Atlanta hospital lost piece of patient’s skull, lawsuit claims

An Atlanta hospital is being sued for allegedly losing a fragment of a patient’s skull after brain surgery.

In a complaint, Fernando Cluster said Emory University Hospital lost a piece of his skull after a procedure to remove his bone flap, conducted to alleviate symptoms of a stroke. The surgery took place in September 2022.

He returned in November 2022 to have the skull piece put back into place—but Emory was unable to find it. According to Cluster, the hospital had several bone flaps, but they weren’t sure which one belonged to him, as some were improperly labeled.

Surgeons were forced to use a synthetic replacement, which they made specifically for Cluster prior to surgery. This led to a 12-day extension of his hospital stay, the lawsuit said.

After leaving the hospital, Cluster claimed he was billed $146,000 for his trouble. He is seeking compensation, along with punitive damages.

Read the full story Atlanta News First at the link below. 

Chad Van Alstin Health Imaging Health Exec

Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.

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