An arrest has been made involving a brain surgeon who is suspected of letting her child participate in a skull drilling procedure on a patient without their knowledge. The incident occurred on January 13 of the previous year when a man suffering from a severe brain injury due to a forestry accident was taken to Graz Regional Hospital in Austria for immediate surgery.
Although the patient made it through the operation successfully, there are reports that before the surgery concluded, a neurosurgeon still in training allegedly allowed her 12-year-old daughter to assist in the procedure.
During a hearing at the Graz-East District Court held on Tuesday, October 14, it was revealed that the surgery was conducted by a doctor and a senior physician, while the neurosurgeon brought her child into the operating room.
According to an indictment reported by the local news outlet Kurier, the neurosurgeon allegedly handed her daughter a medical drill to make an opening in the patient’s skull.
Prosecutor Julia Steiner stated that the mother reportedly expressed pride by saying her daughter had just “drilled her first borehole,” as translated from Kurier.
The indictment indicates that while the surgery was successful, the associated risks should not be underestimated.
Steiner emphasized that the act demonstrated an “incredible lack of respect for the patient.”
Both the doctor and the neurosurgeon have pleaded not guilty to charges of minor bodily harm in the courtroom.
The surgeon’s legal representative, Bernhard Lehofer, defended his client by asserting that the child did not actually perform any drilling.
“The child did not drill,” he stated, emphasizing that the doctor maintained control over the equipment.
Lehofer acknowledged that bringing the child into the surgical environment was “not a good idea,” but he noted that his client has faced repercussions for almost two years because of the incident.
The doctor’s attorney, Michael Kropiunig, claimed his client was unaware of the child’s age during the operation.
“He allowed her to put her hand on his hand while he was operating the drill, but that’s not relevant in criminal proceedings,” he explained, according to the outlet.
Regarding the sequence of events, the doctor stated that his colleague left the room to take a phone call near the end of the surgery. The child allegedly inquired whether she could assist, and when he consulted her mother, she responded, “Why not?”
Although the exact position of the child’s hand is unclear, the court was told that the child placed her hand over the doctor’s as he “guided” the drill.
The mother is further accused of convincing her colleague to “deny” any inquiries about the incident.
The neurosurgeon explained that her daughter had been in her office for most of the day and only followed her into the operating room when she was called in. She claims to have permitted this.
However, she denies witnessing the alleged drilling incident, stating she was standing “in the back” of the room and was “distracted.”
When questioned by the prosecutor if she had pressured the doctor “to keep quiet,” she reportedly stated: “I wanted to protect him.”
It is also alleged that she informed other hospital staff that her daughter was only involved in the “drilling” during the investigation.
Stefan Wolfsberger, head of neurosurgery at the hospital, claimed he received an anonymous letter about the incident and said he “couldn’t believe it.”
The court has postponed the verdict of the case until December 10.