Pediatric Urology Patient Stories

Robotic Surgery Corrects VUR in Young Girl: Parents Find Compassion, Support and Leading-edge Care at Comer Children’s Hospital
When it came time for their three-year-old daughter, Reese, to have an operation for vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), parents Angela and Tim researched both the traditional open and robot-assisted surgical approaches. They chose robotic surgery because the minimally invasive technique offered the most benefits. They came to Mohan S. Gundeti, MD, because he was the “go-to person” for the procedure.

Five-Year-Old Boy Becomes First in World to Undergo Minimally Invasive Procedure
Graham Ahmad was born with Prune Belly Syndrome, a rare condition marked by urinary tract abnormalities, undescended testicles and other complications. Recurring urinary tract infections and scarring in his kidneys meant he needed surgery. But instead of performing the surgery via a long incision, Graham's surgeon, Mohan S. Gundeti, MD, did the surgery through small incisions, using a robotic approach.

University of Chicago Physician Spares Children Post-Surgical Pain and Complications with Robotic Approach to Common Problem
Kyle Loess, age 5, was born with swelling in the urine-collecting structures of his kidneys, known as hydronephrosis, as well as vesicoureteral reflux and ureterocele, a bulbous dilation of the lower end of the ureter. Robotic surgery to correct his condition spared Kyle from more invasive, open surgery.

Robotic-Assisted Surgery Repairs Complex Kidney Condition in Teen
When Justin Ham was diagnosed with a complex case of ureteropelvic junction obstruction and horseshoe kidney, his parents searched for a surgeon who was skilled in minimally invasive urologic surgery. Their search brought them to Mohan S. Gundeti, MD, associate professor of surgery, pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecology and director of pediatric urology. Dr. Gundeti successfully treated Justin's conditions using a robot-assisted approach, which resulted in a faster recovery and minimal scarring.

Robotic Surgery Helps Girl With Neurogenic Bladder
Soon after Aaliyah Dellar was born, her bladder stopped growing. She was diagnosed with neurogenic bladder, a condition that caused an uncomfortable feeling that she always had to urinate. Aaliyah needed surgery to treat the embarrassing condition that was interfering with her life. Rather than operate through a long, 6-inch incision, Mohan S. Gundeti, MD, treated the problem with robotic surgery, an advanced surgical method that left only tiny scars.

Robotic Surgery Marks Chicago Breakthrough for Pediatric Patients
On Jan. 7, 2008, ten-year-old Jaime Bazan returned to school and sports activities -- a monumental feat considering that only 11 days earlier, he became the first Chicago pediatric patient to undergo robot-assisted urologic surgery.

• A longer version of Jaime's story (PDF) was featured in Medicine on the Midway, a magazine of the University of Chicago Medicine.