The Gentle Surgeon

Tag: unnecessary

  • Pillion riding for Adults Only

    Pillion riding for Adults Only

    Pillion riding is dangerous even for adults but is an absolute no-no for children. It is also illegal to transport children riding pillion on two-wheelers. People who regularly travel by two-wheelers cite the convenience.  Given the traffic situation in most towns and cities in India, there is more than a grain of truth in that. Public transport is not as good as it should be. Moreover, public transportation at odd hours or during emergencies may just not be available. Two-wheelers are also much cheaper to maintain than cars.

    Yet, children should never travel on two-wheelers, as it is downright dangerous. Most people, do not pay any heed to safety and don’t realize how dangerous it is to ferry children around on two-wheelers. We have this gentleman, nicely protected by his helmet (I suspect more out of fear of the law than by concerns about safety!), ferrying not one, but two kids in the rear.

    There is no protection and no restraint. Any accident (whosoever is at fault, whether it be the rider himself, other drivers, the road or pedestrians), will result in the children being flung with great force out of the vehicle and crashing into anything that is nearby. Please do yourself and your children (whom you profess to love so much!) a favor and only travel with them, properly restrained in car seats in the back of four-wheelers! Please!

    I have seen children actually dozing off at the back, when pillion riding. I quickly move away from such riders as I would certainly not want to be the instrument of their doom!

  • Doctor, my child’s testis cannot be felt! Should we do an ultrasound examination?

    Is an ultrasound necessary in a child who has an undescended testis?

    Almost every patient that comes to me for consultation for undescended testis, comes armed with an ultrasound (USG) report, that the parent will promptly proceed to show me after the initial formalities, even before I have had a chance to ask as to why they are consulting me.
    The sad part is that ultrasound is not only unnecessary but actually misleading in children with undescended testes [1].

    USG is accurate in predicting examination findings in only 54% of children. Additionally it delays required surgery in infants by as many as 3 months.
    The algorithm for managing undescended testis only requires whether an experienced pediatric surgeon can palpate the testis or not. So please do not get unnecessary tests done.
    1. Ultrasound Overused to Diagnose Undescended Testicle

  • CT scans may increase the risk of cancer in adolescents & children

    With the advent of newer technology, there is a greater tendency amongst patients and doctors to demand that there should be complete diagnosis and evaluation for even the most trivial of complaints. This results in a plethora of investigations. Just like everything else in life, everything comes at a price. The indiscriminate use of CT scans (especially CT head for minor trauma) has greatly increased the risk of developing cancer subsequently. [1]

    I think one needs to be sensible and discuss with your doctor, whether a particular investigation is really required, what are the benefits and what are the risks of the procedure.

     

    1. CT Scans May Increase Cancer Risk in Children, Adolescents