Conditions
Displaying 1 - 33 of 33
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Anorectal Malformation, aka Imperforate Anus, is a spectrum of abnormalities of the rectum and anus. There are many possible abnormalities as follows:The absence of an anal opening.The anal opening in the wrong place.A connection, or fistula, joining the intestine and urinary…
Appendicitis is inflammation or infection of the appendix, and if left untreated, can cause rupture (or perforation) of the appendix. The appendix is a small finger shaped pouch attached to the large intestine and…
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Biliary atresia is a rare condition in newborn infants in which the common bile duct between the liver and the small intestine is blocked or absent.
Early surgical intervention to treat biliary atresia is critical to prevent irreversible liver damage. Once the liver…
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Chest wall deformities, or abnormal development and appearance of the chest, can vary from mild to severe. These deformities are considered to be congenital and may be apparent at birth or later in childhood. Regardless, the severity of the malformation usually progresses…
The wide, flat muscle that separates the chest and abdominal cavities is called the diaphragm. The diaphragm forms over the course of the 6th through 12th weeks' gestation in the fetus. When it does not form completely, a defect, called congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH),…
What is a congenital pulmonary airways malformation of the lung?
The normal lung is made up of five individual lobes - three lobes form the right lung and two lobes form the left lung. When one of these lobes forms incorrectly in a developing fetus, it is called a…
Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is a general term for noninfectious conditions that involve chronic inflammation of the intestines, causing symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, fevers, bleeding and growth problems.
Crohn's disease…
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Esophageal atresia is an abnormality, or birth defect, of the esophagus that occurs early in pregnancy, as the baby is developing. The esophagus forms in the first few months of fetal life as a long, hollow, continuous tube joining the mouth to the stomach. In newborns with…
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What causes gallstones?
The gallbladder is a small sac found just under the liver, on the right side of the abdomen. The liver produces a liquid called bile, which is stored in the gallbladder. When a meal is eaten, the gallbladder…
What causes gastroesophageal reflux disease?Gastroesophageal reflux (GER, aka acid reflux or acid regurgitation) occurs when the opening to the stomach (lower esophageal sphincter, LES) doesn't close completely, causing food and digestive acid to rise up into the esophagus.…
A gastroschisis is a birth defect in which an opening in your baby's abdominal wall allows the stomach or intestines to protrude outside of the body and float in the amniotic fluid. The amount of abdominal contents outside the baby varies from very small - just a few loops of…
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Hirschsprung's Disease, usually diagnosed in newborns, is a birth defect that affects about l out of 5,000 individuals. Those affected with this birth defect are missing intestinal nerve cells called ganglion cells. These nerve cells allow the intestine to relax so stool (poop…
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What causes inguinal hernia?
Inguinal hernia is the most common surgical problem of childhood. It results from a small sac that comes through the inguinal ring, which is normally open during fetal life and closes around the time of birth. For reasons we don't…
Intestinal atresia is a congenital anomaly in which there is a blockage of the intestine or bowel. The intestine is categorized as small bowel which starts immediately after the stomach and the large bowel which starts immediately after the small bowel and ends as…
Some persons are born with or develop irreversible intestinal failure. Intestinal failure occurs when a person's intestines can't digest food and absorb the fluids, electrolytes and nutrients essential to life and normal development. Patients must then receive TPN,…
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What are lumps and bumps found near the skin?
Lumps and bumps that form under or on the skin can be cysts or solid lesions. Cysts have a thin lining that holds fluid or other tissues such as sebum. If it has pus, it is called a cystic abscess. The cysts are named depending on…
What is CPAM?The normal pair of lungs is made up of five individual lobes - three lobes form the right lung and two lobes form the left lung. When one of these lobes forms incorrectly in a developing fetus, it is called a congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) or…
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What is an omphalocele?
An omphalocele is a birth defect in which an abnormal opening in your baby's abdominal wall allows the stomach, liver or intestines to protrude outside the body in a membrane sac. It is not known why this happens, but an omphalocele occurs when the…
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Pectus carinatum is characterized by a protrusion of the sternum that occurs as a result of an abnormal and unequal growth of the costal cartilage connecting the ribs to the sternum. Rather than growing flat along…
Pectus excavatum is a congenital disorder which causes the chest to have a sunken or "caved in" appearance. It is the most common congenital chest wall abnormality in children.What is the cause of pectus excavatum?…
Our world-reknowned group of pediatric surgeons are experts in the treatment of children with cancer. Working in close collaboration with the pediatric oncologists, our pediatric surgeons provide surgical care to our patients. This includes resection of large tumors and…
What causes perianal abscess?Perianal abscess is a superficial infection that appears as a tender red lump under the skin near the anus. The infection occurs when bacteria gets trapped in the crypt glands that line…
Our team at UCSF BCH of surgeons and nurses has special expertise in pilonidal disease and takes a comprehensive approach towards it, treating patients from throughout Northern California. Pilonidal disease is an infection in the gluteal cleft, or the buttock crease. It…
Pyloric stenosis, also called infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, is a condition caused by an enlarged pylorus. The pylorus is a muscle that opens and closes to allow food to pass through the stomach into the intestine. When this muscle becomes enlarged, feedings are…
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Sacroccoygeal teratoma (SCT) is a tumor of neonates that arises from the tailbone or coccyx. It is the most common tumor of newborns, although it is quite rare occurring in approximately 1 in every 40,000 births. This birth defect is more common in females than in male…
Short bowel syndrome is a group of problems related to poor absorption of nutrients that typically occurs in people who have had half or more of their small intestine removed. The small intestine and the large intestine, also called the colon, make up the bowel. The small…
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The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that is normally located in lower front part of the neck. The thyroid produces hormones that help to ensure normal growth and development and that the body’s energy, metabolism, heart, muscles, and other organs are working properly.
What…
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Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is a general term for noninfectious conditions that involve chronic inflammation of the intestines, causing symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, fevers, bleeding and growth problems.
Ulcerative…
What causes umbilical hernia?
Umbilical hernias are commonly found in infants and children. An umbilical hernia is a bulge of intraabdominal organs through an opening in at the base of the umbilicus (belly button). Every baby is born with this small…
The testicles normally are located in the abdomen before birth in male babies. Undescended testes happens when the testicle fails to descend into the scrotum after birth.
What causes undescended testes?
The descent of the testicles occurs as a result of many factors.…