Grave Human Error Results in Suspended Transplant Program

A serious human error has led to the suspension of the forty year-old University of Toledo Medical Center's living kidney transplant program, according to The Toledo Blade.

Two operating room nurses were suspended for previously undisclosed actions, which is now being reported as placing a donated, viable kidney in the trash before it could be transplanted to the intended recipient, the male donor's sister. The organ would have been a perfect match for the patient in end-stage renal failure, who must now wait for another match. The patient was sent home that day, and the donor was discharged the following day.

"We cannot fathom the disappointment that those impacted have experienced over the course of the last week," said Dr. Jeffrey Gold, chancellor and vice president for biosciences and health affairs at UTMC. "The university cannot begin to express the sorrow that we feel that this unfortunate incident occurred. We apologize sincerely."

Doctors tried unsuccessfully for at least two hours to "resuscitate" the organ to make it usable, but to no avail. The kidney would have been implanted within one hour of removing it from the donor.

Dr. Gold could not recall a similar incident to this human error involving a living, viable kidney.

"I am not aware of an incident identical to this," he said. Read the complete details here:

UTMC suspends kidney exchange over human error

Steve Crandall, a top-rated medical malpractice attorney throughout Ohio and Kentucky, has seen his fair share of medical negligence by health care providers with devastating results, and believes the repercussions will be much more than just a few suspensions.

"What the general public may not know regarding this case is recent Ohio Supreme Court decisions will likely shift the responsibility for payment of this case from private insurers to the state of Ohio," said Crandall. "In this economic climate, and move toward better government fiscal responsibility, this shift is devastating to Ohio and the public institutions."

If you have any questions regarding medical malpractice throughout Ohio and Kentucky, contact Steve Crandall. Steve is available to help answer your questions and guide you in determining your next steps.