THE HEALTH SERVICE Executive is investigating two “clusters” of cases of patients suffering adverse affects following surgery in Our Lady’s Hospital in Navan.

Two review groups are being set up to examine a total of six cases; one group will focus on four of the cases and another will examine the remaining two.

It is thought that these cases might have been linked to the decision to cease all acute and emergency surgeries in the hospital earlier this month.

The HSE has confirmed that the incidents occurred over the last six to seven months in Our Lady’s Hospital.

The HSE added that, while all the patients involved and their families had been notified, the executive would not be at liberty to divulge the details of the cases or the outcomes.

To date, the HSE has refused to publish any clinical evidence or documentation which supported the decision to cease surgery at the Co Meath hospital.

Following the abrupt decision this month, some surgeries – that do not require an anesthetist - have continued.

However, consultant gynaecologists have made the decision to stop offering keyhole surgery at the hospital because of the lack of anaesthetic cover there.