Paediatric Surgery Unit
In 1992, Monash Medical Centre doctors celebrated a world first with the successful completion of an operation using laser technology on an unborn child to correct an otherwise fatal abnormality.
The surgery team at Monash Children's followed this with another world first in 2008. This in-utero surgery, led by paediatric neonatologist Dr Chris Kimber was carried out on on Baby Leah, whose umbilical cord was obstructing blood flow to her right leg. If the surgery was not carried out, the leg would have been naturally amputated in the womb.More recently, in June 2009, Baby Taylor, became the smallest baby ever to have an external pacemaker fitted to her by Dr Alex Veldman of the paediatric surgery team.
These are just some significant examples of how Monash Children’s is leading the way in saving the lives of both extremely prematurely-born babies and those not even as yet born. Currently headed by Dr Chris Kimber, Southern Health’s paediatric surgeons include Mr Tom Clarnette, Mr Joseph Crameri, Ms Elizabeth McLeod, Mr Neil McMullin, Mr Robert Stunden (Monash Medical Centre, Clayton/Casey Hospital) and Dr Guin Wilson.