Parents ‘broken’ by loss of their child after Temple Street spinal operation
Carter On Operations Several Away Series On Temple September Spine A Her After Passed Of 2022, At 29, Following Street Dollceanna Plications
The father of a child who died after spinal surgery at Temple Street Hospital has said his family is broken by the loss of their beloved daughter.
As more details were published on Wednesday night on high complication rates following spinal surgeries at Temple Street, the family of 10-year-old Dollceanna Carter spoke of their heartbreak and need for answers.
It emerged on Wednesday that Health Minister Stephen Donnelly knew about issues at Temple Street for “many months” and was alerted to a specific problem with spinal surgery in August but the Taoiseach was only informed last weekend.
Mr Donnelly admitted that neither he nor HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster knows how unauthorised devices got into the hospital before being used on children who underwent spina bifida surgery.
Little Dollceanna Carter died on September 29, 2022, after several complications following operations on her spine at Temple Street.
Her death is now at the centre of an external review announced by the HSE, involving 19 children who suffered severe complications after being treated at the hospital.
Dollceanna’s case has been described by the HSE as a “serious surgical incident”.
Speaking to the from his home in Trim, Co Meath, Dollceanna’s father Michael Carter said his family is “broken” by the revelations.
“Dollceanna had been in hospital for 15 weeks and had surgery every two weeks [because of complications]. She couldn’t do it anymore.
“We were full of emotion, anger, and hurt, but there was some sort of acceptance.
“We are a broken family. Dollceanna was our queen, the kindest, most compassionate child you could ever meet.
Dollceanna was born with spina bifida and was in a wheelchair because she could not walk.
“We went to Temple Street clinic and were asked about doing surgery on her back,” said Mr Carter.
“Dollceanna did not need surgery, but we were encouraged to do it. We trusted the hospital. They are the experts. We put our child into their arms.”
Dollceanna initially went into Temple Street on May 29, 2022, and came home after two weeks.
She was doing well for a fortnight until her mother Bridget noticed her wounds were weeping and brought her back to the hospital.
“She went back in on June 1, 2022, and never came home after that,” said Michael.
“For the next 15 weeks, she had operation after operation. Every time she was brought to the theatre, we were told she was going to get the old metal work out and get new ones put in.
“On the last operation, she had difficulties.
“We never expected Dollceanna to die. At the time, we didn’t blame anyone, but now we have to get answers.”
On Wednesday, Children’s Health Ireland published a review by experts from Boston Children’s Hospital into spinal surgeries at Temple Street.
It revealed that one of the children required 33 subsequent visits to the operating theatre after the initial surgery.
Of the 16 files reviewed, the children ranged in age from five to 17 years, with an average age of seven. Eleven were girls and five were boys.
The Boston review also found more than 80% of cases required repeat surgery. The average number of visits to the operating theatre was 6.5, with the highest number of 34.