The family of a deceased man has filed a surgical infection lawsuit claiming he contracted a deadly infection from a cardiac heater-cooler device used during his heart surgery.

Plaintiff Michele W. says that on Oct. 16, 2015, her father Dennis G. underwent a cardiac surgery intended to repair a bicuspid aortic valve at Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware.

This surgical infection lawsuit has been filed by the family of the Pennsylvania man against the manufacturers of the Sorin 3T heater-cooler unit used in Dennis’ heart surgery, as well as the hospital at which he received his surgery.

Sorin Group Deutschland, Sorin Group USA, Christiana Care Health Services and Christiana Hospital are all named defendants in the surgical infection lawsuit.

After Dennis’ surgery, he seemed to be doing well. But just seven months later, Dennis began to experience cold symptoms including fever and chills. On June 29, 2016 Dennis went back to Christiana Hospital complaining of chills, discomfort and fever according to this surgical infection lawsuit.

He claimed the symptoms had begun seven weeks prior to returning to the hospital. Doctors at the hospital believed that Dennis may have been suffering from kidney failure and endocarditis.

According to this surgical infection lawsuit, Dennis had “two transesophageal echocardiograms, which showed vegetation on the aortic valve and pacemaker lead, and an aortic valve abscess.”

Infectious disease doctors were brought in and a bone marrow biopsy was ordered. On Aug. 5, 2016, without doctors really knowing what was going on with Dennis, he was discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of “fever of unknown origins.” He was instructed, according to this surgical infection lawsuit, to follow up with his primary care physician as soon as possible.

A few days later, Michele says, the results of Dennis’ bone marrow biopsy came back. He tested positive for Mycobacterium chimaera, a bacteria that is usually found in soil.

Michele says Dennis was placed on an aggressive regimen of antibiotics, some of which have severe side effects and high levels of toxicity. Unfortunately, Dennis’ health continued to deteriorate, despite his antibiotic regimen. He began to suffer from weight loss, extreme fatigue and difficulty swallowing.

On Nov. 8, 2016, Dennis was readmitted to the hospital, this time to the ICU. Dennis experienced renal failure and severe respiratory distress. This surgical infection lawsuit alleges that he did not respond well to any treatment and was sent to hospice care in order ease his pain.

About a week later, Dennis died as a result of the bacterial infection.

His family claims that his bacterial infection resulted from the use of a Sorin 3T heater-cooler unit during his original cardiac surgery in 2015. This particular cardiac heater cooler had been recalled due to Mycobacterium chimaera contamination in July 2015.

The family of Dennis claims that neither the hospital nor the device manufacturers did enough to prevent Dennis from contracting the bacterial infection.

This Surgical Infection Lawsuit is case number N17C-07-319 DCS in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware.