A senior brain surgeon in Austria is facing a criminal trial after allegedly allowing her 12-year-old daughter to drill into a patient’s skull during an emergency surgery. The shocking incident has ignited outrage in the medical community and raised serious ethical and legal questions.
The incident occurred inside an operating room at Graz Regional Hospital in Graz, Austria, as reported by Kurier.
In January 2024, a 33-year-old farm worker was admitted to University Hospital Graz following a severe accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury.
The emergency surgery was performed by two doctors: a senior physician and a neurosurgeon still undergoing training. During the procedure, the senior physician reportedly brought her 12-year-old daughter into the operating room.
According to the indictment, near the end of the operation, she allegedly allowed her daughter to drill a hole into the patient’s skull to insert a probe.
Following the surgery, the senior physician reportedly told nurses that her daughter had just performed her first gynecological hysterectomy.
The incident prompted an investigation after multiple anonymous complaints were filed against the doctor.
The Austrian brain surgeon has denied allegations that she allowed her 12-year-old daughter to drill into a patient’s skull. She admitted to telling nurses otherwise, attributing her claims to “bloody stupid maternal pride,” and insisted they were untrue.
According to The New Zealand Herald, she told the court that her “biggest mistake was letting her go to the operating table.”
However, the surgeon’s junior colleague confirmed that the girl did assist him with drilling, though he maintained that he remained “always in control” of the instrument.
Prosecutor Julia Steiner condemned the act, calling it an “incredible disrespect” to the patient.
She questioned the potential dangers, asking, “What would have happened if the drill had been defective and had not stopped automatically after breaking through the skull bone?” Steiner stressed that the risks involved could not be understated.
People notes that the surgeon now faces charges of minor bodily harm. If convicted, she could face imprisonment or fines. The trial began in October 2025 and is scheduled to continue on December 10. The patient, though stable, is unable to testify due to ongoing health issues.
(Rh/Eth/ARC/MSM)
