Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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351. To ask the Minister for Health the number of orthopaedic surgeons within Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) who are able to perform surgeries on children with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC); the qualifications, sub-specialities and fellowships of each; the experience or qualification of each which provides assurance to CHI that each have specialism in limb reconstruction; the total number of children with AMC each has performed surgery on in the past five years;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51056/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Children’s Health Ireland has advised that the Limb Reconstruction Service is a subspecialty of orthopaedic surgery and is delivered at three locations; CHI at Crumlin, CHI at Temple Street and The National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh. Acquired deformities can arise due to trauma, infection, metabolic conditions, or tumours. Circular external fixators are regularly used to provide management for deformed and short limbs. Patients may have these devices in place for a period of 4 to 8 months with frequent attendances at clinics for planned specialist management. As such, the management is complex and requires a dedicated team committed entirely to these complexities. Some of the care is led by Clinical Nurse Specialists, and the service also includes multiple other disciplines including physiotherapy, social work, occupational therapy and psychology.

As your queries regarding orthopaedic surgeons focus on an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.