HSE: Patients of audited surgeon have since died

The HSE has confirmed that a number of patients operated on by a surgeon whose spinal procedures were the subject of an audit have since died.

These were patients who had “other very serious underlying illnesses”, according to the HSE.

An independent audit of spinal procedures carried out by a surgeon at Galway University Hospitals (GUH) found “serious concerns” in relation to four cases. The independent experts also commented on “different aspects of the care of some of the other patients” the HSE said yesterday.