Well - Summer 2011 - (Page 10)

Number of general pediatric surgeons Number of pediatric specialty surgeons Approximate children’s surgeries performed each year by physicians at UNC Hospitals 5,000 Number of newly rededicated operating rooms 6 None of the services in the pediatric surgery unit is new, but the enhanced environment cultivates the already childfocused philosophy there. It’s common to see kids ride in a red wagon to the operating room instead of on a gurney, and the “kiss and go” lane—the last stop for parents to say goodbye to their children before surgery—is now painted with animal scenes in bright colors. “Most places don’t take the time to stop and realize the patient is just a child; I think that’s a big focus of what we do,” says Dr. Adamson. “We’re all working together to have a specialized, kid-focused approach.” UNC Health Care is a place where Oxlee feels safe and comfortable. A typical surgery day for him starts with a three-hour drive from his family’s home near Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base to Chapel Hill. When he arrives at the unit, he puts on his jammies, walks back to the operating room with his dad, who helps with his mask, and when he wakes, he’s in a di erent room—all within the span of about 40 minutes. As Oxlee describes this, it sounds more like a routine trip to the grocery store rather than a 9-year-old having his esophagus dilated. Allowing Oxlee’s dad to accompany him to the operating room for reassurance is just one example of how the sta adjusts based on the individual needs of the child. “I think kids are frequently underestimated,” says Dr. Adamson. “Here, we try to let them take control of the potentially frightening parts of surgery as much as we can. We let them hold their own mask, choose which kind of bandage they want, sign their own forms, choose whether to inhale their meds or get a shot.” A Difﬁcult Job Made Even More Challenging UNC Health Care’s highly specialized anesthesiologists face speciﬁc and unique problems when caring for a patient with epidermolysis bullosa (EB). To avoid blisters, both inside and out, the team practices a “notouch” technique: • All exposed skin surfaces are protected with Vaseline or other ointment. • Anesthesiologists breathe for an asleep patient with minimal touching of the patient’s face and mouth. • Breathing tubes can be placed with special strawlike, ﬂexible scopes to position the tube without touching the patient. • Patients are carefully moved without sliding. • A blood pressure cuff, heart monitors and IVs are all secured by carefully wrapping and using no adhesive tape of any kind. • Cleaning solutions are poured, not rubbed, on the skin. • A care plan is specialized for each patient by working together with the parents to avoid new blisters. Relationships Key for Young Patients “It’s very subtle, but it represents a totally di erent philosophy of trying to focus on the child’s and family’s anxieties in the operating room,” adds Dr. Adamson. “It makes for a much better experience.” It has become somewhat of a tradition in the pediatric surgery unit to let Oxlee sign his own consent forms. Over the past several years, the sta has saved his medical records. These charts chronicle the evolution of Oxlee’s signature, which started as a mark, then a sort of “X,” then just “O,” and now his full name. “It’s a way for Oxlee to take ownership, giving him an element of control in the process that makes it bearable for him,” says 10 Summer 2011 Well PHOTOS: HEATHER LAUFFER FOR TAMARA LACKEY PHOTOGRAPHY UNC Pediatric Surgery Facts UNC Health Care has the state’s ﬁrst and only pediatric pain management team 1 5 17

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Well - Summer 2011

Well - Summer 2011
Contents
UNC Health Care News
Community
Radio City Rockettes Visit Children’s Hospital
Prostate Protection
Surgery Through Oxlee’s Eyes
Nutrition
Calendar

Well - Summer 2011