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Naples Toddler in Botched Heart Transplant Case Moved to Palliative Care

The shift follows an expert panel's finding the child is no longer a candidate for another transplant.

Overview

  • With parental consent, clinicians adopted a comfort-focused plan after nearly two months on life support, and the family's lawyer emphasized it is not euthanasia.
  • A visiting review team from four Italian cardiac centers determined a repeat operation is not medically indicated, effectively ending hopes for re-transplantation.
  • The original donor heart was reportedly exposed to much colder dry ice during transport instead of standard refrigeration, severely damaging the organ before it was implanted.
  • The child has remained on ECMO in a prolonged coma since late December, and his condition is described by doctors as very critical.
  • Naples prosecutors are investigating six members of the transport and transplant teams and have seized the cooling container, and the parents have filed a complaint that could expand the probe.