Pediatric Surgery remains the only true General Surgery.

This article states that Pediatric Surgery remains probably the only remaining General Surgery because it is not about organs and systems but rather the whole Surgery from fetal life until completion of growth and maturation. Pediatric surgeons are currently involved in prenatal treatments for fetal diseases, they take in charge the surgery of congenital malformations, acquired neonatal diseases, common conditions like hernias, undescended testes and appendicitis, but also of the more complex gastrointestinal, broncho-pulmonary or genitourinary conditions, tumors, trauma and solid organ transplantation. For this, like other surgical specialists, they use open, endoscopic and minimally invasive techniques. The broad spectrum of diseases, many of them scarcely prevalent, makes training long and hard, but this challenge accounts for the greatness of this specialty. Pediatric surgeons also carry out research work in their field because they are aware that understanding of why the conditions treated by them occur is mandatory. In summary, Pediatric Surgery is a lively, exciting, difficult specialty that offers an attractive alternative to young doctors interested in surgery. Copyright 2017 PBJ-Associação Porto Biomedical/Porto Biomedical Society.