Following a brain hemorrhage, a hospital in Georgia allegedly temporarily extracted a portion of a man's cranium. The workers, it's claimed, misplaced the bone.
Fernando Cluster was taken to Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta in September 2022, with a diagnosis of an intracerebral hemorrhage, or brain bleed, as stated in the complaint filed on August 8 with the DeKalb County State Court.
The medical team performed surgery to remove a section of Cluster's skull, approximately 4.7 inches by 5.9 inches, to alleviate pressure on the brain, the complaint mentions.
Following his recovery from this procedure, Cluster was scheduled for reimplantation of the bone flap in early November, but during preparation for the cranioplasty, Emory's staff struggled to identify the bone flap that belonged to Cluster, as stated in the complaint.
The complaint details that when Emory's personnel tried to retrieve the bone flap, they discovered several bone flaps with incomplete or missing patient identification, making it unclear which, if any, belonged to Cluster.
Fernando Cluster and his wife, Melinda Cluster, are filing a lawsuit against the hospital and unspecified staff due to negligence, alleging that the loss of the bone flap resulted in substantial harm, including persistent physical and emotional distress, as well as unnecessary medical bills, as stated in the complaint.
The complaint reveals that hospital personnel eventually informed Fernando Cluster that his bone flap could not be located, and the surgery would be postponed until a synthetic implant flap could be produced.
In late November, Cluster underwent surgery to receive the synthetic bone flap implant and was subsequently charged for its cost and additional time spent in the hospital, the complaint states.
The complaint alleges that as a consequence of Emory's negligence, Cluster experienced an infection in the synthetic flap, necessitating another surgery.
In an email statement to CNN, Emory spokesperson Janet Christenbury affirmed, "Emory Healthcare is dedicated to delivering high-quality, compassionate care to patients and communities we serve." She declined to comment further on the pending litigation.
CNN reached out to the Clusters' legal representative for comment.
As per the complaint, Cluster's medical expenses amounted to over $146,800, with over $19,000 spent on the synthetic skull implant, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The complaint asserts that Cluster sustained permanent injuries and has been unable to work due to Emory's negligence.
The Clusters' lawsuit demands compensation for the injuries and damages incurred due to the misplaced bone flap, as stated in the complaint.
After his surgery, Fernando Cluster prioritized his health and followed strict post-operative guidelines to facilitate his recovery. Despite these efforts, the loss of the bone flap led to numerous health complications.
