Suit Says Death Caused by Infected Cadaver
The family of a Minnesota man who died after a knee graft filed suit against the company that provided the tissue, claiming it came from an infected cadaver.
Surgeons planted the cartilage Nov. 7 into the knee of Brian Lykins, 23. He died four days later.
Health investigators found a deadly bacterium in his body and in the cadaver from which the cartilage was lifted.
The lawsuit says tissue bank CryoLife Inc. of Kennesaw left the cadaver at room temperature for 19 hours and failed to test the tissue.
CryoLife spokesman Roy Vogeltanz said the company would not comment on pending litigation.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta said in March that at least 14 people had contracted infections after tissue transplants from CryoLife.
Lykins was the only fatality.
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