We all know that divorce is often an expensive and messy business.  A friend argues that if you ever think of cheating on your wife, ask yourself  “is she worth a house?” because thats what it will cost you.

People often say their divorce cost them an arm and a leg.  Well, there’s a case in New York now where the couple are arguing over a kidney.

Richard Batista, a surgeon from Long Island in New York, gave his kidney to his wife Dawnell after two previous transplants failed.  He now wants it back because she cheated on him and has filed for divorce.  He has claimed either the kidney back or $US1.5m compensation.

Dr Batista told New York Daily News there is “no value you can put on an organ when it saves someone’s life. There is no greater feeling on this planet”.  He says he is only suing Dawnell to get to her act reasonably in the divorce case, claiming she is restricting access to their children, aged 8, 11 and 14.

However, it seems unlikely he will get either the kidney back or money from his wife. 

Medical ethicist Robert Veatch from Georgetown University told News Day it’s illegal for an organ to be exchanged for anything of value. He said organ donation is a gift which means you can’t legally get it back.

"It’s her kidney now and taking the kidney out would mean she would have to go on dialysis or it would kill her,”

he said.   Also he argued no reputable surgeon would do it and no court could compel someone to undergo an operation.