Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 Mar 1995

Vol. 450 No. 8

Written Answers. - Surgical Operations.

Séamus Hughes

Question:

82 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Health the ten most commonly performed operations and procedures carried out in Irish hospitals; and the number of each such operation and procedure for each of the past five years. [6026/95]

Séamus Hughes

Question:

83 Mr. Hughes asked the Minister for Health the number of tonsillectomy, glue ear surgery, wisdom teeth removal, D & C and hysterectomy operations and procedures carried out in Ireland in each of the past five years. [6027/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 83 together.

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tables. Surgical operations and other procedures are reported via the hospital inpatient enquiry — HIPE — which relates to inpatient activity in acute public hospitals. In Table 1, no figures are given for wisdom teeth removal since a significant proportion of these procedures are not carried out in acute general hospitals. It should be noted that the figures for hysterectomy and D & C operations are not comprehensive as there are a number of maternity hospitals not currently included in HIPE.

Coverage for the hospitals included in HIPE is now approaching 100 per cent, but it will be noted in the footnote to the tables that coverage in earlier years was not as extensive as 1994 figures are based on the latest available returns.

TABLE 1.

Frequency of Specified Procedures: 1990-1994.

Procedures	Number of Cases
1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
Tonsillectomy with and without aden
oidectomy	4,340	4,107	4,367	6.811	5,739
Glue ear surgery (Myringotomy)	3,099	3,835	4,113	5,061	4,404
Hysterectomy	1,998	2,142	2,711	3,166	2,915
D. & C.	6,208	6,263	6,671	7,848	7,387

Note: HIPE coverage for each of the years 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994 is estimated at 60 per cent, 71 per cent, 76 per cent, 93 per cent and 84 per cent respectively.

TABLE 2.

Top Ten Procedures in Acute Public Hospitals: 1990-1994.

Procedures	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
Rank	Number of Cases	Rank	Number of Cases	Rank	Number of Cases	Rank	Number of Cases	Rank	Number of Cases
Diagnostic procedures on small intestine.	9	3,102	6	4,838	4	6,882	4	10,415	1	16,632
Certain local excision or destruction of lesion or tissue of skin and subcutaneous tissue.	3	5,659	2	6,994	2	9,253	1	14,715	2	15,808
Diagnostic procedure on stomach.	1	7,515	1	9,348	1	10,890	2	13,984	3	13,141
Diagnostic procedure on large intestine.	5	4,449	4	5,706	3	7,572	3	10,428	4	12,221
Injection or infusion of other therapeutic or prophylactic substance	8	4,177	9	4,497	7	6,668	6	9,213	5	11,260
Diagnostic procedure on bladder.	4	3,102	5	5,536	5	6,805	5	9,291	6	9,444
Dilation and curettage of uterus.	2	6,208	3	6,263	6	6,671	7	7,848	7	7,387
Diagnostic ultrasound.	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	8	6,366
Appendectomy.	7	4,338	8	4,795	9	5,018	8	6,182	9	5,886
Cardiograms.	—	—	—	—	—	—	10	5,584	10	5,574
Closed reduction of fracture without internal fixation.	6	4,422	7	4,816	8	5,179	9	5,730	—	—
Myringotomy.	10	3,099	10	3,835	10	4,113	—	—	—	—

Note: HIPE coverage for each of the years 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994 is estimated at 60 per cent, 71 per cent, 76 per cent, 93 per cent and 84 per cent respectively.