Paediatric surgery for the busy GP - Getting the referral right

Abstract

Background Is a child who presents with a possible non-acute surgical complaint a welcome prospect? Unavoidable deliberations follow: normal versus abnormal, common versus exotic, routine versus urgent, investigate or not, and reassurance versus referral. Delayed or inadequately investigated referrals are uncommon in general paediatric surgery; rather, those that may be unnecessary, inappropriately ascribed as 'urgent' or over-investigated are more commonplace. Objectives This article seeks to optimise a general practitioner's assessment of children with surgical presentations to ensure any resulting paediatric surgery referrals are necessary, timely and appropriately investigated. Discussio..