False cancer diagnosis

Medical malpractice: The side jobs of the head of gynecology

Professor Peter Oppelt, Head of Gynecology at Kepler University Hospital(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Markus Wenzel, Horst Einöder)

Following the "massive failure" at Kepler University Hospital in Linz, senior doctors are coming under scrutiny: Why was the patient (30), who had a healthy uterus removed at the beginning of August, only informed of the false diagnosis weeks later? And why did it take months for the medical records to be transferred?

The case of Katharina Wolle, who made her story public on Tuesday via "Krone," has stirred up emotions among the population: While politicians speak of a "massive failure," Kepler University Hospital is retreating to the position that There was no misconduct; the doctors acted on the basis of a contaminated tissue sample in the pathology department, which – unfortunately – can occur in 0.01 to three percent of cases.

Weeks of uncertainty
The way in which the leading Linz physicians dealt with the patient is particularly serious: Katharina Wolle underwent surgery at the Kepler Clinic on August 5. However, the discussion of the findings, which had been arranged by telephone for August 13, did not take place. For weeks, the clinic led Wolle to believe that she had cancer, even though there were already clear indications of a misdiagnosis internally on August 21. At the end of August, the clinic stated briefly that the initial results were good, but that they were still waiting for the exact results of the microanalysis.

The hospital claims that there was no misconduct.(Bild: Werner Pöchinger)

Professor Peter Oppelt, Head of Gynecology at Kepler University Hospital(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Markus Wenzel, Horst Einöder)

It was not until September 16 that three professors, including Peter Oppelt, head of gynecology, came clean in a personal conversation: she was healthy. What's more, she had always been healthy. However, the medical records with the discharge letters were not handed over – they could be requested by a lawyer, they said.

Wolle's legal representative, Rainer Hable, explains: "Regardless of this case, every patient must be given their medical records at any time."

At the end of September, attorney Hable requested all documents with a power of attorney. He did not receive them until mid-October. They revealed that Professor Peter Oppelt, head of gynecology, had been working on them just a few days earlier.

,a busy head physicianThis late completion is surprising. But the head of gynecology at Kepler University Hospital is obviously a very busy man: Oppelt also runs a private practice on the side. In addition, since December 2024, the professor of gynecology has held a 16.8 percent stake in a start-up company that is developing an endometriosis test. Oppelt serves as the company's chief medical officer.

What does Kepler Hospital say about the secondary activities of its head of gynecology? 

"Professor Oppelt's secondary employment has been reported and approved," says the communications department. "The activities comply with the organizational regulations for secondary employment and secondary activities."