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The closure of the investigations
The Rome Public Prosecutor's Office has concluded its investigation into the death of well-known journalist Andrea Purgatori, who died in July 2023. Four doctors who treated him risk being put on trial for manslaughter. Among them are radiologist Gianfranco Gualdi, his assistant Claudio Di Biasi, and Dr. Maria Chiara Colaiacomo, all members of his team, along with cardiologist Guido Laudani.
The charges brought by the Prosecutor's Office
The accusations made by the Prosecutor's Office concern "incompetence, negligence and imprudence" in the care received by the journalist, who died due to infectious endocarditis. According to the magistrates, the neuroradiologists did not correctly report the magnetic resonance examination, drafting a document that erroneously diagnosed a brain metastasis, which never occurred. This error led to a series of incorrect therapeutic decisions, worsening Purgatori's clinical situation.
The consequences of diagnostic errors
The document drawn up by the doctors, according to the investigation's conclusion, not only caused a useless and debilitating radiotherapy treatment, but also diverted the diagnostic and therapeutic approach of the other health workers involved. The medical-legal assessment, ordered by the investigating judge, highlighted a "catastrophic sequence of errors and omissions" that could have been avoided with a correct diagnostic-therapeutic treatment. The experts stated that a timely intervention could have guaranteed Purgatori an 80% survival rate at one year, if the endocarditis had been diagnosed and treated adequately.
Clinical timing and assessments
The report also noted that endocarditis could have been identified earlier, at the beginning of the hospitalization from May 10 to , or even earlier, if neuroradiologists had correctly evaluated the tests performed on May 8. These elements raise questions about the quality of care received and the work of the doctors involved, raising concerns about patient safety and the reliability of the health system.