HSE commissions review into 'spinal surgical incidents' at Temple Street

Kenneth Fox

The HSE has commissioned an external review into orthopaedic surgery carried out at the CHI at Temple Street hospital following “a number of serious spinal surgical incidents”.

As the Irish Examiner reports, the HSE review of one surgeon’s work includes concerns linked to 17 families and one family whose child has since died.

CHI are also separately looking at allegations in relation to the implanting of unauthorised devices in children and has spoken to two families about this.

The Irish surgeon at the centre of the allegations is currently not conducting surgeries and has been referred to the Irish Medical Council.

It is understood this surgeon is well-known in the world of spinal surgery and the incidents have caused widespread shock and concern among families.

A HSE spokesperson said: “This review arises from very serious concerns identified by CHI since last year relating to poor surgical outcomes in spinal surgery at Temple Street, the use of a certain spinal surgical technique and the use of unauthorised implantable devices.”

The HSE said senior management at CHI was made aware of safety concerns late last year, relating to the “ treatment of a small number of patients with Spina Bifida who had spinal surgery at CHI at Temple Street".

These concerns include “poor clinical outcomes of some complex spinal surgery, including a high incidence of post-operative complications and infections, and two particularly serious surgical incidents, which occurred in July and September 2022.”

Two reviews were commissioned at that point by CHI, one internal and one external.

They looked at care provided by one consultant to 17 children who had complex spinal surgery at the hospital.

“Of these 17 children, one child sadly died since, and a number of other children suffered significant post-operative complications,” the HSE spokesperson said.

“These patients and their families already face enormous challenges due to their condition, and CHI deeply regrets the failings in the care provided to them. CHI is engaged with these families on an ongoing basis and will continue to provide support needed.”