My young patients fly into surgery dressed as superheroes. Surgery became a lot less scary for them.
Pediatric surgeon Dr. Leandro Brandão Guimarães has implemented a program where young patients wear superhero costumes into the operating room to reduce pre-surgery anxiety. By allowing children to feel empowered and keeping parents present during the induction of anesthesia, he has significantly improved the surgical experience for families.
Why it matters
This human-centric approach to pediatric medicine demonstrates how simple, low-cost interventions can drastically improve patient outcomes and emotional well-being.
Dr. Leandro Brandão Guimarães buys costumes for his patients to feel braver. Courtesy of Dr. Leandro Brandão Guimarães Dr. Leandro Brandão Guimarães buys superhero costumes for young patients himself. Children wear the costumes into the operating room with a parent by their side. He says the tradition has reduced fear and transformed the surgical experience. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Leandro Brandão Guimarães . It has been edited for length and clarity. When I first started operating on children as a pediatric ear, nose, and throat doctor 15 years ago, I remember personally struggling watching children enter the operating room with me. They were scared and often crying. Sometimes, they were screaming. It was policy that parents couldn't enter the operating room with us, which added to the children's distress .
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