Family files lawsuit after transplant ends in tragedy—says son ‘got the heart of a meth addict’

A Florida family is suing Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, for allegedly performing a heart transplant without warning the recipient that the donated organ was associated with certain risks.

WTSP-TV in Tampa, Florida, reported on the incident in great detail, noting that Noah Leopold was diagnosed with cancer at the age of seven. While he did eventually beat the cancer, he still spent the rest of his life combating heart damage associated with the chemotherapy he endured on his path to recovery.

Once he reached the age of 40, the heart specialists he had been seeing for years at Mayo Clinic told Leopold’s family he required a heart transplant. A heart was quickly located, one physicians believed to be a perfect fit, but the transplant procedure ended in tragedy. The donated heart, it turned out, was a poor match for Leopold’s body. It had to be immediately removed as soon as it was transplanted, leaving Leopold on an artificial heart. He did eventually receive a separate heart—but he suffered a brain bleed less than a day later and passed away.

Family’s lawsuit details concerns

Leopold’s family told WTSP-TV that they were worried about the donated heart coming from a drug addict from the very beginning. They would later learn that their fears had been realized—the heart donor had apparently died of complications associated with drug overdose. 

The family alleges that the risks associated with this specific heart were never communicated to them. In fact, the doctors allegedly said many times that the heart they found was "perfect" for Leopold.

“Noah got the heart of a meth addict,” attorney Brandon Thompson said, as quoted in the report. “Mayo had an obligation to tell him that. And they didn't.”

Mayo Clinic representatives did not want to be interviewed for the WTSP-TV report, but representatives did share a statement. 

“The transplant team carefully selected a donor heart that was suitable for this patient according to standards followed by transplant centers around the country,” the hospital said in its statement. “We empathize with the patient’s family and respect their right to pursue their claims in court. We intend to defend this case through trial and are confident the jury will find that the care given to this patient was appropriate and full informed consent was provided. The care team followed applicable medical standards of care, guidance of national organizations that oversee organ donation and procurement, and the privacy rights of organ donors who give the ultimate gift to patients like this one.”

There is much more to this story. Click the link below for the full report from WTSP-TV, which includes several interviews and a close look at the transplant process.