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The Human Side of High-Stakes Medicine
In a recent LinkedIn Live session, Dr. Jehuda Soleman – Chief Physician of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the University Children’s Hospital Basel – shared a look into the world of treating the youngest and most vulnerable patients. The conversation, hosted by Will Mountford, revealed not only the technical challenges of pediatric neurosurgery but also the profound emotional and ethical dimensions that shape every decision in the operating room.
Dr. Soleman’s journey into neurosurgery began with curiosity and a desire to help children. “I always wanted to do something with pediatric patients,” Soleman explained, describing how a fascination with medicine led to a career focused on treating diseases of the brain and spine in children. For Soleman, the motivation is deeply personal: “To see my children grow and develop gives me motivation to help others who are maybe not so fortunate.”
Teamwork Under Pressure: The Power of Collaboration
One of the session’s most powerful takeaways was the emphasis on teamwork. Pediatric neurosurgery, Soleman stressed, is never a solo endeavor. “Doing surgery on pediatric patients is really a team effort,” Soleman said. The operating room is filled not only with surgeons but also anesthesiologists, scrub nurses, and sometimes neurologists, all working in harmony to ensure the best outcomes for their tiny patients.
The stakes are high – sometimes operating on babies weighing just a few kilos, where even a small amount of blood loss can be critical. “You need to be fast, but also meticulous,” Soleman noted, highlighting the delicate balance between speed and precision. Teamwork extends beyond the OR, with pre-surgery checklists and open communication ensuring everyone is prepared for the unexpected. “Short commands, listening to one another, not too much noise – these are basic rules that help us achieve our goals.”
Ethics, Empathy, and the Power of Hope
Treating children brings unique ethical challenges. Decisions often carry lifelong consequences, and the emotional weight is shared by both medical teams and families. “Ethical considerations in children are much more difficult because the decision-making is different than in adults,” Soleman explained. The potential for recovery is greater in children, but so is the responsibility to make the right call – sometimes in moments of crisis.
Soleman described the importance of consulting ethical boards when time allows, and the need for open, honest communication with parents. “A lot of our job is to make in the whole bad situation something good out of it and tell them we have a chance for healing, a chance to help their kid.”
Personalized medicine is another frontier, especially in pediatric oncology. Advances in genetics now allow for targeted therapies, tailoring treatment to the individual child and their specific tumor. “We always try to get everything out because we know the prognosis is much better for the child,” Soleman said, but cautioned that sometimes preserving function is more important than being aggressive.
Lessons for Life and Leadership
Beyond medicine, Soleman’s insights offer lessons for anyone facing high-pressure decisions or working in teams. The resilience of children, the strength of families, and the importance of hope are universal themes. “If you have a good team surrounding you – family or colleagues – and you think positively, you can achieve a lot of very good things,” Soleman reflected.
For aspiring neurosurgeons, Soleman’s advice is clear: commitment, self-critique, and support from loved ones are essential. “You need to invest a lot of time to be a good and devoted pediatric neurosurgeon. But it’s very rewarding. I wouldn’t do anything else.”
This session reminds us that medicine is not just about science, but about humanity, collaboration, and the courage to care. Here you can watch the full recording. We also have a newsletter dedicated to this topic available for you.
