A Derry hospital confirmed yesterday that it had retained the organs of 15 babies and 45 adults for eight years. A spokesman for Altnagelvin Hospital said a detailed inquiry had begun into the circumstances surrounding the retention and storage of organs.
"We express deep regret and we offer sincere apologies to families affected by the retention of organs in the period from 1992 to May 2000," the spokesman said.
"We are endeavouring to contact each of the families affected to inform them of the position and to provide assistance.
"In the case of the babies, an experienced team has made contact with the mothers, for whom this is particularly distressing and is providing support and assistance to help them come to terms with the information.
"In the case of the adults, the process of informing the next-of-kin is under way, and again support is being offered to help families at this difficult time", the spokesman said.
"While all families gave written consent to the post-mortem examination using the consent forms which were standard at that time, we acknowledge that they would not have expected organs to be retained for a prolonged period," the spokesman added.
A mother whose baby son died two weeks after he was born nine years ago said she had been informed by the hospital authorities that her son's brain and heart were still in the hospital.
The mother, who did not wish to be named, said her son was born with his heart on the wrong side of his chest.
"Yesterday two girls came to me from the hospital's Patients Advocate office and asked me if I knew about the baby's organs.
"I rang up the hospital this morning just to go through it all again, and the same girl told me they still had his heart and brain. The two girls were stunned as well.
"I am totally devastated. My husband is totally devastated and can't even speak at the moment. My family is outraged at the idea that nine years later we've been told the baby's heart and brain are still in the hospital.
"I wouldn't have minded if the baby's heart was being used to help some other mother or to help me if I got pregnant again. But they took his heart and took his brain without my consent. All I consented to was a post-mortem", the mother added.