MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is it silly for us to think of coming to Los Angeles to have our child's surgery?

A large number of patients come to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles from across the country and even from outside the country. They come because they haven't been totally satisfied with the care they've had in their local area or don't have confidence in the physicians they have seen at home. Frequently their physicians are just not as familiar as we are with the particular conditions. An experienced surgeon can treat a child and do it more quickly with fewer stages and with better results than someone who hasn't had vast experience. That is true of medicine just as it's true of plumbing or building or anything else.

How many children's plastic surgeons are there in the country?

Surprisingly few plastic surgeons specialize in children. Most plastic surgeons treat some children in their practice, but in general, the financial incentive is to treat adults. There are a very few plastic surgeons, probably less than 20 in the whole country, who can say that the majority of their practice are children or that they've had long experience with a breadth of pediatric issues.

How do parents find you?

Frequently, parents are unhappy and turn to other resources rather than their own physician. The majority of patients that come to us from out of state come because they are referred by other parents whose children have similar conditions. They meet them in malls, or in doctor's offices. They meet them over the internet or through support groups. There are a number of support organizations that have recommended us as well.

How do you know if your physician is an expert in your child's condition?

You can get a sense of whether or not a physician treats a significant number of children at his office. If you see more adults than children in the waiting room the answer is no. Also, plastic surgeons are trained to take "before and after" pictures of their patients (see our "before and after" pictures). If the physician that you are considering can't show you similar conditions with "before and after" results, I would be concerned that he or she may not be as familiar with my child's problem as I would like.

Are you able to put patients' families in touch with other people who have been through the experience?

Yes, we frequently refer patients to families who have previously experienced surgery. It is very helpful for parents to talk to other families. If your physician is unable or unwilling to give you names of patients to call, that should cause you some alarm. Your physician should be able to look up a particular condition -- cleft lip, microtia (the absent ear), hemangioma (vascular tumor), breast deformity, or whatever your child's condition is and get a list of patients with phone numbers that you may call to discuss the treatment experience.

What does a parent do if they come from out of state?

It is actually quite easy to come to Los Angeles. It can even be inexpensive. Some airlines have programs that will provide complimentary tickets for children flying to Los Angeles for medical care. Childrens Hospital Los Angeles has a large Ronald McDonald House where there is almost no cost for staying. There are a number of local hotels that give us discounted rates as well.

How long will we have to stay in Los Angeles?

Children heal very quickly. In our practice, we see patients who come from out of town on Tuesday night and have surgery the next morning, then we usually see them Friday or Saturday morning before they return home. A day or two after surgery, most children are able to go to Disneyland.

Will my insurance pay for my child's care?

The answer is a resounding "maybe". Some insurance companies offer full coverage for a wide range of conditions and some do not. Please allow us to assist you in determining your child's eligibility by filling out our contact form. The more information we have prior to your child's appointment, the more efficiently we can serve you.

Are Saturday consultations possible?

Yes, we see patients on Saturday mornings for a number of reasons: often both parents want to be present, children have school commitments during the week, or commutes from neighboring areas are less demanding on weekends.

Will you assist us with obtaining authorization from our insurance companies?

Yes, our staff members assist families in obtaining authorization from their insurance companies. Basically, we provide full service from the initial inquiry to the post-operative examinations including assistance with locating temporary housing. Your doctor's secretary will assist you with accommodations.

Isn't CHLA a teaching hospital? Does that mean that interns and residents will be operating on my child?

Residents do assist, but they are never the primary surgeons on the case. Childrens Hospital Los Angeles is a teaching hospital, it is the pediatric hospital for the University of Southern California. There are residents and interns at this hospital. The resident who rotates through our service from the University of Southern California is usually an individual who not only has completed medical school but has usually completed a five or six year general surgery residency and is now about to complete his or her plastic surgery residency.

How many physicians will be involved with my child's care?

For certain problems, we utilize a team of doctors. For instance, cleft lip and palate patients have multiple problems that not only involve their appearance, but can involve their speech, hearing, and their jaw development. We see those patients as a team, and work with specialists in different areas. We arrange the team evaluation so patients can come and be seen by all of the specialists on a given morning. They can be seen by genetics, or pediatrics, have their hearing and speech evaluated, their dental status evaluated, orthodontic care, or receive a variety of care relevant to their conditions.

What is the most appropriate age for my child to have surgery?

Surgery depends to some extent on the condition that is being treated. But, in general, the earlier we can treat a problem the better. Young children often have less anxiety and heal more quickly and better than older children.

Will my child be put to sleep?

Most often, our surgeons use a light form of general anesthesia so children experience less anxiety enabling the surgeon to take more time and do a better job.

Isn't anesthesia dangerous in small children?

No, if anesthesia is given by anesthesiologists who specialize in children at a well-equipped hospital, like CHLA, the risk of anesthesia is minuscule. The chance of sustaining a problem with anesthesia is less than sustaining an injury while driving. Childrens Hospital uses only pediatric anesthesiologists. Many of them were pediatricians before training in anesthesia. It is our experience that young children actually tolerate anesthesia better than older children and adults.

• cleft lip and cleft palate
• craniosynostosis(abnormal head shape)
• orthognathics (jaw deformities)
• microtia (partial or total absence of an ear)
• hemangiomas (vascular tumors)
• hairy nevus
• birth marks, burns and hand deformities.

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