Doctor in court

Doctor changes surgical plan without consultation: woman dead!

The accused doctor changed the surgical method without being asked: the woman eventually died of cardiovascular failure.(Bild: StudioLaMagica Wuppertal)

A cancer patient (79) died in a clinic in Waldviertel (Lower Austria) after an unplanned operation due to "accidental events with massive bleeding": The doctor is now on trial for involuntary manslaughter.

At the beginning of February last year, a 79-year-old woman lost her life due to serious complications during an operation at a hospital in Waldviertel. A surgeon is said to be to blame. The urology specialist - a German citizen born in Libya - is said not to have acted as originally planned.

Instead of endoscopically replacing a urethral catheter and breaking up some large kidney stones using a laser, the 58-year-old decided to cut the cancer patient open.

Serious complications
The unplanned abdominal opening caused massive bleeding. According to the public prosecutor's office, a vascular occlusion led to circulatory problems that made it necessary to amputate the thigh. The 79-year-old died of cardiovascular failure just days later.

"The woman complained of severe pain. I wanted to help her," said the defendant. He therefore opted for a far riskier and more difficult surgical option - to reduce the tumor masses in places. On the witness stand, however, two close relatives contradicted the deceased's allegedly severe pain.

Doctor pleads not guilty in court
A colleague from the medical profession explained in court: "The tumor was inoperable," said the witness. The 58-year-old now had to answer for gross negligence manslaughter in court in Krems. And pleaded not guilty to the charges.

After the fatal incident, the doctor was given instructions. This means that the urologist is no longer allowed to change planned procedures without being asked. The trial was adjourned until mid-November for further witness hearings and the expert report.