Operation Theatre Challenges, Integration, and Team Coordination During Neonatal Minimal-Access Procedure

Neonatal minimal-access procedures are never a one-person task, and thoracoscopic repair of esophageal atresia is no exception. The procedure requires a team approach with several small groups working within the bigger team. The members of the team always have individual roles to play with a common goal. There are several studies in surgery literature which have shown that improving teamwork with training and courses helps improves outcome with reduction in errors and mortality. Success of thoracoscopic repair of esophageal atresia is declared only when the patient goes home without complications. The patient’s journey from admission in surgical care unit to operation, postoperative care, and discharge to home is arduous and filled with high-risk situations, and a real chance of mortality as the margin of error is very low with the patient. This chapter lays out the structure of overall team organization and subgrouping for neonatal minimal-access surgery. The discussions within the scope of this chapter are in general applicable to any organizational surgical setup.