Up to 74 Preventable Deaths: Zurich's University Hospital
One of Switzerland's most prestigious hospitals has admitted to serious failures in its cardiac surgery department that may have cost dozens of patients their lives. A damning independent report released today confirms what whistleblowers and journalists had been warning about for years.
What the report found
An independent commission spent over two years examining all deaths that occurred at the University Hospital Zurich (USZ) cardiac surgery department between 2016 and 2020, under the leadership of former chief surgeon Francesco Maisano. The 216-page report was led by former Swiss Federal Court judge Niklaus Oberholzer.
The findings are stark: compared to similar university hospitals, the death rate at USZ was between 68 and 74 cases higher — across roughly 4,500 operations performed during the period. In other words, according to medical experts, those patients likely would have survived had they been treated elsewhere.
Of 307 deaths that were individually examined, eleven were classified as medically "unexpected." Medical expert René Prêtre, former head of cardiac surgery at the University Hospital Lausanne, concluded that these patients would most likely still be alive had they been operated on at a different Swiss university hospital, or at USZ at a different time.
A leadership failure from the start
The report places significant blame on how the hospital was run. Francesco Maisano was appointed head of the clinic in 2014 in a rushed process, without adequate checks on his qualifications or potential conflicts of interest. The commission found he was hired in a "fast-track procedure" despite having little experience leading a clinical department.
The hospital's management also neglected its oversight responsibilities, failing to act on warning signs until it was too late. Internal quality reports had flagged the elevated mortality rate as early as 2017.
The Cardioband controversy
Adding a further layer of concern is the role of a medical implant called the "Cardioband" a device used in heart valve repair. Maisano is alleged to have financially benefited from the marketing of these implants. Despite this, the devices were neither critically questioned nor regulated at the time. Medical expert René Prêtre noted there was a lack of information provided to patients about the risk of vascular injury when inserting a Cardioband. As one investigator put it, too many patients were placed in the service of innovation, rather than innovation being placed in the service of patients.
The Cardioband subsequently lost its European approval in 2024 and is no longer used.
Criminal referrals and political fallout
The hospital's board has decided to refer a total of 24 cases to the Zurich cantonal prosecutor's office, the 11 unexpected deaths, plus 13 operations in which implants are alleged to have been used inappropriately. Investigators will determine whether any criminal offences were committed.
Three members of the hospital board who served during the period under investigation have collectively decided to resign their positions. Hospital board president André Zemp said the institution was "deeply affected" by the findings.
Where things stand today
The cardiac surgery department has since regained its strong reputation and high quality standards under new leadership. Mortality rates are once again within normal ranges, according to current reports. The hospital has apologised to those affected and set up a dedicated advisory service for patients and families.
Maisano left USZ in 2021 and returned to Milan, where he continues to work as a cardiac surgeon today.
