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The parents of a 20-year-old law student who died after liposuction at a private clinic are demanding justice after the doctor accused of causing her death was freed by the court due to lack of evidence.
Caro A. underwent the cosmetic procedure in December 2022 at a clinic in Vienna, in Austria, but suffered a fatal oxygen deficiency during what was described as twilight sedation - a type of anaesthesia where the patient is not fully unconscious, but is instead put into a deeply relaxed, semi-conscious state.
She later died in hospital after suffering severe brain damage caused by lack of oxygen.
Her devastated parents have spent years demanding answers, insisting their daughter’s death could and should have been prevented.
The case has centred on the actions of the anaesthetist, who has been accused of negligence. He denies any wrongdoing and was initially acquitted by a court, with judges ruling there was not enough evidence to prove his actions directly caused the tragedy.
However, prosecutors later reopened the investigation, arguing that key safety procedures may not have been properly followed during the operation.
Caro's mother said: “We trusted the system. It must be someone’s responsibility when a young, healthy person dies during a routine procedure.”
She also made the emotional claim that her daughter “paid for her own death”, revealing that Caro had handed over money for the procedure shortly before the operation.
Central to the case are concerns over how the patient’s vital signs were monitored.
An expert report suggested that proper monitoring may not have been carried out according to medical standards.
In particular, it was alleged that no ECG was used and that a pulse oximeter — a device used to measure oxygen levels — may have been attached to a finger with gel nails, potentially affecting its accuracy.
The anaesthetist has defended his actions, insisting that alternative monitoring methods were sufficient during twilight sedation and that gel nails do not necessarily prevent readings.
Witnesses in the operating theatre gave conflicting accounts, with some staff recalling difficulties attaching monitoring equipment due to long artificial nails, while others insisted standard procedures were followed.
The operating surgeon told the court she was focused on the procedure itself and did not closely monitor the patient’s readings.
She said she only became aware of a problem when the operation was already in crisis and a circulatory issue was reported.
No clear alarm sound was remembered by staff, adding further confusion to what exactly happened in the operating room.
A civil lawsuit is also now being pursued by the family, with her parents saying they are still struggling to come to terms with the loss of their only child.
Her mother said: “There are too many contradictions. Nothing adds up. We cannot move on without answers.”
(Simona Kitanovska/NF/NX)
Byline Journalist: Simona Kitanovska
Byline Sub editor: Simona Kitanovska
Byline Spotter: Mike Leidig
Byline Commisioning Editor: Mike Leidig
Byline Senior Writer: Simona Kitanovska
Byline Picture Editor: Nina Trajkov
Byline Copychecker: Simona Kitanovska
Byline Illustrator: Simona Kitanovska
Byline News Editor: Mike Leidig
Geography: Vienna
Subject: Beauty, Plastic surgery, Health, Healthcare, Surgery/Operations, Humans, Women, Society, Death
T4 Editor Story Rating: 6
T4 Editor Pic/Vid rating: 7
T4 Total rating: 6.5
