When Laura Turek noticed a lump in the groin area of her 4-year-old daughter, Noel, she made an appointment with her pediatrician, Ellen Miele, M.D., of Spring Lake Pediatrics. Dr. Miele diagnosed Noel with a hernia -- one that would require surgery. Hernias in children are not uncommon and are caused by a defect in the abdominal wall, usually present at birth.
Dr. Miele referred the Manasquan residents to Saad Saad, M.D., pediatric surgeon-in-chief and co-medical director at K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.
A few years ago, Dr. Saad developed a minimally invasive technique to repair hernias. He performs more than 200 of these procedures a year, so Dr. Miele knew Noel would be in good hands.
"The doctors were very comfortable this would be a routine surgery, but I was nervous especially that day," Laura says. "Dr. Saad understood my anxiousness. He showed Noel what happened by blowing up a balloon, and she got it right away."
"We really focus on being family-friendly at The Children's Hospital," explains Dr. Saad. "Staff are trained this way and have a lot of experience with children."
Dr. Saad was not only great with Noel -- he was also thorough. "Before removing the hernia, I look laparoscopically at the other side to determine whether it also eneds to be repaired. In Noel's case, she was clear. We were done in less than an hour," Dr. Saad explains.
"Dr. Saad came out right away to show us pictures, told us everything went well, and got us into the recovery room to see Noel," Laura says. "At that point, Noel did have discomfort, but the nurses were fabulous. They gave her special care and made sure she had an ice pop and TV to help."
"It took her some time to recover, and we carried her to go to the car to go home. But after a grilled cheese for lunch and three naps, she walked down the steps. By the end of the day, it was like she didn't even have surgery."
In fact, the entire recovery process was fast. "Noel wasn't supposed to run for three weeks, but that was just about impossible," Laura says. "She went to swim school two weeks after the operation was anxious to get back on the two-wheeler she had just learned to ride."
About the Doctor
Saad A. Saad, M.D., FACS, FAAP
Board certified in General Surgery and Pediatric Surgery
Eatontown | 732-776-4226
