Internist in Vorarlberg convicted of negligent killing – Diepresse.com

At the Feldkirch regional court, an internist was convicted of negligent killing on Thursday. According to the court, he was responsible for the death of a patient who had complications after a gastroscopy. The Vorarlberg was sentenced to a fine of 26,000 euros, the judgment is not final.

The doctor has been working in his profession for over 35 years, and the internist has already completed around 50,000 endoscopies as a routine examination. In December 2021, however, a patient came to a complication with which the doctor, according to the court, dealt with anything but proper and professionally. After the examination, the patient suddenly showed low oxygen saturation.

According to court, the doctor’s emergency management was « disaster »

The expert gastroenterologist thought the respiratory tract was relocated to the most likely cause in court. The tongue was probably slipped so unhappily that it cut off the air supply. The subsequent « emergency management », according to the judge, was a « catastrophe ».

The internist assured that he had done everything in his power. However, the judge did not give all the information from the accused. With an oxygen saturation of 23 percent, he considered it excluded that the man had previously been ventilated, as the doctor stated. This value was shown when the rescue arrived. In addition – according to the reasoning – a doctor who also has an emergency doctor diploma must set further emergency measures after unsuccessful ventilation. This clearly includes a cardiac massage. This was omitted.

46-year-old was ten minutes without oxygen

Rather, the doctor was stressed, hoped for the emergency doctor’s arrival soon and was completely overwhelmed with the situation. The 46-year-old father was around ten minutes without oxygen and died in the hospital a few days later. The punishment, 26,000 euros for negligent killing, is not final. The man had already been convicted in the first legal examination, after a lifting he was now spoken guilty. (APA)