Pennsylvania residents Michael Yocabet, 50, and Christina Mecannic, 40, were relieved to hear that they were compatible for a kidney transplant.
Yocabet, who suffers from Type 1 diabetes and diabetes-related kidney diseases, was set to receive a new kidney from Mecannic, who was told that her partner would have a better chance of survival if the kidney came from a living donor.
After the April 6 procedure took place at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the couple was devastated to hear that Mecannic’s kidney was infected with hepatitis C, and the deadly disease had now been transferred to Yocabet.
In two medical malpractice lawsuits filed, the couple alleges negligence on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian, University of Pittsburgh Physicians, four doctors, a nurse and the entire kidney transplant center staff in the hospital.
The suit alleges that the transplant team failed to recognize a significant blood test result that took place in January that indicated Mecannic was infected with the virus. The positive test was never mentioned to the couple before the transplant took place.
The lawsuit also claims that the doctors had accused Mecannic of infidelity and cocaine use before offering her the option of keeping the hepatitis C diagnosis secret from Yocabet.
Mecannic told the surgeon that she had always been faithful to Yocabet and had every intention to tell him about the disease as it significantly affects his health and transplant success.
UPMC officials denied that the hospital staff was involved in any sort of cover-up scheme and said that they have responded to the incident by shuttering the kidney and liver transplant centers for two months. They also notified the United Networks for Organ Sharing, demoted a surgeon and suspended a nurse.
The lawsuit indicates that Mecannic was never informed about her initial positive test results discovered in January. Instead of being dismissed as a donor, the UPMC transplant surgeon noted that he considered Mecannic to be “an excellent candidate for kidney donation,” as alleged in her lawsuit.
After the transplant took place, Mecannic was scheduled for more testing on April 22 where she again showed positive for hepatitis C. The lawsuit claims the hospital failed to notify her of the positive test again, even as they analyzed the results to determine her level of viral load.
On April 29, when Yocabet returned for additional testing there was still no notice regarding the positive test.
A month after the transplant, doctors called Mecannic into a meeting when they revealed her infection and the alleged accusations of infidelity and drug use took place.
“They never actually did come out and say they made a mistake,” Mecannic said. “They gave an apology but they never said they messed up.”
Mecannic had worked as a licensed practical nurse at nursing homes and thinks she may have contracted the infection there where she was exposed to blood, her lawyer said. She denies any drug use and claims she never had any hepatitis infection symptoms.
UPMC spokeswoman Jennifer Yates said the hospital sincerely regretted the error that caused the situation and explained the hospital was taking the appropriate course action to maintain the future well-being of their donor patients.
During this time the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued draft guidelines that would require more thorough screening and organ testing, including new initiatives to require donors to be tested for hepatitis C and B as well as HIV.
The CDC investigated over 200 cases of suspected unexpected transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and C through transplants from 2007 and 2010.