Naples – Hope hanging by a thin thread, but still intact. Monaldi Hospital has lifted its reservations regarding the case of the young patient who underwent surgery last December: the child will remain on the waiting list for another heart transplant.
The decision, officially announced today by the Health Management of the Colli Hospital, comes after several hectic days and a delicate medical discussion that also involved external experts.
The Heart Team Summit and the “second opinion”
The turning point came yesterday, Friday, February 13, when the Neapolitan hospital's Heart Team met to assess the child's clinical condition. However, the confirmation to keep the child on the waiting list was not an isolated decision. As the hospital's statement specifies, the hospital had already requested a second opinion from the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital in Rome last week.
The opinion from the capital corroborated the assessment of the doctor in charge: the clinical conditions exist to attempt a transplant again, the only viable option to save the life of the child, who had already received a heart on December 23, 2025.
Stable but “severely critical” conditions
The family and lawyers were notified immediately. The General Management clarified that, barring any sudden worsening of the child's condition, the child's name will not be removed from the emergency list. However, the medical bulletin does not conceal the complexity of the situation:
“To date, the young patient's condition remains stable in a critical situation,” the statement reads.
The child is fighting a very tough battle in intensive care, monitored minute by minute by the medical team.
Investigations and the search for truth
The legal and administrative aspects remain in the background of the clinical case. The reference to "what happened" in the official statement suggests that the first transplant or subsequent management is being reviewed. The hospital confirmed that it has "promptly and firmly adopted all necessary measures," assuring that there will be no impact on the care of other patients.
The Strategic Management reiterated its full cooperation with the investigative bodies and inspection services sent to shed light on the matter. The objective is twofold: to ensure maximum transparency in identifying any professional responsibilities and to protect the image of Monaldi, which management defines as "a center of excellence and highly specialized."
The entire company expressed its "deepest sadness," renewing its sympathies to the family during this agonizing hour.
The family's lawyer presents an addition to the complaint
This morning, Francesco Petruzzi, the lawyer representing the family of the child who received a damaged heart transplant, filed a supplement to the complaint filed in recent weeks. Petruzzi himself, upon leaving the Carabinieri station in Cimitile, explained that he had requested "an evidentiary hearing on the medical records and all documentation, including the reports of the multidisciplinary team assessing the child's health."
Responding to reporters, Petruzzi returned to the divergent medical opinions regarding the child's possibility of undergoing another heart transplant: "The doctors at Bambin Gesù Hospital in Rome, whom we consulted, expressed a negative opinion. Monaldi Hospital, however, continues to believe the procedure is feasible, so the child remains on the national transplant list. At least until Monday, when a new medical briefing is scheduled."
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
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