Trial of a “fake doctor”: I do not know Kontostathis, said an accused former minister

“I don’t even know him. I have never seen him either inside or outside the operating room,” said one of the 16 co-accused Nikos Kontostathis, a doctor, who has served as a minister in the past and was called to give his explanations to the MOD.

The former minister is on trial for the case of a patient who, after falling with a paraglider (parapente), was operated on in a private clinic, in the presence, according to the accusation, of “Dr Kontos” but also of three more doctors, accused today.

It should be noted that the patient has testified in court that before the operation he walked a little with crutches, moved mainly with a wheelchair and had a disability rate of 82%, but after the operation he can no longer walk at all, while he developed a serious breathing problem, as, as he claims, he had his spine caged and a rib removed.

Contostathis’ co-accused apologizing, argued that the operation in question “was absolutely successful” which, as the former minister said, “was necessary in order to stabilize the patient’s condition”.

As the accused said, “on the eve of the operation I had informed him (the patient) in the presence of his wife. It was a highly successful operation. In less than ten days he was home. Part of right side removed. Rib removal is not an amputation. From the Second World War onwards, it is indicated and applied for the patient’s stability and respiratory distress”.

According to the accused, there is no case in such neurosurgery that anyone other than specialists would enter the operating room.

“I hear that he was present at operations, but never in my presence. I never had any relationship, no collaboration with him. I have never referred my patients to him. I have been a thoracic surgeon for 31 years, with an unblemished career. Unfortunately for me, I have seen my picture and name in the papers for this case. Too heavy for me. I have received dozens of calls from my patients who asked me what and how and wanted to testify in my favor.”

The apologies of the co-accused of “Dr. Kontos” will continue in the next meetings, while the proposal of the district attorney is estimated to be submitted to the MOD next September.

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