Paul Murphy recounts child's catastrophic CHI biopsy in DIPG case
Paul Murphy recounted the case of Brodie, a child diagnosed with DIPG who suffered a massive brain haemorrhage after an invasive biopsy at CHI. He argued the biopsy was unnecessary, said there was no clinical benefit, and warned similar procedures appear to be carried out more often here than abroad.
Case raised in parliament
Paul Murphy told the story of Kirsty and Barry's son Brodie, diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) in May 2024. He presented the family's experience to the Taoiseach as a heartbreaking example of the human cost of current biopsy practice.
Procedure details and outcome
Murphy described the biopsy as invasive and dangerous - he said Brodie suffered a massive brain haemorrhage, his brain swelled, and the back of his skull had to be effectively cut off. He walked into the operating theatre with full use of his limbs, and after the operation could only move one eye and never learned to walk again.
Concerns about clinical practice
Murphy stated the biopsy was unnecessary and offered no clinical benefit. He said this case raised a wider concern that more biopsies are being performed here than in other countries despite a lack of medical benefit, and characterised the family's experience as horrific and deeply troubling.
Response from the Taoiseach and oversight questions
The Taoiseach responded that he could not comment clinically, said he presumed the case involved CHI, and expressed the hope that multidisciplinary teams oversee biopsy decisions. He asked what the case for the current physical biopsy model is and suggested further offline follow-up to pursue the matter.
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Taoiseach, over the summer I met with Kirsty and Barry who told me a heartbreaking and deeply troubling story about how their son Brodie had been treated at CHI. He was diagnosed with DIPG in May of 2024. This is a very aggressive brain tumour which is inoperable. Children are treated as palliative once they're diagnosed. He then had a very invasive and dangerous procedure of a biopsy. As a result of the biopsy he had a massive brain hemorrhage. His brain swelled to such a degree that the back of his skull had to be effectively cut off. He walked into the operating theatre in full command of use of all his limbs and so on. After the operation of the biopsy he could only move one of his eyes and he never learned to walk again. The biopsy was unnecessary. There was no clinical benefit to having the biopsy. The issue is that this is happening widely. We appear to be doing much more biopsies than other countries with no medical benefit of doing them. Deputy Murphy raised what I consider to be a horrific story and very sad story for the family. Very challenging and traumatic diagnosis and for it to be followed by the biopsy and so on. I can't clinically call that and I would have thought, I presume that was CHI. I'm not clear. I would have hoped that there was a multidisciplinary team that would oversee the conduct of biopsies. Either recommending them or not recommending them with a view to both the diagnosis and also the trauma on the child and the potential implications negatively, obviously, as you've outlined in the articulation. What is the case for our physical biopsy model? I might take an offline picture. Can we pursue it?
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