Temple Street Hospital: Taoiseach responds to serious surgical issues

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has today reacted to the reports of serious surgical implications among children who have undergone spinal operations at Temple Street Hospital.

Asked about the recent shocking reports of complications experienced by children who had surgery performed by one consultant at the Temple Street Hospital, Mr Varadkar stated:

The more I read about it, the more concerned and bothered I am.

I do not want to jump to conclusions which must be investigated thoroughly. I also know there will be an examination by the Medical Council.

If you have a child awaiting surgery, you think that if they get the surgery, it is going to make them better, not worse.

It seems that some of these surgeries were performed incorrectly, and children suffered and were harmed as a result.

That is unbelievably serious. But the kind of things I am hearing about and reading about, if true, extend well beyond malpractice.

They are very, very serious indeed, and children have been harmed as a result.”

Mr Varadkar’s statement comes in response to the shocking announcement by the HSE of the appointment of a UK expert to review surgeries carried out at CHI Temple Street Hospital following internal and external reviews into higher-than-expected complication rates in complex spinal surgery among spina bifida patients.

The reviews also identified non-medically approved devices, namely compression springs, used in surgery.

Mr Selvadurai Nayagam, Consultant in Orthopaedics and Trauma and Head of the Limb Construction Unit at the Royal Liverpool University and Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospitals, will review the matter.

The HSE states that they expect the review to be carried out before the end of the year but does not give an expected completion date.

The Medical Negligence Team at Coleman Legal LLP is highly experienced and competent in clinical negligence. We will discuss your situation with you in complete confidence.

If you are concerned about the clinical care that your child received while undergoing spinal surgery in Temple Street Hospital, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

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