand may be gained by removal of the hypoplastic thumb with pollicisation (moving of the index finger to the site of the thumb). This provides an extremely functional hand.
Radial Club Hand
This condition occurs due to the failure of formation of the radial (thumb side) of the limb. The spectrum of the failure to form is extremely wide and each child will need to be assessed individually. The surgeon will recommend whether surgery is indicated and when. He may also advise the use of splints made by the hand therapist.
The Portland Hospital
As one of the largest, private children's units in the UK, The Portland Hospital is committed to providing the best treatment for children. Our specialist paediatric unit cares for babies and children up to 16 years of age who require treatment and support on both an inpatient, outpatient or day care basis.
We are proud to be able to offer a premier service and conduct all of the care a child will need from diagnosis, through to surgery and aftercare. Utilising advanced medical technology, our paediatric specialties include gastroenterology, orthopaedics, urology, neurology and ENT.
Our paediatric wards are bright and cheerful to ensure a comfortable, relaxing environment for your child. A supervised playroom is also available to keep children's spirits high. All children are invited to join the Portly Panda Club which provides many exciting benefits and an opportunity to keep in touch.
Our paediatric unit is open at all times for elective and urgent admissions. The 41 bed unit offers a comfortable, calm and reassuring 'home from home' environment to accommodate any length of stay.
The paediatric unit is equipped with advanced medical technology and facilities. Should the need arise a 6-bedded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a 6-bedded Special Care Baby Unit and a 3-bedded Paediatric High Dependency Unit are available.
Our child friendly rooms are private, ensuite and include a nurse call system, direct dial telephone, colour television, video, fridge and air conditioning. Our facilities enable one parent or carer to stay overnight with their child. We pay vigorous attention to the security of our patients to ensure that their visit to The Portland Hospital is safe and secure.
Child patients are assigned a named nurse who is responsible for their care and works closely with the Consultant to ensure continuity and a trusting relationship.
The length of stay for our child patients is dependent upon their condition and treatment administered. Their Consultant will decide when it is appropriate to discharge the child. Children are admitted to The Portland Hospital for both short stay and long term rehabilitation.
The Portland Hospital is continually investing in the latest theatre equipment for its three main theatres where both medical diagnostics and surgical operations are performed. Our specialist paediatric staff are carefully selected to provide the best expertise for each type of operation in our theatres. After an operation the child is taken to a relaxing recovery area.
Hand Therapy for Children
The hand therapists will be involved in assessing children with congenital anomalies and treating them pre and post operatively. All the same modalities are used as for adults (except the electrotherapies). A hand therapist is available at the Portland each week and is available every weekday at the Wellington.
