Toddler Clings to Life After Alleged Transplant Heart Freezing Incident
A two-year-old boy from Naples, Italy, has been placed on life support after his newly transplanted heart was allegedly frozen during an eight-hour journey across the country. The toddler, locally named Tommaso, underwent the transplant surgery on December 23 at Monaldi Hospital in Naples, only for doctors to discover the organ was severely damaged.
Investigation into Alleged Transport Error
Italian authorities are investigating whether medical personnel mistakenly packed the donor heart in dry ice instead of regular ice during its transport from northern Italy to Naples. This error would have subjected the organ to temperatures as low as -80°C, causing what sources describe as 'carbonisation' or severe tissue damage through freeze burns.
The heart was reportedly transported in an ordinary plastic box rather than a specialised temperature-regulated container. Investigators claim transporters had no temperature readings available and were unaware the heart was reaching sub-zero temperatures during the journey.
Mother's Heartbreaking Appeal to Pope
Tommaso's mother, Patrizia Mercolino, has made a public appeal to Pope Francis to help find a new heart for her son. 'My life is now dominated by pain and the desire to have my baby back home,' she told Italian television. 'I appeal to the Pope to help find a new heart for my son. That's all I want.'
Mrs. Mercolino has instructed her lawyer to contact hospitals across Europe in search of a second available heart for transplantation.
Background of the Medical Case
Tommaso had been on the transplant waiting list after being born with cardiomyopathy, a progressive heart disease that thickens the organ's walls until it can no longer pump blood effectively. The donor heart became available in December following the tragic drowning of a four-year-old boy in Bolzano, located in the Italian Alps.
'They called me after the operation to say, "There is a problem — the heart does not start." I didn't ask too many questions,' Mrs. Mercolino revealed to The Times regarding the failed transplant.
Multiple Investigations Underway
Italian authorities have opened three separate investigations to determine responsibility along the chain of custody and examine potential administrative failures. Six medical professionals are now formally under investigation for their roles in the alleged transport error.
The transport of human organs in Italy is tightly regulated, and using dry ice instead of regular ice would constitute a serious breach of established medical protocols.
Complications and Diminishing Hope
While Tommaso continues to cling to life through life support machines, doctors at the Vatican-owned Bambino Gesu paediatric hospital in Rome have delivered devastating news. The prolonged use of life support is causing additional complications, including damage to the boy's lungs, liver, and kidneys.
These secondary complications now make a second heart transplant medically risky, potentially rendering Mrs. Mercolino's efforts to find a new organ for her son in vain. 'I hope those doctors are wrong,' the grieving mother stated regarding the bleak prognosis.
