The ‘Burned’ Heart Transplant: A Systemic Failure in Naples and Bolzano
A two-year-old child’s desperate wait for a new heart has turned into a medical and legal nightmare, as an organ allegedly compromised during preservation was implanted, leading to severe complications. This shocking case has triggered three separate investigations-two criminal and one internal-across Naples and Bolzano, with two surgeons from the Monaldi Hospital in Naples already suspended from transplant activities.
The central question echoing through this tragic affair is: How could this happen? This is the urgent query posed by the distraught parents of the two-year-old, who now lies in a pharmacological coma, sustained by an ECMO machine. It is also the focus of the Naples Public Prosecutor’s Office, which has opened an investigation for grievous bodily harm, delegating the Nola Carabinieri to conduct the necessary inquiries.
A Christmas Eve Nightmare: The Ill-Fated Transplant
The child, suffering from severe cardiomyopathy, had been under medical care for an extended period. On December 23rd, just before Christmas, the family received an urgent call from Monaldi Hospital in Naples: a compatible heart was available, donated by the family of a four-year-old who had tragically died in Val Venosta, Trentino-Alto Adige. What should have been a beacon of hope quickly descended into a tragedy.
According to the family’s lawyer, Francesco Petruzzi, the child was admitted on the morning of December 23rd. After hours of tests and preparations, the child entered the operating room around 2:30 PM. The donated organ had arrived from Bolzano, but upon opening its container, something was terribly wrong: the heart appeared “burned.”
Dry Ice: A Fatal Error in Preservation
Preliminary findings suggest that instead of the standard ice used for organ preservation, dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) was used. This constitutes a fatal and inexplicable error. Upon contact with dry ice, the organ would have been irreversibly damaged. This critical misstep broke a chain of protocols designed to ensure the highest level of safety in one of medicine’s most delicate procedures.
Crucially, the family was not immediately informed of the extent of the damage. The mother was told that the heart “wasn’t pumping” or “wasn’t working,” but not that the organ was compromised before implantation. On January 11th, following legal advice, a complaint for injuries was filed, leading to the seizure of the child’s extensive medical records.
The Cover-Up and Its Unfolding Consequences
It was not until February 6th, when an article in Il Mattino revealed the disturbing truth, that the family learned the heart had been “burned” by dry ice. The surgical team, according to the lawyer’s hypothesis now under judicial review, proceeded with the implantation anyway, perhaps “having no other choice.” This raises serious questions about the transparency and decision-making processes within the operating room.
The child remains connected to a life-support machine and is now officially on the waiting list for another compatible heart. After approximately 50 days in intensive care, the prolonged wait is beginning to compromise other organs. A potential transfer to another hospital, such as Bambino Gesù in Rome, was considered but quickly dismissed due to the patient’s critical and unstable condition.
Suspensions and Investigations: A Search for Accountability
In response to the unfolding crisis, the Monaldi Hospital management has provisionally suspended two surgeons involved in the transplant activity: the head of the department and an assistant. This measure aims to protect patients and clarify systemic failures, without undermining the hospital’s otherwise strong track record in heart transplants. Napoli’s Monaldi center boasts a 90% one-year survival rate, significantly higher than the national average of 75%. However, no pediatric transplants can currently be performed at the facility.
The Monaldi Hospital’s general management stated on Tuesday evening that it had “immediately ordered all necessary checks aimed at precisely reconstructing the entire clinical-therapeutic-assistance pathway and identifying any critical issues or responsibilities.” The hospital also expressed “its most sincere closeness and solidarity with the family of the young patient, sharing their pain and assuring maximum commitment to fully clarify what happened.”
Meanwhile, the South Tyrol Healthcare Authority clarified that the responsibility for the correct preservation and transport of the organ lies with the receiving transplant center’s team, pledging full cooperation with judicial authorities. The Bolzano Public Prosecutor’s Office has also opened an investigation, making it a total of three inquiries-two criminal and one internal-seeking to establish accountability.
Unanswered Questions and a Child’s Fight for Life
As these complex investigations unfold, one certainty remains: a child is fighting for life, and every passing day makes the need for medical and judicial answers more urgent. The case highlights critical vulnerabilities in the organ transplant system, from preservation protocols to informed consent and accountability within medical institutions.
The family’s lawyer, Francesco Petruzzi, continues to press for full transparency and justice, emphasizing the profound ethical and legal implications of implanting a known compromised organ without fully informing the patient’s guardians. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the immense trust placed in medical professionals and the devastating consequences when that trust is breached.
Our questions remain:
- What precise protocols were violated during the organ’s preservation and transport?
- Who authorized the implantation of a visibly damaged heart, and why were the parents not fully informed?
- What measures will be implemented to prevent such a catastrophic error from recurring?
- Will the ongoing investigations lead to criminal charges and significant systemic reforms?
This case is a critical test for the Italian healthcare system, demanding a thorough and transparent examination to restore public confidence and ensure the safety of future transplant patients.
Source: https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2026/02/10/trapianto-cuore-danneggiato-monaldi-napoli-notizie/8286757/
