Surgery crisis in children’s deformities

CHILDREN with deformities could be deformed for life and out-patients are waiting up to two years for an appointment because of a crisis in orthopaedics, according to the president of the Irish Institute of Trauma and Orthopaedics (IITO).

David Moore, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin, and the National Children’s Hospital in Tallaght, said delaying treatment for these children could leave them “physically and psychologically compromised”.

“At present, children with progressive spinal deformities face prolonged waiting times for their surgery, during which time the size of their deformity increases,” Mr Moore said.