Child transplanted at Monaldi Hospital; heart surgeons Oppido and Bergonzoni suspended

Naples – Following the death of Domenico Caliendo, the investigating judge has temporarily banned cardiac surgeon Guido Oppido and his deputy Emma Bergonzoni from practicing medicine for 12 and 7 months, respectively.

Naples Preliminary Investigations Judge Mariano Sorrentino granted the request of the Prosecutor's Office (Prosecutor Titti Ferrante, Deputy Prosecutor Ricci), who coordinated the NAS investigation. Oppido and Bergonzoni are charged with material and ideological forgery of a public document in relation to the child's medical records.

The accusations of having falsified the medical records regarding the timing of the start of the surgery

On December 23, 2025, the two performed the failed heart transplant on young Domenico Caliendo, who later died on February 21 at Monaldi Hospital. According to investigations by the NAS (National Heart and Blood Institute) and the Naples Public Prosecutor's Office, the doctors falsely stated untrue facts in the heart transplant surgery report. According to judicial authorities, in the days following the procedure, they falsely stated that they had started cannulation and extracorporeal circulation only after the Bolzano team responsible for organ procurement had reached Monaldi Hospital.

However, investigations revealed that this was not true: operations had already begun at the Naples hospital before the arrival of the Bolzano team.

In essence, the operations had begun before the team arrived at the hospital in Naples. Assisted by their respective lawyers, Dr. Guido Oppido (preventively suspended by the Colli Hospital) and his deputy, Emma Bergonzoni, underwent preliminary interrogations on March 31 and May 21.

Seven doctors also charged with manslaughter in connection with Domenico's death.

In addition to the crime of forgery, both were also charged with manslaughter, along with five other doctors, in relation to the death of little Domenico Caliendo.

Meanwhile, on June 10, the preliminary investigation ordered by investigating judge Mariano Sorrentino into the child's two hearts concluded: the one that arrived from Bolzano frozen due to dry ice and also Domenico's diseased one.

The filing of the reports on the examinations conducted by the panel of experts appointed by the judicial authorities, scheduled for September, could be postponed by 15-20 days, until mid-October, at the experts' request. All the consultants appointed by the suspects and the Caliendo-Mercolino family also participated in the examinations, which took place at the Bari Polyclinic.

After completing the histological analyses, the Caliendo coroner announced that the tests revealed signs of necrosis caused by low temperatures and also those caused by prolonged use of ECMO, the mechanism that allows extracorporeal circulation.

The lawyer representing little Domenico's family is satisfied with the decision.

Francesco Petruzzi, attorney representing Domenico Caliendo's family, expressed his satisfaction with the preliminary investigations judge's decision: "The fact that the judge applied the maximum duration allowed by the criminal code for this precautionary measure gives us confidence that it will hold up before the Review Court."

Petruzzi then added: "I spoke with Domenico's mother, Patrizia, and she is particularly moved. This," the lawyer explains, "is the first moment of truth confirmed by a judge, and I also want to emphasize that this is the first time in these legal proceedings that malicious behavior has been revealed and sanctioned. "I know that the judge," the Caliendo-Mercolino family's lawyer continues, "defined Dr. Guido Oppido as 'a bully' in his approximately 70-page ruling."

"We are satisfied," Petruzzi concluded, "with this result and would like to extend our thanks to the investigators for their impeccable work."