Vollnarkose (1997)

At the Dresden Transplant Center, Dr. Katrin Klein starts work as an anesthesiologist. Professor Gerhard Harrer, whom she respects, works at the center, but he often drinks alcohol while on the job. When she confronts her colleagues about it, at first no one believes her. Senior physician Dr. Bernd Radke even forbids Dr. Klein to spread such claims. In private, all the staff know about the professor’s problems. One day, when his withdrawal symptoms become apparent in front of everyone, Radke has to pull him from an operation and send him home. Nevertheless, he does not want to take disciplinary action and continues to keep quiet so as not to unsettle the clinic’s sponsors. The Dresden clinic has an excellent reputation, thanks to the many successful transplants performed there over the years. That is why patient Anja Matthes chose the Dresden clinic. She has suffered from chronic kidney problems since the birth of her child and is now close to undergoing surgery. She has placed her hopes in Professor Harrer, who is not fit to operate for the time being. Dr. Klein does not want to stand by and watch Harrer destroy himself. Senior physician Radke continues to forbid her from speaking out against the clinic, which could jeopardize her permanent appointment. But Klein refuses to let herself be pressured. On the contrary, she takes the problem to the clinic management, but they will not listen to her either. She is even told that her accusation would do more to damage the peace at the clinic than the professor’s “little” weakness. At this point, Radke unexpectedly takes her side and says they must find a solution before anything serious happens. This finally shatters Harrer’s world, and he withdraws completely. But Dr. Klein is not satisfied with that either, because she did not want to harm Harrer; she wanted to help him. So she approaches him, visits him at home, and talks to him. Harrer recognizes that she means well and asks her for help. Dr. Klein tells him he will have to undergo treatment. However, the earliest he can get a place at a detoxification clinic is in ten days. Klein agrees to stand by him until then and makes sure Harrer does not drink any more alcohol over the next few days. Dr. Klein and the senior physician clash again when he decides to give the donor kidney intended for Anja Matthes to another patient, on the grounds that Matthes supposedly cannot currently undergo surgery for medical reasons. Matthes’s husband refuses to accept this decision. He uses a gun to fight for his wife to have the operation. This, however, triggers a major police operation. He still intends to force the operation for his wife, but now learns that Professor Harrer cannot operate. He refuses to accept that either and gets Harrer to come to the clinic. Harrer manages to convince Matthes that the senior physician is also a very good surgeon and will perform the transplant in his place. When Radke appears to be faltering, the situation escalates. Matthes loses his nerve and shoots at the police officers, who then shoot and kill him. The operation is successful, because in the end Harrer takes over the procedure after all. Because of Radke’s misconduct, he has to leave the clinic, and Harrer plans to think about his successor once he has returned from the detoxification clinic. In private, he has already chosen Dr. Klein, whom he believes saved his life.