The parents of a 13-year-old girl have filed a $17 million lawsuit against Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Ashok Muralidaran, alleging that a prosthetic heart valve implanted during open-heart surgery was positioned upside down, causing life-threatening complications that went unrecognized for weeks.
According to the complaint filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court in late May 2026, Steven and Lori Stokes, who live in southern Oregon, allege that their daughter underwent open-heart surgery at OHSU's Doernbecher Children's Hospital on August 14, 2025, to receive a replacement heart valve.
The lawsuit states that after the valve implantation, surgeons were unable to restart the girl's heart successfully. Physicians reportedly placed her on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a form of life support that temporarily takes over the functions of the heart and lungs by circulating blood through an external machine that adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide.
According to the complaint, OHSU physicians initially informed the family that the surgery had gone well and attributed the girl's deteriorating condition to postoperative shock. However, the lawsuit alleges that her condition continued to worsen despite repeated interventions.
The complaint states that the teenager underwent two exploratory surgeries at OHSU as doctors attempted to determine why her heart was not functioning properly. According to reports citing the lawsuit, she also spent three days in intensive care with her chest left open while physicians attempted to stabilize her condition.
The family alleges that the girl remained on ECMO support for 18 days and that OHSU clinicians eventually informed them that their daughter was "very near death." According to the lawsuit, hospital staff discussed end-of-life decisions with the family, including the possibility of organ donation.
The complaint further alleges that OHSU physicians told the parents that their daughter would likely require either an artificial heart device or a heart transplant to survive. However, because OHSU did not perform pediatric heart transplants, the family was advised that she would need transfer to another facility for further treatment.
According to the lawsuit, OHSU clinicians warned the family that the teenager's condition was so critical that she might not survive transport. Despite those concerns, her parents decided to proceed with a transfer to Seattle Children's Hospital.
There, according to the complaint, physicians identified the cause of the girl's prolonged decline. The lawsuit alleges that the prosthetic heart valve implanted at OHSU had been positioned incorrectly, obstructing normal blood flow through the heart.
Seattle surgeons subsequently replaced the valve with a correctly positioned prosthetic valve. According to the lawsuit, the teenager's heart function improved rapidly following the corrective surgery. The complaint states that she no longer required ECMO support after the valve replacement.
The complaint alleges that the teenager suffered prolonged hospitalization and permanent physical and emotional injuries as a result of the events.
The lawsuit also alleges that the parents experienced significant emotional suffering after being repeatedly informed that their daughter was unlikely to survive.
The family is seeking $17 million in damages for the alleged negligence and its consequences. According to reports citing the complaint, the family's medical expenses exceeded $4 million at the time the lawsuit was filed.
OregonLive reported that the lawsuit could be affected by Oregon's tort claim limits, which cap damages recoverable from OHSU, a quasi-public institution, at approximately $5.275 million.
OHSU declined to comment publicly on the allegations, citing pending litigation. No findings of liability have been made, and the allegations outlined in the complaint have not been proven in court.
The case also drew widespread attention online after reports identified the surgeon named in the lawsuit.
Following reports identifying Dr. Ashok Muralidaran as the surgeon named in the lawsuit, discussions on social media shifted beyond the allegations outlined in the court complaint.
According to a report by The Times of India, some social media users linked the case to broader criticisms of medical education in India, with posts questioning the validity of qualifications obtained by Indian-trained physicians and making generalizations about healthcare professionals of Indian origin.
The report noted that several comments specifically targeted Dr. Muralidaran's nationality rather than addressing the allegations contained in the lawsuit. No evidence has emerged suggesting that the surgeon lacked the professional credentials required for his role at Oregon Health & Science University.
According to OHSU's physician profile, Dr. Muralidaran serves as Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the OHSU School of Medicine and Section Head of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Surgery at Doernbecher Children's Hospital. OHSU states that he specializes in congenital heart surgery and conducts research on outcomes following pediatric cardiac procedures.
Public records and institutional profiles indicate that Dr. Muralidaran earned his medical degree from Madras Medical College and later completed advanced surgical training in the United States, including fellowships in congenital heart surgery. Reports from the Free Press Journal stated that his training included programs at Yale University and Stanford University.
The lawsuit against OHSU and Dr. Muralidaran remains pending. The allegations have not been proven in court, and no judicial findings have established liability.
Heart valves help direct blood flow through the heart's chambers. When a valve becomes severely damaged because of congenital heart disease or other conditions, surgeons may replace it with a prosthetic valve.
The positioning of a prosthetic heart valve is critical to its function. An incorrectly oriented valve may interfere with blood flow and impair the heart's ability to pump effectively.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an advanced life-support technique used in patients with severe heart or lung failure. Blood is diverted outside the body to a machine that removes carbon dioxide, adds oxygen, and then returns the blood to the patient. ECMO is typically used as a temporary measure while clinicians investigate and treat the underlying cause of organ dysfunction.
The lawsuit remains ongoing, and the court will ultimately determine whether the standard of care was breached during the patient's treatment.
(Rh/MSM)