The better results of pediatric surgery might be expected not only by better operative skill but
also by earlier recognition of disease, better understanding of situation, better pre-operative pre
paration, more judgement of problem at the table and shortening the time of operation.
Therefore, it is author´s hope that this report of clinical and statistical analysis of 950 cases of
pediatric surgery, admitted to Severance Hospital, Yonsei Universiry college of Medicine, during
last 7½years from January 1961 through June 1968, might contribute towards better understanding
of pediatric surgical problems.
These cases were those under 15 years of age who had surgical measures in the hospital, however
the cases of orthopedics, neurosurgery and plastic surgery including burn were excluded here.
Results of the study are summarized as follos:
1. The annual average of surgical in-patient in infancy and childhood is 127 in number, about
ine fifth of the annual admission to pediatric department (627 cases) and 1.7% of total annual
admission to the hospital (7,665 in average number during last 7½ years).
2. Among 950 cases, 871 are operated, so that annual average number of pediatric surgery is
116 which is about 6.3% of the annual operation number (1842 cases) of general surgery.
3. The materials are composed of 4 parts; 71 cases of the neck, 205 of the thorax, 594 of the
abdomen and 80 of the skin and soft tissue, and of 5 age groups; 48 cases of the newborn, 152
infants, 286 preschools, 242 prepuberals and 229 adolescents, with male outnumbering 3 times of
female in incidence.
4. Four important disease in pediatric surgery are hernia, intestinal obstruction, acute appendicitis
and thotacic empyema: and triad of abdominal diseases are inguinal hernia, acute appendicitis and
intussusception.
5. Post-operative complication rate is 3.3% (29 cases), mainly due to wound infection, intestinal
obstruction and wound disruption.
6. Operative mortality rate is 3.0%(26 cases), being a lower rate as compared with other series.
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