HJAR May/Jun 2026

ADH CORNER M. Sidney Dassinger III, MD Chief of Pediatric General Surgery and Medical Director of Surgical Quality Arkansas Children’s Hospital COLUMN CHILDREN’S HEALTH SURGICAL LESSONS FROM One Fragile Baby CAPERTON “CAPE”HOBBS was born Oct. 17, 2024 at only 1.62 pounds. His mother, Mea- gan, had preeclampsia that had progressed to HELLP syndrome, a life-threatening com- plication. The day after delivery, Cape was airlifted via Angel One transport from Fay- etteville to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Level IV NICU in Little Rock, the only one in the state. During the next 179 days in the NICU, Cape would undergo three rare-for-his-size surgeries that would save his life, demon- strating what technology and expert, mul- tidisciplinary care from pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists, and neonatologists, and others, can do for premature babies today. Let’s take a closer look at those lifesaving surgeries.