We understand that surgery can be a stressful experience for you and your child. The following information will help prepare you and your family for the experience. Please call if you have any questions or concerns.

• Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: 215-590-2754
• Any other time (nights, weekends or holidays): 215-590-1000 and ask for the urologist on call

Scheduling surgery

Our surgical coordinators will work with you and your physician to identify a date for your child’s surgery. The timing of surgery will depend on what procedure your child needs, how quickly your child needs to have the procedure, your surgeon’s schedule and whether the procedure will be done at our Main Campus or at one of the suburban surgical centers.

Referrals and insurance

You will need to obtain any necessary referrals from your child’s primary care physician. Our office will obtain pre-certification for the procedure from your insurance company.

Financial responsibility for charges not covered by insurance

It is the goal of Children’s Surgical Associates, Ltd. (CSA) to provide compassionate, quality care to all of our patients. To ensure we can continue to provide the highest-quality care in the most cost-effective manner, CSA has implemented the following policy regarding patient responsible amounts such as deductibles and co-insurances.

All amounts related to surgery not covered by your insurance plan are the insured’s (subscriber’s) responsibility and will be due prior to your child’s surgical date. Depending on your individual insurance plan, you may be responsible for expenses such as deductible or co-insurance.

Our staff will attempt to determine your portion of the payment related to your child’s surgery. They may contact you to provide you with a summary of your financial responsibility and to discuss payment options. Under no circumstances are our estimates of your portion of the payment to be considered contracts for payment in full. Other services such as hospital, anesthesia and radiology fees will be separate and are not included in the estimate your CSA representative provides.

If we are unable to pre-determine your portion of the payment, or unable to contact you with this information, the insured remains responsible for any amounts due after payment is received from your insurance plan.

Preparing for your child’s procedure

Children cope better with surgery and recovery when they know what to expect before, during and after the day of surgery. Information about surgery and anesthesia is available in CHOP's Guide to Your Child's Surgery.

A child life specialist can prepare your child for their specific urology surgical experience by explaining what will happen, and why, in terms your child will understand. Reach out to the Urology team to set up a pre-operative visit or for support in preparing for surgery from a child life specialist.

Your child’s care team will provide specific instructions for your child’s procedure, including information about anesthesia and rules for eating and drinking before the procedure. It is important to follow those instructions closely and ask your child's medical team if you have any questions.

Lodging

If your child will need to be hospitalized overnight, there are several options for parents.

One parent or guardian is invited to stay overnight at the bedside. Cots, sleep chairs and sleep sofas are available for your comfort.

For those families who have children in one of the Intensive Care Units (ICUs), where family members cannot sleep at their child's bedside, sleep rooms are available. Your child's nurse can help you sign up for a sleep room in this situation or you can sign up for a room at the Connelly Center on the eighth floor of the Main Hospital. We encourage you to sign up for sleep rooms before noontime on the day you will need one.

• The Ronald McDonald House offers families who travel long distances for treatment a place to stay at night. There may be a waiting list. There are two Ronald McDonald Houses in the Philadelphia area: the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House and the Ronald McDonald House of Southern New Jersey.
• Hosts for Hospitals provides free lodging and support at volunteer-host homes to patients and their families who come to the Greater Philadelphia area for specialized medical care.
• Reservations Unlimited helps with identifying local hotels and their costs, and will make reservations for families at no charge. Please call 1-888-221-7283 for more information.

After your child’s surgery

Care instructions for specific procedures

Visit our condition pages to find more information related to your child's condition and what to expect before, during and after treatment. Our "health resources" section includes additional instructions about caring for your child at home after a specific procedure. This includes information about pain management, activity restrictions, wound care and more. If you have any questions, always ask a member of your child's care team for help!

Please call the doctor if your child has:

• Fever above 101.5° F by mouth or over 102.5°F rectally
• Difficulty going to the bathroom (urinating)
• The drainage tube appears to be falling out, if the tube falls out, or if urine is not dripping out of the tube
• A hard or large belly or abdomen (distended bladder)
• Continued vomiting the day after surgery, cannot keep fluids down
• Infection of surgery site: green or yellow drainage from the incision, foul odor
• Urine draining from the incision
• Bleeding that does not stop with gentle pressure
• Bleeding that comes out beyond the edges of the dressing
• Pain not relieved by pain medication