William Ladd's Procedure for Malrotation and Volvulus: Convincing the World

jpedsurg.org

For one considered “the father of pediatric surgery,” William Ladd (1880–1967) has few eponymous procedures and terms that bear his name. The Ladd procedure is a series of procedures to address malrotation of the intestine and midgut volvulus. Also bearing his name are Ladd's bands, obstructing adhesions that cross the duodenum as they bind the nonrotated cecum high in the right upper quadrant to the retroperitoneum. Other surgeons before him, however, recognized each element of the Ladd procedure: the urgency of untwisting the intestine, the necessity of dividing obstructing Ladd's bands, and separating the duodenum and colon to prevent retwisting.

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Article · Sep 2025 · 1 min read

In brief

This article examines William Ladd's contributions to pediatric surgery, specifically the Ladd procedure for treating intestinal malrotation and midgut volvulus. The procedure involves untwisting the intestine, dividing obstructing adhesions (Ladd's bands), and repositioning the duodenum and colon to prevent recurrence.

The Ladd procedure addresses malrotation and midgut volvulus through untwisting bowel, dividing obstructing bands, and separating duodenum from colon.
Ladd's bands are adhesions crossing the duodenum that bind the malpositioned cecum to the retroperitoneum in the right upper quadrant.
Despite being 'the father of pediatric surgery,' William Ladd has relatively few eponymous procedures bearing his name.
Key elements of the Ladd procedure were recognized by other surgeons before Ladd systematized the approach.

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