Scoliosis surgery for boy (10) waiting four years ‘must happen’ – Taoiseach

A four-year delay in urgent scoliosis treatment for a 10-year-old boy reflected a “systems failure” in the health service and not a funding issue as the resources are in place, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.

He told the Dáil "I just want to see the surgery happen" for Adam Terry, whose "horrific story" of curvature of the spine and other serious medical conditions was highlighted in a radio interview on Tuesday.

"It has to happen, and it must happen in a timely manner," Mr Martin said of the treatment for the boy from Whitechurch in Cork.

He was responding to Labour leader Alan Kelly who highlighted Adam's case following the interview with the child and his mother Christina on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne radio show on Tuesday.

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Adam, one of 172 waiting for surgery, was first diagnosed with spinal issues when he was 18-months-old, has had 21 procedures and is a full-time wheelchair user.

“Now the curve of his spine is so bad that some of his internal bones are rubbing against each other and he has to try to crack his back to get pain relief,” Mr Kelly said.

“One can see the curve on the side of his body. It is upsetting his organs and potentially causing other medical issues. His stomach is squashed and he cannot eat properly. His weight is down to 18 kg.”

“Four years ago his surgery would have been complex, but now it is more complex. It may go to the point where he will never be able to live without pain – imagine that – because of the delay.”

Mr Kelly who found it “very difficult and emotional” to listen to the radio interview, said Adam suffers from Marfan syndrome spina bifida, has OI (osteogenesis imperfecta) or brittle bone disease and a heart condition.

Adam and his mother were told in December 2020 that the surgery would be done in the spring but that was “once again put off to never-never land”, put off for six or nine months and last month clinicians said they were consider treatment Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.

‘Loud and clear’

Mr Kelly said he should not have to go there because of aftercare and other complications of aftercare there would not be good enough. Mr Kelly said Adam describes his pain as “almost paralysing” and that “nobody is coming to find me in the lost and found”.

The Labour leader who said he also knew of another boy, Senan with a similar condition, said he had spoken to Adam and his mother on Wednesday morning and he quoted the child’s message to the Taoiseach asking “will you please ensure I get the treatment and aftercare I so desperately need so I can get back to school and play with my friends, who I miss so much? I really, really need your help.”

Mr Martin said he heard Adam’s message “loud and clear”. He said Adam’s surgery “has to happen” and in a timely manner.

“I want to see Adam go back to school and see him mix with his friends. We will do whatever we have to do,” he said “The consultants want to help as well in this situation.”

He acknowledged that Irish children should not have to go to Great Ormond Street hospital in London for treatment.

Everyone was familiar with stories about scoliosis treatment delays over the past six or seven years, he said. It was a systems failure and “not a question of resources as the resources are in place.

“We must ensure that elective surgery is ring-fenced”, and that when children get appointments they should not be postponed “because something else has happened”, affecting theatre and consultant “capacity”.

“That is the bottom line. Investments have been made. Previous ministers have allocated increased resources” and it is “not good enough that we have children like Adam Terry and others who have simply been waiting too long to get urgent complex surgery done”.