Austrian neurosurgeon on trial for allowing 12-year-old daughter to drill patient’s s

A 48-year-old senior neurosurgeon in Austria is standing trial after allegedly allowing her 12-year-old daughter to place her hand on a surgical drill during an emergency brain operation last January. The incident came to light through hospital rumors and an anonymous letter, after the surgeon reportedly bragged to colleagues that her daughter had “drilled her first hole.” She now calls it a moment of “stupid motherly pride.” Though the patient was unharmed, prosecutors warned the outcome “could have been catastrophic,” calling the act an “unthinkable violation of the patient’s dignity.”

The trial opened in Graz District Court and centers on the emergency surgery performed on a 33-year-old forestry worker who had suffered a head injury from a falling branch. The procedure aimed to relieve intracranial pressure and was medically successful, but the circumstances surrounding the operation triggered a criminal investigation and public outcry.

The surgeon and her 35-year-old assistant are both charged with negligence and causing minor injury — offenses under Austrian law that carry a penalty of up to one year in prison or a fine. Prosecutor Julia Steiner described the act as “an incredible lack of respect for the patient”, warning that allowing an untrained child to handle surgical equipment could have ended in tragedy. “Something like that simply cannot be played down. What would have happened if the drill had been defective and had not stopped automatically after breaking through the skull bone?” she said.

In court, the surgeon admitted her daughter had accompanied her to the hospital that Saturday to study English vocabulary. The girl asked to watch the surgery, and the surgeon agreed. “It was clearly a mistake to allow it,” she told the court.

As the operation neared its end, the assistant surgeon said the child asked him if she could participate. “I was surprised by the question, but I didn’t refuse it, which was a huge mistake,” he testified. According to his account, the child touched the drill or his hand for about ten seconds to “feel the vibration,” but he maintained full control over the device and foot pedal. His lawyer, Michael Kröpfl, said he didn’t know the girl’s age at the time.

Dr. G, the surgeon, denied that her daughter actively participated, stating she was merely allowed to observe. “I didn’t see exactly what my daughter did,” she said, explaining she had stepped aside to make phone calls about upcoming procedures.

However, hospital staff testified that the surgeon had told them immediately after the operation that her daughter had “just drilled her first hole.” In court, she said the comment was meant jokingly and stemmed from “stupid motherly pride.”

Her lawyer, Bernhard Lehofer, admitted that inviting the girl into the operating room was inappropriate, calling it a “big mistake.” Still, he argued the surgery was a success, the patient is in good health, and the charges are disproportionate given the doctor’s distinguished career.

The case was triggered by a letter sent to senior hospital staff just days after the incident. Department head Stefan Wolfsberger told reporters he couldn’t believe what he had read. The court also heard that Dr. G advised her assistant not to come forward when the rumors began to circulate, in an attempt to protect him.

The patient’s attorney, Peter Freiberger, told Kronen Zeitung his client was shocked to learn he had been used as a “guinea pig” without consent or explanation.

Following the scandal, both doctors were dismissed from the hospital. The next hearing is scheduled for two months from now, delayed due to the patient’s health condition, which has prevented him from testifying. Both defendants remain free but face possible criminal records and professional sanctions.