Minimally Invasive Surgery

The Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery offers nationally-recognized pediatric surgeons, experts in laparoscopic, endoscopic and other minimally invasive surgical techniques.

How is minimally invasive surgery different from other kinds of pediatric surgery?
Minimally invasive surgery is a technique in which pediatric surgeons perform operations through Band-Aid size incisions. Minimally invasive surgery uses a slender tubular instrument called an endoscope that visually examines the interior of a bodily canal or hollow organ such as the colon, bladder or stomach. Minimally invasive surgery can shorten hospital stays, reduce post-operative discomfort, minimize scarring and allow for a quicker return to normal activities.

Why is Children's Mercy the best children's hospital for minimally invasive surgery?
The center's director, George M. Whitfield Holcomb, III, M.D., is one of the nation's leading experts in innovative new minimally invasive surgery procedures. Children's Mercy, Kansas City, Missouri, offers state-of-the-art surgical facilities specifically equipped for pediatric minimally invasive surgical operations for children of all ages.

What are some of the common minimally invasive surgeries for children?
Children's Mercy offers laparoscopic (Microsoft Word white paper) (in the abdomen or belly) and thoracoscopic (in the chest) surgeries and repair of the pectus excavatum (PDF white paper) or Nuss Procedure. Through laparoscopic surgery, our pediatric surgeons can treat a wide variety of diseases by performing procedures such as adrenalectomy, appendectomy, cholecystectomy and fundoplication (Care Card). Thoracoscopic procedures are used when the chest wall is accessed to perform biopsies of thoracic masses, spinal diskectomy and fusion for scoliosis.

Pediatric Surgery
For more information about pediatric surgery at Children's Mercy Hospital, please see Pediatric Surgery services in our General/Thoracic Surgery department.

Physicians

• Andrews, Walter S. , MD
  Section Chief, Transplantation, Surgical Director, Liver Transplantation, Professor of Surgery, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
• Gatti, John , MD
  Director, Minimally Invasive Urology, Associate Professor of Urologic Surgery
• Holcomb, George Whitfield III, MD, MBA
  Surgeon-in-Chief; Director, Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery; The Katharine B. Richardson Endowed Chair in Pediatric Surgery; Professor of Surgery, UMKC School of Medicine
• Murphy, J. Patrick , MD
  Section Chief, Urological Surgery Professor of Surgery
• Ostlie, Daniel , MD
  Director, Surgical Critical Care, Director, Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Program, Associate Professor of Surgery
• Sharp, Ronald , MD
  Section Chief, General and Thoracic Surgery Director, Burns and Trauma Professor of Surgery
• Snyder, Charles L. , MD
  Director of Clinical Research; Professor of Surgery, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
• St. Peter, Shawn , MD
  Director, Center for Prospective Clinical Trials Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine

Minimally Invasive Surgery

Common Diagnoses

Pediatric Abdomen Surgery

• Abdominal masses
• Appendicitis
• Cholelithiasis
• Contralateral exploration for inguinal hernia
• Dysplastic kidney
• Gastroesophageal reflux
• Hirschsprung's disease
• Hydrocephalus
• Non-palpable testis
• Pheochromocytoma, adrenal masses
• Renal failure
• Splenomegaly
• Varicocele

Pediatric Chest Surgery

• Empyema
• Pulmonary nodules / metastatic disease
• Scoliosis
• Spontaneous pneumothorax
• Thoracic mass

Minimally Invasive Surgery

Services & Treatments

Minimally Invasive Surgery

• Endoscopy

Pediatric Laparoscopic Surgery

• Adrenalectomy
• Appendectomy
• Cholecystectomy
• Evaluation of a contralateral hernia
• Fundoplication
• Insertion of dialysis catheters or CSF shunts
• Nephrectomy for dysplasia
• Pull-through for Hirschsprung's disease
• Variococlectomy
• Laparoscopy for non-palpable testis/laparoscopic orchiopexy

Pediatric Thoracoscopic Surgery

• Biopsy of decortication
• Biopsy of thoracic masses
• Decortication of empyema
• Ligation of pulmonary blebs
• Spinal diskectomy and fusion for scoliosis
• Wedge resections of pulmonary nodules

Minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (Nuss procedure)

Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics is the Kansas City region's exclusive pediatric medical center and health care network. Our physicians, nurses and technicians are all trained specifically to work with children. We provide the finest care possible in the following pediatric subspecialties: Adolescent Medicine; Allergy/Asthma/Immunology; Anesthesiology; Bone Marrow Transplant; Burn/Trauma Care; Cardiology; Cardiovascular Surgery; Cleft Palate/Craniofacial; Comprehensive Sleep Disorders Center; Critical Care Medicine; Dentistry; Dermatology; Developmental and Behavioral Sciences; Ear, Nose and Throat (Otorhinolaryngology); Emergency Medicine; Endocrinology/Diabetes; Gastroenterology; General Pediatrics; General/Thoracic/Urologic Surgery; Genetics; Gynecological Surgery; Hearing and Speech; Liver Transplant; Hematology/Oncology; Hospitalists; Infectious Disease; Medical Research; Medical Toxicology; Minimally Invasive Surgery; Neonatology; Nephrology: Kidney Transplant; Neurology; Neurosurgery; Nursing; Occupational Therapy; Home Care; Ophthalmology; Orthopaedic Surgery; Pathology/Laboratory Medicine; Pharmacology; Physical Therapy; Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery; Pulmonology; Radiology; Rehabilitation Medicine; Respiratory Care; Rheumatology; Transport; Click here for additional information.