A woman from Styria had to undergo 32 surgeries after a failed liposuction. Not an isolated case. The convicted doctor, who has been banned from practicing his profession, nevertheless continues to offer his services.
When the “Krone” made public the martyrdom of the West Styrian woman in October 2021, it caused a wave of sympathy. Many could hardly believe what happened to the woman during liposuction in Gumpoldskirchen, Lower Austria. A prominent Styrian surgeon pierced her small intestine ten times. The doctor was subsequently sentenced to a five-figure fine for grievous bodily harm.
At the end of last year, the man had to answer again at the regional court in Wiener Neustadt for a failed liposuction – and was convicted again (not yet final). “Following his first conviction, a three-month suspended prison sentence with a three-year probationary period has now been imposed as an additional punishment,” explains court spokesman Hans Barwitzius.
33. Surgery is imminent
Teresa M. (name modified by the editor), the surgeon’s first “victim,” can’t buy anything from his recent conviction, and she doesn’t feel satisfied either. She is rather worried about the fact that she will be back in the hospital in early March and will have to undergo the next procedure after 32 operations. “There are days when I just cry when I think about going back to the hospital and waking up in ICU again.”
In the previous year alone, she was hospitalized for two and a half months, including seven weeks in intensive care. In a kind of Sisyphus task, the doctors of the LKH Graz try to reconstruct her abdominal wall. “First they tried it with part of the thigh muscle, now a piece of the back muscle is removed and planted in the front,” says the Styrian, who, despite everything, has never lost her will to face life. “You become humble and learn to make the best of the situation. I don’t want to lock myself up, I love life way too much for that.”
Lawyer Wolfgang Sieder also represents the Western Styrian in various civil lawsuits – he has never experienced such a “botch”. “Something can always happen, but this is unbelievable. My client should be happy that he is alive.” Sieder also represented a second woman from Styria (successfully) in court. “But both women are scarred for the rest of their lives.”
Forbidden to work
In the meantime, the malpractice of the cosmetic surgeon has long since not only concerned the courts on both sides of the Semmering. In the organs of the Medical Association, alarm bells have been ringing at his name for quite some time.
“The gentleman was removed from the list of doctors about a year ago and is therefore currently not allowed to work as a doctor in Austria,” says the Lower Austrian Medical Association. “What he is doing outside Austria is beyond our knowledge – and we have no influence on it,” the Styrian Chamber added.
Now active in the Balkans?
Because if you look at the doctor’s website, he advertises there, among other things, with “beauty trips” to North Macedonia. His “all-inclusive surgery packages” range from an initial consultation to “VIP transfer” from the airport to the hotel and clinic to the procedure itself. A request from “Krone” to the private clinic went unanswered.
The surgeon himself did not want to comment on his activities in the Balkans to the “Krone”. However, he stated that he has appealed against his recent court conviction (see report above). In addition, “numerous reports” would prove his innocence. However, there was no more detailed information on these “reports” when requested, as well as information on when and by whom they were prepared.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
