Pediatric Surgery Superhero Approach Eases Children's Fear

The turning point came with a two-year-old girl who couldn't stop crying.

Dr. Leandro Brandão Guimarães, an ear, nose and throat specialist from Brazil, was preparing to take her to surgery when he realized just how terrifying the moment was for her. The girl, named Elena, was sobbing in his arms, and the physician decided he never wanted to see another child enter the operating room in such a state of distress.

That moment sparked an idea that would make him an internet sensation: transforming the journey to the operating room into a superhero mission.

Guimarães, whom some of his young patients call "Uncle Leandro," practices in the city of Divinópolis in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. He specializes in pediatric ear, nose and throat medicine, treating conditions including ear infections, nasal obstructions, snoring, breathing difficulties, throat infections and voice disorders.

But it's his extraordinary approach before surgeries that has created a unique bond with his smallest patients.

Brazilian Doctor Transforms Pre-Surgery Fear Into Superhero Adventure

The children get to choose which costume they want to wear. Videos that have been shared online show young patients transformed into various superhero characters, with the doctor accompanying them down the hospital corridor as they play their chosen role. In some cases, he even lifts the child onto his shoulders, creating the sensation that he's "flying" them to the operating room.

According to Guimarães, the goal is to make entering the operating room less stressful. If a child is still frightened, he allows one parent to accompany them during the anesthesia process. Once the child is asleep, the costume is removed and returned to the family, and the children can take it home with them.

His initiative has gained international attention and even earned him an award at the Vimbrais Awards in the inspirational stories category.

For Guimarães, this isn't just about a costume. It's about transforming the moment when a child encounters one of the most frightening places in the hospital and turning it, even if just for a few minutes, into an adventure.