Family of girl who had spinal surgery at Temple Street launch High Court proceedings for medical records

The family of a young girl who underwent allegedly “botched” spinal surgery at Temple Street Children’s Hospital has launched High Court proceedings to secure what it claims are all the child’s medical records.

The child’s family has sued Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), the body that governs paediatric services at Crumlin, Tallaght, Connolly and Temple Street hospitals.

The girl is one of 19 children who were the subject of a report on patients with spina bifida who underwent spinal surgery at Temple Street.

The court heard the family of the child, who cannot be identified due to a court order, is seeking the discovery of documents and material surrounding her care following an operation she underwent last year at the hospital so it can be assessed by an independent expert.

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They also seek the records as they consider what action to take over what they say they have been told was the inappropriate surgery performed on the child and over the alleged delay in disclosing the errors to the family.

Earlier this week the family was provided with some, but not all, of the material they sought from CHI. They are the second family to sue seeking medical records from CHI in relation to Temple Street spinal surgeries.

They have asked the court to make orders requiring CHI to provide them with material including all management plans put in place for the child. They also seek copies of a full risk assessment and notes prepared by the defendant regarding the clinical care provided by Temple Street and in relation to Dr Connor Green, the surgeon who allegedly operated on the child.

Counsel told the court that last year the girl underwent spinal surgery, despite being told that there was a 50 per cent chance of further complications and death, in an attempt to enhance her quality of life.

[ Boy (6) provided with spinal records by Temple Street hospital after court’s intervention ]

The child suffered serious postoperative complications, and her parents were told she would require further surgical intervention.

Following media reports about spinal surgeries at Temple Street, the family claims, they were informed by the defendant that the surgery their child underwent was “inappropriate”.

They were subsequently told that as a result of the “botched” surgery she has a split spine and will require further surgeries and procedures over the coming years, counsel said.

The judge, on an ex parte basis, granted the applicants permission to serve short notice of the injunction application on the defendant.

The matter will return before the court next week.