Couple Sues UPMC Over Kidney Transplant

September 20, 2011 5:51 PM

(Credit: KDKA)

Reporting Paul Martino

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Health, Local, News, Syndicated Local

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A couple filed a medical malpractice lawsuit Tuesday against UPMC over an alleged botched kidney transplant.

The transplant led to a two-month shutdown of the Living Donor Kidney and Live Transplant Programs.

Michael Yocabet and Christine Mecannic, of Greene County, are accusing UPMC of professional and intentional negligence after a botched kidney transplant.

Mecannic donated her kidney to Yocabet in April, but it was infected with hepatitis C.

She was unaware of it, but the lawsuit alleges that UPMC missed positive test results six times.

This led to a federal investigation and the two-month shutdown of the transplant program.

The couple has been together for 21 years have an 18-year-old son.

The lawsuit goes on to allege that she was subject to questioning from UPMC. During questioning she was asked if she cheated on Yocabet or used drugs.

She denied both of their questions and does not know where she got the infection from.

Jennifer Yates, manager of media relations for UPMC, released the following statement.

“We sincerely regret the human error that caused this situation however any allegation of a cover-up is completely false. Once the error was discovered, UPMC disclosed the information to the patients involved and UNOS. We voluntarily suspended our live-donor program and have fully complied with all investigations. The well-being of our patients remains our highest priority.”

rose

upmc is at fault. Don’t those idiots test beforehand?
critter

its called a mistake stupid. just like Obama
Telly

Harry S Cohen and MedMal 1 will be rolling in the bucks over this one
Portia Smithson

This is a serious Issue, my four year old daughter is going to need a kidney Transplant we received a letter stating that the Live Donor Kidney transplants were no longer Available, but we were told the reason was FAR different then this. They are supposed to do testing to make sure that nothing gets passed on to another person, and if your not a match you could give your kidney to someone else and have one given to your loved one, Basically a Trade of Organs to help. The real question is, are they going to re-open the Live Donor Program and if they do what steps will they take to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again. There are WAY to many Lives at stake when it comes to Renal Failure and they need to make sure that NOTTHING like this happens again.
Bill Wendt

She is a NURSE. How can you be in the medical field and not know that you are infected?
FIfe

If anyone has watched House they would of learned one thing. People lie, ALWAYS. She was asked if she was cheating with her significant other or using drugs and she told them No, yet Hep C you get from those. Only reason they are suing is because she is embarrassed.
I Know

Maybe she picked it up on a toilet seat.
ann

upmc sucks

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