• Open surgery
  An open surgery means cutting skin and tissues so the surgeon has a direct access to the structures or organs involved. Examples of open surgery include the removal of organs, such as the gallbladder or kidney.
  

• Minimally invasive surgery
  Minimally invasive surgery refers to any surgical technique that does not require a large incision. This allows the child to recuperate faster and with less pain. Not all conditions are treatable with minimally invasive surgery. Some minimally invasive surgical techniques include the following:

• Laparoscopy - a procedure that uses a tube with a light and a camera lens at the end (laparoscope) to examine organs, check for abnormalities, or perform minimally invasive surgeries. Laparoscopy is a surgery which avoids making large incisions. Tissue samples may also be taken for examination and testing.
  

• Endoscopy - a procedure that uses a small, flexible tube with a light and a camera lens at the end (endoscope) to examine the inside of the digestive tract. Tissue samples from inside the digestive tract may also be taken for examination and testing.
  

• Arthroscopy - with the use of an endoscope, surgeons can look at the interior of a joint. This technique is most often used to inspect and surgically correct the inside of the knee joint.
  

• Bronchoscopy - the examination of the bronchi (the main airways of the lungs) using a flexible tube (bronchoscope). Bronchoscopy helps to evaluate and diagnose lung problems, assess blockages, obtain samples of tissue and/or fluid, and/or help remove a foreign body.
  

• Cystoscopy - examining the inside of the urethra and bladder cavity with a small, flexible tube with a light and a camera lens at the end (endoscope).
  

• Gastroscopy - examining the lining of the stomach with a small, flexible tube with a light and a camera lens at the end (endoscope).
  

• Laryngoscopy - inspecting the larynx (voice box) with a small, flexible tube with a light and a camera lens at the end (endoscope).
  

• Sigmoidoscopy - examination of the rectum and sigmoid colon with a small, flexible tube with a light and a camera lens at the end (endoscope).