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A brain surgeon in Austria is facing a trial after reportedly allowing her 12-year-old daughter to participate in a patient’s surgery, according to reports.
The incident occurred in January 2024 at University Hospital Graz, one of Austria’s largest hospitals, after a farm worker was flown in with a head injury caused by a falling tree branch.
The surgeon, whose name has not been released, appeared in court on Tuesday, Oct. 14, admitting, “My biggest mistake was letting her go to the operating table,” according to Austrian newspaper The Kronen Zeitung.
Prosecutors allege that the surgeon’s daughter, who had expressed an interest in medicine, was handed surgical scrubs and allowed to enter the operating room. The girl reportedly drilled into the patient’s skull during a minor procedure to measure intracranial pressure, prosecutors said.
The junior surgeon assisting in the operation claimed he retained control of the drill’s pedal and speed while the girl placed her hand on the device. He told the court he assumed the senior surgeon had approved her participation.
Judge Gundula Neudeck responded to the senior surgeon’s admission, stating, “Your biggest mistake was probably taking her there in the first place; a child has no business being there,” according to The Telegraph.
Both the senior and junior surgeons have been dismissed. If found guilty, they could face charges of causing bodily harm by allowing an untrained individual to perform medical procedures, which carries a potential sentence of up to one year in prison or a fine.
The senior surgeon admitted bragging to colleagues about her daughter’s involvement, calling it “stupid motherly pride.” Defense lawyer Bernhard Lehofer argued that while the remark was a mistake, the patient ultimately received proper care and is recovering well.
Hospital officials and Austria’s Federal Ministry of Justice have not provided additional comments. The case has been adjourned until Dec. 10.