Navigating Pediatric Surgery in Indonesia: A Comprehensive Tertiary-Level Epidemiological Case Study

Introduction: Pediatric surgical cases pose significant challenges to Indonesia's healthcare system. Understanding patient profiles, particularly at tertiary levels, is crucial for improving outcomes and guiding targeted interventions. Methods: Using a retrospective cohort design with statistical analysis, this study focused on a single pediatric surgical center in Indonesia. Data were extracted and analyzed from the Big Data Universitas Gadjah Mada Academic Health System, covering pediatric surgical cases admitted between 2017 and 2021. Results: In a five-year analysis involving 1457 pediatric surgical cases, a male-to-female ratio of 3:1 (75.1 and 29.5) was identified. Patient ages spanned from 0 to 17 years, with a median age of 9.5 years. Hospital stays reached a maximum of 46 days, ICU stays at 22 days, and the mortality rate stood at 0.2. Diagnoses were categorized into nine major groups, predominantly featuring congenital anomalies. The top five cases included hypospadias (14), Hirschsprung's disease (12), undescended testicle (7), phimosis and paraphimosis (7), and inguinal hernia (5). Trauma cases contributed less to the overall findings. Conclusion: There is a higher burden of congenital anomalies than other diseases in this analysis. The findings are a crucial foundation for evidence-based policies, enhanced clinical decision-making, and further research to optimize pediatric surgical care and ultimately improve patient outcomes. © 2024 Universiti Putra Malaysia Press. All rights reserved.