Austrian surgeon fired after ‘letting teenage daughter drill hole in patient’s skull’

27 August 2024, 14:54 | Updated: 27 August 2024, 14:57

An Austrian surgeon has been fired after allegedly letting their teenage daughter drill a hole in a patient’s skull.

The neurosurgeon, who has not been named, reportedly allowed their 13-year-old daughter to operate a drill and make a hole in an unconscious patient’s skull in January.

The victim, 33, was flown by air ambulance to Graz University Hospital in southeastern Austria after sustaining a serious head injury in a forestry accident, according to Kronen Zeitung.

The emergency surgery reportedly went well, but the patient has not yet been able to return to work.

Prosecutors in Graz, the regional capital of Styria, Austria’s second-largest state, were made aware of the alleged incident in April when an anonymous complaint was lodged.

The victim learned of the case in the media but was not informed by police that he was the victim until July, the newspaper added.

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The victim’s lawyer Peter Freiberger said: “You lie there. Unwilling, unconscious, and become guinea pigs. There’s probably no other way to put it… that’s not possible. You can’t do that.”

Mr Freiberger added: “There was no contact, no explanation or apology, nothing. That is simply undignified.”

He is reportedly seeking to sue the surgical team and get damages for the victim.

In May the neurosurgeon and another specialist doctor who was present during the surgery were let go from the hospital.

Five other people who were present in the operating theatre are under investigation over the incident.