A 58-year-old woman was seriously injured in an illegal cosmetic surgery in an apartment in Vienna-Landstraße on Tuesday, performed by a 35-year-old man who claimed to be a doctor. The woman had come to the apartment to undergo a chin lift, as explained by the Vienna State Police Department to APA. The woman was subsequently admitted to a hospital due to her life-threatening condition and underwent emergency surgery. The man was arrested.
The 35-year-old suspect, who claims to be a practicing plastic surgeon in his home country of Georgia, is suspected of having used the apartment, which can be booked through an online rental platform, for illegal procedures for some time. On Tuesday afternoon, the 58-year-old woman, accompanied by a friend, went to the makeshift operating table in the apartment on Wassergasse. “She was likely planning a lifting treatment for her chin or a tightening procedure,” a spokesperson told APA.
During the operation, the man made several incisions around the neck, ears, and chin. However, the woman suddenly began to have difficulty breathing. The Georgian man apparently injected the woman with a medication, but her condition worsened so much that the woman’s companion and the man’s acquaintance raised the alarm and contacted emergency services at around 5:45 PM.
Surgical Instruments and Treatment Equipment Seized
At the scene, emergency personnel found severe bleeding in the woman’s facial area. The ambulance then notified the police. The woman was transported to a hospital in life-threatening condition but is now in stable condition.
During the search of the building, the police found not only surgical instruments, other medical equipment, cleaning devices for surgical tools, and professional disinfectants and sterilization items, but also price lists and informational materials about procedures. The 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of serious bodily harm. He refused to make any statements. “However, he certainly did not have any medical license in Austria,” the spokesperson said. His claims regarding his work as a surgeon in Georgia are still under investigation, according to the police.
Acquaintance Allegedly Rented the Apartment for the Suspect
The witness told investigators that her friend had merely come for a follow-up examination after a treatment in another clinic. “The second man made similar statements,” said the police spokesperson. However, the police believe that the woman came for an operation. “Everything we have found so far points to this,” the spokesperson added.
The suspect’s acquaintance (also Georgian) is believed to have rented the apartment for his 35-year-old friend, whom he knew “from a medical stay in Georgia.” The police have not yet clarified his role.
The 35-year-old is currently in custody. The Office for Immediate Measures and the Financial Police have been involved. On Wednesday, the police issued a warning about untrustworthy providers of cosmetic surgeries and medical treatments. “We strongly advise that treatments only be carried out by licensed doctors,” the spokesperson urged.
