Consultant surgeon ordered not to do spinal surgery in State for three years without supervision

A consultant surgeon cannot carry out spinal surgery in this jurisdiction for three years without supervision, the High Court has ordered.

This is one of a number of conditions attached to the registration of Dr Elias Rahall, who worked at University Hospital Galway from January 2013 to February 2015. The High Court heard he is now an orthopaedic surgeon in Dubai.

The President of the High Court, Mr Justice David Barniville, confirmed the decision of the Medical Council and attached the conditions to Dr Rahall’s registration for three years.

The council’s fitness to practise committee earlier this year found eight allegations of poor professional performance to be proven against the consultant orthopaedic, trauma and spine surgeon in relation to operations he carried out on four patients at the Galway hospital in 2014. It found he had failed to provide appropriate care to all four patients.

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The Medical Council’s solicitor JP McDowell told the High Court that a number of complaints were made to the Medical Council but a review of 200 of Dr Rahall’s cases had identified the four that formed part of the proceedings.

The council’s fitness to practise committee said Dr Rahall carried out complex surgery on a patient on March 15th, 2014 (the Saturday of a bank holiday weekend), when it was inappropriate because of reduced support levels.

In relation to another patient, the inquiry concluded that Dr Rahall had carried out unnecessary, complex corrective surgery on a man with a spinal deformity that had the potential for significant complications.

In relation to a woman patient, the committee found Dr Rahall had, on May 8th, 2014, inserted screws in her spine that were too long, with one of them protruding into the woman’s bowel.

However, Dr Rahall was cleared of several other allegations that he had failed to document in medical records the nature of discussions he had with three patients and whether he had obtained their informed consent.

In the High Court, Mr McDowell said the Medical Council had recommended that Dr Rahall be censured in writing and the conditions be attached to his registration for three years.

Mr Justice Barniville granted the orders sought and confirmed the decision of the Medical Council.