Anesthesiologist denies gross negligence in patient's death during dental surgery

An anesthesiologist is facing charges of grossly negligent homicide at the Vienna Regional Court in connection with the death of a patient during dental surgery. The prosecution contends that the doctor repeatedly breached his duty of care on October 2, 2024, when administering general anesthesia to a 55-year-old woman for a complex jaw operation.

The accused doctor vehemently denies the allegations, asserting he prepared the operating room for all eventualities and initiated anesthesia according to standard procedures. He claims a malfunction occurred with the anesthesia machine during its initial function test, forcing him to switch to manual ventilation. According to the anesthesiologist, the ventilation bag then detached, leading to a drop in the patient's pulse. He initiated intubation to prevent further oxygen loss and began resuscitation when he observed the patient's condition deteriorating.

An emergency doctor who arrived at the scene noted the patient's blue lips. When questioned by the judge about a potential cardiac arrest, the defendant confirmed resuscitation efforts were underway. He stated his resuscitation was successful, and the patient had a heart rate and cerebral blood flow when she was transported. His defense lawyer argued that whatever happened subsequently was not attributable to the anesthesiologist's actions.

The patient had opted for general anesthesia due to anxiety about the lengthy procedure. The anesthesiologist maintained he had conducted two detailed consultations with her and that her body weight, described as obesity in the indictment, did not pose an increased anesthesia risk. The prosecution, however, believes the doctor's actions resulted in cardiac arrest and insufficient oxygen supply to the brain, ultimately causing the woman's death several days later.