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3 clusters · 9 sources · 19 days · First seen · Last updated

Naples hospital medical malpractice investigation

Overview

An investigation is underway in Naples regarding the death of Domenico Caliendo, a toddler who died in February 2026 following a heart transplant performed in December 2025 at Monaldi Hospital.

Legal counsel for the family alleges that chat logs from suspects reveal three different versions of the surgical report. The family’s lawyer, Francesco Petruzzi, claims that while early drafts noted the organ appeared frozen due to a “failure del trasporto” (transport failure), the final signed version removed this note and instead blamed dry ice provided by the donor hospital. Discrepancies have also been noted in the surgical timeline.

A medical-legal expert report, prepared by professors Biagio Solarino, Ugolino Livi, and Ferdinando Luca Lorini, has been filed to reconstruct the clinical events between the transplant on December 23, 2025, and the child's death on February 21. Experts are specifically examining whether the heart suffered anatomical or functional alterations due to improper cooling methods, as dry ice was reportedly used instead of following standard guidelines. The report also evaluates medical conduct during the child's intensive care.

Concurrently, the Naples Court of Review is considering whether chief cardiac surgeon Guido Oppido and his deputy, Emma Bergonzoni, can return to medical practice. Both remain suspended following accusations of “ideological falsehood” related to the alleged coordination of changes to the surgical report. The defense argues the communications were merely “normal professional exchanges” used to clarify the procedure.

Entities

Domenico Caliendo · Monaldi Hospital · Guido Oppido · Francesco Petruzzi · Emma Bergonzoni

Timeline

  1. about 5 hours ago

    [CRIME] 4 sources
    Naples investigation continues into failed heart transplant death

    Italian authorities are reviewing a medical expert report and conducting a hearing regarding the death of Domenico Caliendo following a failed heart transplant at Naples' Monaldi Hospital.

  2. 3 days ago

    [CRIME] 2 sources
    Naples hospital investigation: Three versions of surgical report emerge in Caliendo case

    Investigators in Naples have uncovered three different versions of a surgical report regarding the death of Domenico Caliendo, a child who died following a failed heart transplant at Monaldi Hospital.

  3. 19 days ago

    [HEALTH] 3 sources
    Naples hospital under investigation after embryo error

    A Naples couple is investigating a medical error after their newborn daughter was found to have DNA from different biological parents following assisted reproduction at San Paolo Hospital.

Sources

2anews.it · bigodino.it · fanpage.it · formulapassion.it · imolaoggi.it · inliberta.it · mediacentre.org · quotidianodelsud.it · stilemargherita.it

This summary has been updated 1 time: see revision history