BMJ  2008;336:983 (3 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.39566.501725.DB

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Surgeon who owned hospital faces 69 charges of flawed treatment and four of manslaughter

Ned Stafford

1 Hamburg

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

A chief surgeon who also owned the village hospital in Germany where he practised is in jail awaiting trial in connection with the deaths of seven patients.

Arnold Pier, 52, has been accused by prosecutors in a 400 page court document of making incorrect diagnoses and carrying out unnecessary operations (such as removing appendices or gall bladders) at the St Antonius Clinic in Wegberg, in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

In addition, Dr Pier, who was also chief administrator at the hospital, allegedly followed lax standards of hygiene, including using lemon juice as a disinfectant during surgery.

Prosecutors issued a statement on 21 April announcing that Dr Pier faces 69 charges of flawed treatment of 17 patients between the ages of 50 and 92. The most serious charges include four counts of involuntary manslaughter, three counts of causing bodily harm leading to death, and one count of causing major . . . [Full text of this article]


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