Council rules against surgeon

A leading paediatric surgeon has been found guilty of three allegations of poor professional performance at a Medical Council fitness-to-practise inquiry after a 2½-year-old patient in his care had an unnecessary tongue-tie operation.

Prof Martin Corbally, who was a paediatric surgeon at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin when the incident happened in 2010, incorrectly described the procedure required by Baby X in her notes, the inquiry committee found.

He also failed to communicate adequately to Dr Fahran Tareen, the registrar to whom he delegated the operation, and failed to apply appropriate standards of clinical judgment expected from a surgeon with his experience.

In April 2010, Baby X from Co Meath had a tongue tie operation, a lingual frenulectomy releasing the fold of skin beneath her tongue when what she needed was an upper labial frenulectomy, to release the fold of skin attaching her upper lip to her gum. She subsequently had the correct operation.

Chairman of the inquiry committee, Professor Gerry Bury, said the committee was satisfied the allegations amounted to poor professional performance.

Raising concerns about procedures at the hospital, he said the committee believed there was “significant evidence of systems failures, weaknesses and errors” in surgical procedures.

They had real concerns about systems issues including inadequate surgical booking and coding systems, he said.

There had been a failure to instigate the “surgical pause” policy, in advance of the procedure, and a failure to implement the hospital’s own correct site surgical policy. There was also a weakness in clinical leadership.

He said he would recommend the Medical Council investigate the issues.

He also said the committee would make recommendations to the council in relation to sanctions to be imposed on Prof Corbally, who is currently chief of staff at King Hamad University Hospital in Bahrain.

In a statement, Prof Corbally said he was disappointed with the decision of the Irish Medical Council.

He said he had "always endeavoured to do my best for my patients, their parents and the staff working alongside me".

"It is regrettable that trusted hospital systems failed to ensure a safe procedure but I am happy to note that baby X has made a full and complete recovery and that the surgery I performed led to a successful outcome," he said.

"Every hospital relies on its staff to support each other and their colleagues to ensure patient safety and good outcomes."