While most wives deeply love and respect their husbands, few have the ability to literally save their husband’s life. For one man, who was in need of a kidney, his wife was happy to be able to provide the life-saving organ. Sadly, what should have been a successful kidney transplant ended with the kidney being damaged due to alleged medical malpractice.
According to court documents, while both husband and wife were undergoing surgery, an unknown substance leaked from the hospital ceiling into the basin containing the freshly harvested kidney. At that time, members of the surgical team attempted to cleanse and disinfect the healthy organ, a process which took hours.
By the time the kidney was deemed acceptable to transplant into the man’s body, it was barely functioning. As a result, the husband and father is once again in need of a kidney transplant. This time, however, his wife is unable to provide the life-saving organ as she now has only one kidney.
Despite admission to family members of the incident and the surgeon’s record of the medical mistake, the hospital has continued to deny that anything out of the ordinary occurred during the couple’s surgeries. In response, the couple has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit in which they are seeking to recover damages related to their injuries as well as medical expenses.
Illinois residents who have been adversely impacted by an accident or incident that occurred as a result of hospital negligence may choose to take legal action. Individuals who suffer these types of injuries often require additional medical care and may suffer painful and debilitating injuries for which they deserve compensation.
Source: CBS New York, “Couple Sues North Shore University Hospital Over Contaminated Kidney: Lawsuit: Gift Of Life Transplant Goes Wrong When Fluid Drips From Ceiling,” Nov. 25, 2013
