Pediatric surgical admissions at the Holy Family Hospital [1970-1979]

ABSTRACT

The pattern of pediatric surgical admissions to a privately owned 225 bed hospital without a specialized pediatric surgeon was studied over a ten year period [1970-1979]. Of the total 87,876 admissions, 24% [17,574] were pediatric and 6% [1,186] of these were admitted for surgical reasons. The most common admissions were for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy [66 patients], circumcision [134 admission; excludes circumcisions done on outpatients and newborns], closed and open reduction for fractures and dislocations [110], incision and drainage of abscesses [82], operations for hernia, hydroceles and undescended testes [71], burns [60], crush injuries [39] and intestinal obstruction [43]. Diseases of the kidney and ureter accounted for 31, hydrocephalus and meningocele for 31, head injuries for 27, cleft lip and palate for 26 and appendicitis for 26 admissions. It is felt that a study of the spectrum of disease affecting children [and needing admission to surgical ward in a general hospital] will be helpful in evolving curricula and training strategies for comprehensive [general] surgeons