Ventilation failure: young mother brain dead after routine surgery

A young mother was pronounced brain dead after a ventilation failure. It was a routine operation – but a mishap started the catastrophe.

2018 should be a life-changing year for Katharina from Arnsberg. The 37-year-old doctor gave birth to a baby in November. But contrary to what was expected, it was not the birth that turned her world and that of her family upside down. It was a simple routine procedure that was carried out on her four days later.

Young mother hintot after ventilation error

The young mother has not woken up since the day of the operation in November 2018. Katharina was declared brain dead after the operation and is still in a coma to this day. The reason was a complication during the anesthesia: The woman was not supplied with oxygen for several minutes because the ventilator was defective. The treating doctor noticed the mistake, but too late. At this point Katharina was already brain dead.

Almost two years later the trial for the accident took place in the Karolinen Hospital in Arnsberg. According to the Bild newspaper, the treating chief physician was sentenced to a fine of 20,700 euros – for negligent homicide. In the course of the process, the unfortunate chain of errors in the hospital came to light.

Cleaning lady hit the ventilator

On the evening before the operation, a cleaning lady is said to have hit the ventilator with her car. The then loosened cable was stuck back in, and she also informed the head nurse about the accident. But she in turn forgot to report the incident – and had the next morning off. At 9.15 a.m. the next day, the chief physician is said to have given Katharina again anesthesia. The device gave an error message – but since the doctor knew nothing about the accident, he thought nothing of it and put the alarm on a respiratory disease in the patient. When he noticed the real reason for the mistake, namely that the young woman on the operating table was not being supplied with oxygen, it was already too late.

"This tragedy will be with me all my life," the chief doctor is said to have said in the process. The judge sentenced him anyway – because he was responsible and should have checked the device to discover the ventilation error. The other proceedings were discontinued Head nurse received a fine, the clinic is said to have reached an out-of-court settlement with the young mother's family.

Source used: Bild, Express