Aorta operation postponed

Fears for Hoenig: condition has worsened

Heinz Hoenig's condition deteriorated again after the operation on his oesophagus. The actor had to be artificially ventilated.

(Bild: picturedesk.com/Thomas Bartilla / Action Press )

After the esophagus operation, Heinz Hoenig's health has deteriorated again. His wife Annika explained this to RTL. The actor had to be put back into an induced coma.

"Heinz's state of health has deteriorated again!" explained Annika Kärsten-Hoenig in an interview with RTL. The actor was "already on a good path", "that he could be mobilized, he sat on the edge of the bed, stood up". 

Hoenig had to be artificially ventilated
The problem, however, according to the 39-year-old: "When someone lies in bed for so long, a lot of muscles are lost and the large respiratory muscle also more or less collapses at some point. This made it difficult for my husband to cough. That's why the doctors decided to put him back on artificial respiration."

Never leaves Heinz Hoenig's side: wife Annika Kärsten-Hoenig

(Bild: www.viennareport.at)

Hoenig was put back into an induced coma for two days, and since Wednesday the doctors have been slowly letting the popular actor wake up again. As his wife confirmed, the 72-year-old is currently partly conscious and partly asleep. 

Operation on aorta postponed further
The second life-saving operation on the aorta has therefore been postponed even further. However, it will take place, Kärsten-Hoenig continues. "But Heinz has to be in a good condition to be able to perform the operation. His values must be stable."

However, Hoenig's wife went on to say that the operation entails an "infinitely high risk", which is why the procedure is not conceivable at the moment. Hoenig would first have to be mobilized again and be able to breathe on his own. The doctors did not give a prognosis on how long this would take. 

Appeal for donations online
Heinz Hoenig has been battling serious health problems in a Berlin clinic for weeks. The star of films such as "Das Boot" and "7 Zwerge - Männer allein im Wald" first had a stent inserted in his heart, followed shortly afterwards by an operation on his oesophagus.

Because the actor recently had financial problems, he decided not to take out health insurance. His family is therefore hoping for donations from friends and fans. According to current estimates, around 500,000 euros are needed for Hoenig's treatment. A little less than 171,000 euros have been raised so far.