A Georgia couple sued Emory University Hospital Midtown, claiming it lost a portion of a patient’s skull during a September 2022 surgery and then billed $19,000 for a replacement, according to a court filing.
Fernando and Maria Cluster filed a lawsuit against the local hospital, claiming negligence after the hospital allegedly misplaced a portion of Fernando’s skull following a brain surgery, according to the filing submitted to the court in DeKalb County, Georgia. The lawsuit details a series of events which allegedly led to extended hospital stays and additional surgeries, resulting in alleged physical and emotional distress for the couple.
🚨🇺🇸ATLANTA COUPLE SUES HOSPITAL FOR LOSING PART OF PATIENT’S SKULL AFTER BRAIN SURGERY
An Atlanta couple is suing Emory University Hospital Midtown, accusing the facility of losing part of Fernando Cluster’s skull after brain surgery.
The suit alleges that hospital staff… pic.twitter.com/E2B2PcxO2X
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 18, 2024
The hospital admitted Fernando for an emergency operation to address an intracerebral hemorrhage — bleeding within the brain — on Sept. 30, 2022. During the procedure, surgeons removed a 12-by-15-centimeter section of his skull, intending to replace it in a subsequent surgery, the court document stated. Complications, however, reportedly arose in November 2022 during a follow-up surgery. (RELATED: Detransitioner Suing Doctors, Major Hospital Over Her Childhood Gender Transition)
Due to mismanaged patient identifiers on stored bone flaps, the hospital staff could not locate Cluster’s bone flap, the lawsuit claims. Unable to confirm his bone flap, the staff then reportedly opted for a synthetic replacement. The use of the synthetic bone flap allegedly led to further complications, including an infection which necessitated additional surgery. The misplacement of the original skull piece and subsequent issues contributed to a prolonged hospital stay and additional medical expenses totaling over $146,845.60, according to the court documents.
![](https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/GettyImages-1299034796.jpg)
APPLE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 27: Patients rest in a hallway in the overloaded Emergency Room area at Providence St. Mary Medical Center on January 27, 2021 in Apple Valley, California. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Emory Healthcare did not comment on the ongoing litigation at the time of writing but expressed a commitment to high-quality and compassionate care, NBC News reported. The couple, meanwhile, is seeking compensation for both general damages, although the filing reportedly does not list a specific amount.