An Irish medical regulator informed its US counterpart about an inquiry into paediatric orthopaedic surgeon Dr Connor Green when he began working in the United States, the Irish Medical Council has said. The development has renewed attention on concerns involving spinal and other orthopaedic procedures performed on children in Ireland.
What happened in this breaking news story?
The Irish Medical Council confirmed that the medical regulator in the United States was made aware of an inquiry concerning Dr Green after he moved abroad to work. The disclosure comes as questions continue around care provided to children with scoliosis, spina bifida and developmental dysplasia of the hip.
Dr Green is now working with LifeBridge Health in Baltimore, Maryland. A profile on the organisation’s website states that he is accepting new patients.
The Irish Medical Council’s statement is significant because information about regulatory concerns can be shared between professional bodies when doctors practise across jurisdictions. It does not, by itself, establish the outcome of the inquiry or determine whether any individual clinician breached professional standards.
Background to the Ireland medical inquiry
Dr Green had been on leave from Temple Street Children’s Hospital for three years before resigning from his position this year. During that period, reports raised concerns about the treatment of children undergoing paediatric orthopaedic care, including surgery connected with spinal conditions and hip development.
The issues have attracted attention because paediatric orthopaedic procedures can involve complex clinical decisions, long recovery periods and continuing follow-up. Families affected by such treatment may need clear information about medical records, independent assessments and the status of any review.
Conditions mentioned in the reports
- Scoliosis: an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine that can vary in severity and cause different treatment needs.
- Spina bifida: a condition involving incomplete development of the spine and spinal cord before birth.
- Developmental dysplasia of the hip: a condition in which the hip joint does not develop normally.
The presence of these conditions in the reported concerns does not mean that every patient received the same treatment or was affected in the same way. Each case must be assessed individually through the appropriate clinical and regulatory processes.
- The Irish Medical Council said a US medical regulator was informed about the inquiry.
- The disclosure followed Dr Green’s move to work in Baltimore.
- He previously had been on leave from Temple Street Children’s Hospital for three years.
- He resigned from his Irish position this year.
- The inquiry concerns reported care involving paediatric orthopaedic patients.
Why the US notification matters
Doctors who move between countries may be subject to separate registration and oversight systems. A regulator in a doctor’s new country can consider information from the jurisdiction where earlier work took place, particularly where an investigation or professional conduct process is ongoing.
That communication allows the US regulator and healthcare employer to make their own decisions under American rules. The Irish Medical Council’s notification should not be interpreted as a final finding. Any conclusion would depend on the evidence reviewed and the formal outcome of the relevant proceedings.
The case also highlights the importance of transparent communication when patients receive specialist care across health systems. Families may reasonably want to know whether concerns were identified, how they were handled and what support is available if a review affects their child’s treatment.
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What happens next?
The inquiry remains the central unresolved issue. The available information does not state when it will conclude, what findings may be reached or whether further action will follow in Ireland or the United States.
Possible next steps could include continued regulatory assessment, communication with affected families and decisions by the relevant medical authorities. Those steps must be distinguished from confirmed facts: the Irish Medical Council has confirmed the US regulator was informed, but no final determination has been provided in the information available.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Dr Connor Green?
Dr Connor Green is a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon who previously worked at Temple Street Children’s Hospital and is now working with LifeBridge Health in Baltimore, Maryland.
What is the inquiry about?
It relates to concerns about care provided to children with conditions including scoliosis, spina bifida and developmental dysplasia of the hip.
Was Dr Green found to have breached medical standards?
No final finding is provided in the available information. Notification of a regulator is not the same as a finding of professional misconduct.
Why was a US regulator informed?
The Irish Medical Council said the US medical regulator was informed when Dr Green began working abroad. Such communication can help regulators assess relevant professional information across national borders.
Conclusion
This breaking news development places renewed focus on the oversight of paediatric surgical care and the exchange of regulatory information between Ireland and the United States. The confirmed position is that a US medical regulator was informed of the Irish inquiry; the outcome of that inquiry has not been reported. Further updates should be assessed against official statements and any formal findings issued by the relevant authorities.