Failed Corneal Tissue Testing at Moorefields?

[wheelnut]

sobering thoughts.

and gareth, according to my wife my looks are worth considerably less than £8!

[John Smith]

I have no idea of the details of this case, but I feel that I ought to add something to balance the Gazette's reporting.

I do feel really sorry for the boy, and I think that the compensation was derisory, but nowhere in the article does it say that Moorfields caused the problem; only that they are accused of doing so. They have paid compensation, but have not it seems admitted guilt. The derisory compensation has been accepted.

Whilst personally I was surprised to see a 16 year old being given a graft much older than himself, I would be surprised if anyone can prove that the cornea was already infected prior to grafting, rather than afterwards.

[jayuk]

John

You make an interesting point, but I would suspect that the likes of MEH would not settle unless advised so by their legal team....as at the end of the day Its reputation here! thus by virtue of damage limitation they probably thought it best to end this now...but then thats my opinion!

But another point is the screening of tissue? Do MEH do in inhouse or outsourced? So I agree, maybe this was not totally the fault of MEH.

Of course, when we relate this to the number of Transplants MEH do, its extremely remote! But, still possible

J

[Andrew MacLean]

Does anybody know whether it is the responsibility of the hospital to test tissue for transplant, or is this done at a centre where tissue is stored (the fabled 'cornea' bank)?

Andrew

[jayuk]

Andrew

Its Hospital / Eye Unit dependent.....some source from external Eye Banks some have there own!...however what is interesting here is that its up to the Consultant to continue with the transplant once he/she has seen the results of the tissue testing. (Obviously if the tissue doesnt make the minimum requirements its disposed anyway)

I cant recall whether MEH have their own.

J

[Paul Osborne]

OK have read it.

Since this has happened a few years back, I would hope that Moorfields have addressed any issues.

Best not let the wife see that though.

[Andrew MacLean]

John's comment is self-evidently right, but it is still a worry to add to all the others.

It all has to do with risk assessment and informed consent. I agree that we need to have knowledge to make our informed consent, but I am not deterred from surgery on the basis of this tragedy, any more than I am deterred from crossing the road by the number of fatalities every day.

Andrew

[jayuk]

Paul

I would like to think that this was a 1/500,000 chance-like episode. Whilst generally unheard of, I think the fact it happened just needed to be seen/heard.

But overall, I would suspect your whole procedure would be NOWHERE near like this

Jay

[Per]

Interesting question. I know that the practice here is that each of the four regional hospitals run their own cornea-bank. As opposed to the US, where the cornea-banks are big business and they trade corneas worldwide in the global eye surgery market. Because there is allways a problem to make people donate, there is always a lack of material. Therefore they have now started to buy corneas from the USA. And those are screened by the origin US cornea-bank.

[GarethB]

This is basically a quality control issue.

Who takes resonsibility?
Who checks the guidelines are being followed?
What is the procedure for reporting and ealing with such failures?
How are tissue and blood bankes regulated in comparison to medicines?

The report is just one verison of the facts, as already pointed out, MEH have not published theirs. It could be a case that they did everything possible but in hind sight they should have done more (just one scenario) which can put them in a no win situation even though they may well be the leaders in their field.

Andrew; Vibration white finger while racing just gives me more reason to get the line through the corners right instead of cutting the corners and riding the curbs.