Temple Street postpones complex spinal surgeries for three children

 Scoliosis operations for children which were scheduled to take place over the next three weeks at Temple Street Hospital in Dublin have been cancelled pending a review. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie

Children with scoliosis and some with spina bifida have had their operations postponed at Temple Street hospital as staff are struggling to cope with an increased workload. 

The operations, which were scheduled to take place over the next three weeks, were cancelled pending a review. 

The hospital has said that the operations were postponed due to the increase of pressure and workload on staff. 

Children’s Health Ireland said on Monday that three complex surgeries have been postponed at CHI at Temple Street for the next three weeks.

However, a spokeswoman said: “All other spinal surgeries will continue during this time.”

This follows serious concerns raised that a wider number of patients could be affected including children waiting on other spinal treatments.

She added: “This decision was made collaboratively by clinical staff and management for a number of reasons. We are sincerely sorry to those families and patients affected.”

She pointed to the impact of carrying out a higher number of these surgeries in recent months, following a funding boost, saying this led to pressures on beds, theatre capacity and staff.

So far this year 28 spinal fusions have taken place at the hospital.

“As of 28 August, Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street has undertaken the same number of spinal fusions year to date as were completed for the full year of 2021,” she said.

“We have 13 patients on this complex wait list remaining, with 31 spinal fusions on a waiting list. This is an important distinction.” 

The hospital expects that by the end of this year no patient will be waiting longer than four months for spinal surgery, if that is the clinically appropriate decision.

The co-founder of the Scoliosis Advocacy Network, Claire Cahill, has said that parents of children with scoliosis are hoping that the system will deliver. 

Speaking on RTÉ radio, she said that funding alone is not a sufficient solution to the delays being experienced. 

There is a small specialised set of medical personnel who had the skills to carry out the complex surgery, she said. It is the same surgeons who were doing the surgery (in different hospitals) so the capacity was very limited which was leading to the lengthening backlog.

"The surgeons can not serve the entire sector, more consultants are needed," she said. 

The waiting list in September 2021 was 187, in August 2022 it was 258.