Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has today reacted to the reports of serious surgical implications among children that have undergone spinal operations at Temple Street Children’s 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 and more I read about it, the more concerned I am and the more bothered I am. I do not want to jump to conclusions and this will have to be investigated thoroughly. And I know there is going to be an examination by the Medical Council as well. If you have a child awaiting surgery, you think if they get the surgery that 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 following internal and external reviews into higher than expected complication rates in complex spinal surgery among spina bifida patients.

The reviews also identified that non-medically approved devices, namely compression springs, had been used in surgery. The review is to be carried out by 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.

The HSE state that they expect the review to be carried out before the end of the year, but do not give an expected date for completion.

The Medical Negligence Team here at Coleman Legal LLP are highly experienced and competent in the area of 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 Children’s Hospital, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.  We will advise you as to your legal rights and support you throughout the entire process. Learn more.