Surgeons have mistakenly operated on the wrong side or incorrect anatomy 63 times since 2017, HSE figures revealed.

Cases included the removal of a boys healthy left kidney instead of his poorly functioning right at Our Ladys Childrens Hospital in 2008.

Records show the number of wrong-site procedures increased in each of the past three years, from 15 in 2017 to 22 last year.

The Irish Patients Association has demanded an explanation for the rise in wrong-site surgeries, which are categorised as never events because they are wholly preventable and should not happen.

Spokesman Stephen McMahon said: The actions required to minimise the chance of a wrong leg or organ being operated on are known, and the increase in these events must be explained by those who are responsible. A further seven botched surgeries were recorded in four public hospitals in the first 10 months this year.

The data does not include voluntary hospitals, which are not owned by the State but are predominantly funded by the HSE. With eight since 2017, Cork University Hospital saw the most wrong-site surgeries.

Seven were recorded at Our Ladys Hospital in Navan in the same period, while six occurred at Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore.

Fewer than five wrong-site surgeries were performed at 17 other facilities including University Hospital Galway, University Hospital Limerick, Letterkenny University Hospital, and St. Lukes General Hospital in Kilkenny.

Cork University Hospital and Our Ladys Hospital in Navan, recorded at least one botched op in each of the years between 2017 and 2020.

The data was extracted from the National Incidents Management System, which is hosted by the State Claims Agency.

It was released by the HSE under freedom of information laws.

A spokeswoman for the HSE said systems were in place to identify, manage and address incidents that arise in delivering healthcare.

She added: All incidents are identified, reported and reviewed so learning from events can be shared to improve the quality and safety.

Services are continually engaged towards identifying areas where incidents are likely and putting in place systems to prevent or reduce the likelihood of the risk of occurrences.

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Surgeons in Ireland mistakenly operated on the wrong side or incorrect anatomy 63 times since 2017 - Irish Mirror