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Most advanced radiotherapy machine in Ireland will cut need for open brain surgery, say specialists

Most advanced radiotherapy machine in Ireland will cut need for open brain surgery, say specialists

The unit will be in the private Beacon Hospital on the southside of Dublin, it was announced today.
The institute was developed over two years and will dramatically increase the number of patients with brain conditions who can be treated.
Specialists said it is hoped it will also lead to better outcomes.
The Beacon Hospital said it is investing €30m into its neurosurgical and neuroscience services as part of an ongoing commitment to innovation and the delivery of modern medicine in a state-of-the-art medical campus.
The planned investment will include a state-of-the-art neuroscience centre, Beacon Brain Institute and can treat 10,000 patients annually.
It will be Ireland's only private hospital to offer the complete neurosciences services including neurosurgery, neurology, neurophysiology, diagnostic neuroradiology, interventional neuroradiology and neuro-oncology including stereotactic radiosurgery.
Consultant neurosurgeon Prof Mohsen Javadpour who heads the department said: 'As you can imagine the treatment of brain conditions such as brain tumours is exceptionally time sensitive, so this investment by Beacon Hospital to open a dedicated Brain Institute will dramatically increase the number of patients that can be treated and result in better outcomes.
'We are fortunate to have an incredibly distinguished and talented team of neurosurgical and neuroscience consultants and nurses working here at Beacon Hospital. I'm proud to be leading a team that's setting new standards and capabilities for neuroscience treatment in the country.
'From my own surgical perspective, it will be hugely beneficial to work with the very latest in technology in particular the ability to take real time MRI images of the surgical site during open brain surgery.'
Michael Cullen Beacon Hospital chief executive said: 'This investment reflects Beacon Hospital's commitment to provide world-class care and bringing the latest technologies to patients in Ireland.
"While Beacon already provides complex brain surgery, our new Institute will set a new benchmark for the delivery of neuroscience services in the country and support the ever-growing demand for these types of services.
A spokeswoman said that over the next two years 'this significant investment will allow the hospital to develop a dedicated biplane neuro-interventional radiology suite and a hybrid biplane neurovascular operating theatre which will allow for the most advanced diagnostics and treatment of all types of blood vessel abnormalities in the brain -such as aneurysms- as well as cutting-edge treatment of stroke'.
It will also include the addition of a dedicated neurosurgical operating theatre with intraoperative MRI which will enable surgeons to take detailed images of the brain during the procedure.
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Throat cancer: "I noticed the lump while swallowing"
Throat cancer: "I noticed the lump while swallowing"

Irish Examiner

time8 hours ago

  • Irish Examiner

Throat cancer: "I noticed the lump while swallowing"

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€1.9m settlement for boy injured at birth after alleged Caesarean delay due to doctors' row
€1.9m settlement for boy injured at birth after alleged Caesarean delay due to doctors' row

The Journal

time3 days ago

  • The Journal

€1.9m settlement for boy injured at birth after alleged Caesarean delay due to doctors' row

A BOY BORN in Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise who was allegedly delivered after a delayed Caesarean Section and who suffered 'severe personal injury' has had a €1.9M settlement in his favour approved by the High Court. The now 16-year-old was born in January 2009 at the hospital, which has been subject to investigation over patient safety. The child's mother sued the HSE on behalf of her son for alleged medical negligence for what she said was a breach of statutory duty to adequately provide medical services to her and her son in 2009 at the Co Laois hospital. The court heard that the mother was due to give birth in January 2009, and had attended all of her antenatal appointments, culminating with a clinic at the hospital four days after her due date. No 'significant abnormal conditions in relation to the pregnancy were present' at that point. The mother was admitted to hospital five days after her due date, but had 'slow and irregular' pain. 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Boy who suffered 'severe personal injury' after alleged Caesarean delay settles case against hospital for €1.9m
Boy who suffered 'severe personal injury' after alleged Caesarean delay settles case against hospital for €1.9m

Irish Examiner

time3 days ago

  • Irish Examiner

Boy who suffered 'severe personal injury' after alleged Caesarean delay settles case against hospital for €1.9m

A boy born in Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise, who was allegedly delivered after a delayed Caesarean section amid rowing doctors, and who suffered "severe personal injury", has had a €1.9m settlement in his favour approved by the High Court. The now 16-year-old was born on January 30, 2009, at the hospital. His mother sued the HSE on behalf of her son for breach of statutory duty — alleged medical negligence — to adequately provide medical services to her and her son in 2009 at the Co Laois hospital. It was submitted she was due to give birth around January 25, 2009, and had attended all of her antenatal appointments, culminating with a clinic at the hospital on January 29, 2009, when no "significant abnormal conditions in relation to the pregnancy were present". She was admitted to the hospital on January 30, 2009, five days after her due date, but had "slow and irregular" pain. A cardiotocography trace (CTG) was carried out and was found to be "abnormal", as the unborn baby displayed "frequent decelerations" in his heart rate. However, despite the abnormal readings, the CTG was discontinued. A second CTG was carried out at 8.45am the same morning that showed decelerations and abnormalities up to about 12.30pm. It was claimed that then a syntocinon treatment — an injection involving the drug Oxycontin — was administered to augment labour. It was claimed the readings from the CTG were not reproduced in a legible fashion and were difficult to interpret. A decision was made to deliver the boy by emergency Caesarean section, and the boy was born at 1.36pm, allegedly 80 minutes after a decision to perform the Caesarean was made — 50 minutes outside the usual timeframe. It was claimed the boy then suffered "extreme difficulties" with breathing, due to hypoxia, and there was a delay in his resuscitation. In addition, an altercation between members of the hospital staff occurred during the attempts at resuscitation of the plaintiff, it was alleged. During a second attempt at intubation, a doctor was interrupted by an anaesthetic doctor without invitation, who attempted to force an oxygen mask on the child, it was claimed. It was alleged the anaesthetist "brushed aside" the attending doctor and raised his voice, shouting "for fuck sake just bag him". The doctor was eventually able to drain meconium — a baby's first stool — from the child through suction, after which safe intubation was performed. The doctor, it was submitted, was "considerably interrupted in his attempts to intubate and resuscitate the plaintiff by actions of the anaesthetist doctor". In the aftermath of his birth, the plaintiff was noted as being in pain, jaundiced, vomiting with streaks of blood, having hypoxic metabolic acidosis, high blood pressure and in need of ventilation. The plaintiff spent 11 days in intensive care, and an MRI scan showed the plaintiff's kidney and brain had an infarct, resulting in "severe personal injuries", it was claimed. At the High Court on Tuesday, Mr Justice Paul Coffey was told by John Healy SC, instructed by David O'Malley of Callan Tansey solicitors, for the plaintiff, that a final settlement of €1.9m for breaches of duty by the defendant, albeit without an admission of liability, could be recommended to the court for what he said was the boy's "turbulent" introduction to the world. Mr Justice Coffey approved the settlement and addressed the boy, who was present in court, saying he was pleased to see him "looking so well and I wish you all the best for the future".

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