Overview

• The court found the 63-year-old doctor guilty of negligent homicide after she withdrew the endoscope prematurely, causing the gastric balloon to obstruct the patient’s airway.
• She received an eight-month suspended sentence and must pay €20,000 to the Bunter Kreis charitable organization.
• Judge Silke Knigge acquitted the doctor in a separate fatal endoscopy case due to the patient’s undisclosed heart and lung conditions.
• Prosecutor Julian Küffer had sought a one-year probation term but the court cited mitigating factors in reducing the sentence.
• The doctor has not used gastric balloons since the 2020 incident and the ruling remains subject to appeal.