Under investigation paediatric orthopaedic surgeon, Mr Connor Green, from Temple Street Children’s Hospital, has commenced a voluntary role in Ukraine, offering his expertise in reconstructive surgery to those severely wounded amid Russia’s military offensive. With an American trauma surgeon team, he’s committed to a three-week stay in the war-torn nation, focusing on restoring limbs critically damaged from shrapnel, bullet injuries and explosions.
Mr Green, a UCD alumnus, honed his skills as a specialist in limb reconstruction in America prior to returning to Ireland to handle intricate orthopaedic conditions in children. However, after doubts were raised about some of his patients’ unfavourable outcomes, including one fatality, and reports of the use of unauthorised medical spring devices in three cases, he hasn’t carried out any surgical procedures in Ireland for nearly a year.
These issues, reported to the Irish Medical Council by Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), the administration behind Temple Street, spurred internal and external evaluations of high infection occurrences and repeated operations amongst 17 of Mr Green’s patients. The usage and implantation of unauthorised spring devices in patients are also under investigation.
Prof Damian McCormack, Head of Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery at Temple Street, who has defended his associate publicly, supports Mr Green’s return to his role. He relayed that Mr Green views the situation in Ukraine as unorganised and that continued communication interruptions due to sporadic power and signal failures have resulted from the incessant bombing.
Underscoring Mr Green’s commitment to caring for others, Prof McCormack added that his peer was asked to extend his help to Ukraine, recognising his distinct skills in limb reconstruction, which is critically needed amidst Ukraine’s war-inflicted wounds.
OrthoKids Ireland, a group composed of the parents of Mr Green’s patients, are insisting on the immediate restoration of Mr Green’s position at Temple Street. Additionally, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), known as the health supervisory body of the state, is probing into the employment of the springs and discerning the extent of management’s awareness or unawareness regarding the said springs usage.