Back to home June 2012
Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida
Naples Girl Recovers Quickly From Appendicitis
Pediatric Surgeon Helps Eliminate Fear of Routine Procedure
When Naples resident Mackenzie Cowan, 11, started
feeling sick during the holiday season, she wanted to
believe it was just a minor illness.
Her mother, Mary, who had her appendix removed at a
young age, began to suspect that her daughter might be
experiencing appendicitis.
"I pressed on her stomach and she winced," Mary says. A trip to the emergency department and referral from their pediatrician, Robert W. Wilson, D.O., led to Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida earned Mackenzie a ride in an ambulance. Once she arrived, pediatric surgeon, Rodrigo Mon, M.D., monitored her condition. He determined that surgery was the best option for his young patient. General surgeries, like Mackenzie's, are among the most common for pediatric surgeons. Dr. Mon and all the other pediatric specialists at The Children's Hospital practice exclusively on children's health issues.
"Pediatric general surgery deals with a variety of purely surgical problems in children, but it is also an integral part of the care provided by other departments," Dr. Mon says. "We deal with a variety of conditions and the surgical aspects of the care of premature babies. We are also an important part of the care of oncology patients, who often need surgery or chemotherapy."
Dr. Mon says that other specialties, including pediatric endocrinology, pediatric gastroenterology and the intensive care units often require surgical support to deal with the complex problems of many of their patients.
"Some of the most common procedures we perform are appendectomies and surgery where there is an obstruction of the muscle through which the stomach empties, resulting in a condition where babies cannot eat," Dr. Mon says. "We often correct different kinds of hernias in a wide range of patients, from newborns to teenage athletes. Removal of tumors or masses, both benign and malignant; procedures to obtain intravenous access for treatment; gastrointestinal surgery and treatment of soft tissue infections all help children heal and head back to their normal activities."
Mackenzie has fully recovered, with barely a memory of her experience. "They made the incision through her belly button, so you can't even see a scar," Mary says. "We had a great experience all the way around."
"They made the incision through her belly button, so you can't even see a scar," Mary says.
Rodrigo Mon, M.D.
Pediatric Surgery
Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida
16261 Bass Road, Suite 100
Fort Myers, FL 33908
239-343-9890