A Bagenalstown mother has spoken of the trauma her family endured following her young son’s bilateral hip replacement surgery — one of a series of procedures now under audit by Children’s Health Ireland (CHI).
Áine Gladney Knox, a former Sinn Féin general election candidate, says she was left “shocked and upset” upon receiving a letter informing her that an audit was being conducted into surgeries like the one her son Archie underwent in 2022.
Archie, diagnosed with hip dysplasia at just six months old, had double hip surgery in April 2022. What followed, Áine told The KCLR Daily, was a harrowing ordeal that left her questioning everything about the experience.
“He went through absolute hell,” she said, describing the ordeal as a “nightmare” for the entire family.
The audit by CHI, which is examining whether some procedures carried out over a two-year period were medically necessary, has sparked concern among affected families across the country.
Recalling the day of the operation, Áine said she received a call from the surgical team while Archie was still in theatre — “a parent’s worst nightmare” — informing her that he had lost a significant amount of blood and may require a transfusion.
Although the transfusion didn’t happen immediately, complications quickly escalated. By April 21st, Archie was admitted to St. Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny, where he eventually received the urgently needed transfusion. He also developed a high temperature, requiring treatment with antibiotics.
“Only for Saint Luke’s took him in… I don’t know what we would’ve done,” Áine said, praising the Kilkenny hospital for their care.
Archie was transferred back to Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin on April 23rd, where he underwent a second emergency surgery that night to relieve severe swelling and bruising.
He remained in hospital until May 4th.
“That’s how long it took to get Archie right,” Áine said. “But when we came home, we had our little boy back.”
With the CHI audit now underway, Áine says she is left questioning whether the ordeal her son endured was even necessary.
“I’m just trying to understand how we ended up in this situation,” she said. “No family should have to go through that.”
You can listen back to the full interview below:
