Awareness of Common Pediatric Surgical Entities among Practicing Indian Pediatricians

AIM: Common pediatric surgical entities often get a delayed referral to the pediatric surgeon in the average Indian scenario. This study was conducted to assess the awareness about management of select common pediatric surgical entities among practicing pediatricians. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online multiple-choice questionnaire consisting of twenty questions related to the diagnosis and management of common pediatric surgical entities encountered by pediatricians in their routine office practice was prepared, and the electronic link was circulated among the practicing pediatricians of India. Each question had one correct response. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-five responses were obtained, collated, grouped, and analyzed. Overall, 35% of all responses were correct. Individually, 56% of respondents marked 51%–75% of answers correctly; only 7% scored above 75%. Some clinical observations were disparate: 65% were unfamiliar with preputial adhesions and 51% would discharge a preterm neonate with inguinal hernia without a surgical consult. There is a tendency toward unnecessary imaging (60% – localization of undescended testis, 91% – wet umbilicus, and 51% – postanal dimple) and overzealous medical management (propranolol for the involuting hemangioma). However, 82%–88% concurred on the standard conservative or surgical management in index conditions such as hypospadias and umbilical problems. CONCLUSION: There was a concurrence in the principles of management of common pediatric surgical entities between pediatricians and pediatric surgeons in 35%. Misdiagnosis, unwarranted investigations, overzealous medical management, and delayed surgical consults figured in 65%. A systematic professional interaction between the physicians and surgeons would facilitate a coordinated management. A larger study would yield more meaningful data.