He might have been fired from the Institute but was still a surgeon at Baylor Plano. MISI representatives stated he would brag about his capabilities and be critical of the work of other surgeons. In January 2013, Kenneth Fennell was scheduled for another operation because he was still experiencing extreme pain in his back. Officers said he was driving on the left side of the road with two flat tires. In my opinion, we had a serial killer in our medical community, Dr. Randall Kirbysays of Christopher Duntsch in "Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story.". He remained there for several months before being allowed to return to the residency. In his first surgery after his suspension lifted, he nicked the vertebral artery of Kellie Martin, a 55-year-old Garland woman. It was Duntsch, babbling about his family being in danger. Christopher Duntsch was a neurosurgeon who radiated confidence. Just weeks after permanently maiming Morguloff, Dr. Duntsch operated on his lifelong friend and roommate, Jerry Summers. At one point, he was only able to eat small bites of food at one time. Dr Death, un nuevo programa que llegar a Peacock el jueves (15 de julio), se basa en la historia de la vida real de Christopher Duntsch, un ex neurocirujano que era, como dijo un famoso titular de ProPublica, "tan malo que era criminal".. Joshua Jackson interpreta a Duntsch, que ahora tiene 50 aos y cumple cadena perpetua despus de ser condenado en 2017 por mutilar a uno de sus . Duntsch is at the O. After he arrived in town, he secured a deal with the Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano and was given surgical rights at the hospital. However, things soon went south. He knew this couldn't have been a one-time mistake. "I called Dr. Duntsch up, and I said, 'I saw this online.' However, he ignored them and proceeded with his scheduled surgery on Efurd. Despite several warnings from his colleagues that he was not doing the surgery correctly and was attempting to put screws into muscle rather than bone, Duntsch persisted. Who is Christopher Duntsch and what did he do? | The US Sun In March 2014, three former patients of Duntsch's Mary Efurd, Kenneth Fennel, and Lee Passmore filed separate federal lawsuits against Baylor Plano, alleging the hospital allowed Duntsch to perform surgeries despite knowing that he was a dangerous physician. Duntsch had also installed hardware into her muscle, not her bone, so loose that it moved when you touched it. Dubbed "Dr. Death," the case gained national attention, revealing However, it wasn't clear how much training Duntsch received. Duntsch had removed part of his femoral nerve. He added that many board members found it hard to believe that a trained surgeon could be as incompetent as Duntsch appeared to be.[9]. Duntsch continued to medicate Morguloff with prescription pain killers and ignored the change in his condition. Plano's Baylor hospital faces hard questions after claims against A deranged surgeon runs amok, maiming and killing multiple patients, unhindered by a medical community sworn to police itself. He will be up for parole in 2045, when he is 74 years old. Baylor Plano allowed Duntsch to continue operating despite the documented issues with Kenneth Fennell, Mary Efurd, Lee Passmore, and Barry Morguloff's surgeries. Board chairman Irwin Zeitzler later said that complications in neurosurgery were more common than most think. When Henderson saw the imaging from Duntsch's surgery, he was certain that there would be legal action, and had the salvage surgery recorded. The series peers into the torturous crimes of . The Peacock originalDr Deathis based on atrue story. He later appealed his case, but lost when his conviction was upheld 2-1 in the Fifth District Court of Appeals . Donald Duntsch was a gridiron football standout in Montana, and Christopher was determined to follow in those footsteps. However, the surgery had to be moved to November 14 because Duntsch had failed to order the appropriate surgical hardware and equipment. Dr. Death: La verdadera historia detrs de la nueva serie sobre el ex 'Dr. Death' Case Holds Lessons for Risk Managers, Hospitals Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971. He refused to acknowledge anything was wrong, hindering the, This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 04:48. They also believed that the charge would be easy to prove in court; Duntsch had been told repeatedly that he was not placing the hardware in the correct position, and fluoroscopy images from Efurd's surgery proved this. Although she didn't think much of it and assumed Morgan was helping with research. Learn more. Prince Charming, Im gonna change your life, Wendy Young said of the promising start to her romance with Christopher Duntsch. She also said they snorted cocaine from a small pile he kept on a dresser in his home office. Duntschs career started off bright. [38], Duntsch is housed at the O. The pressure was building inside her brain. He refused to abort the surgery even after a trauma surgeon colleague and an anesthesiologist warned him about the blood loss. Duntsch stuffed a surgical sponge in Glidewell's throat to stanch the bleeding. He declared bankruptcy after listing debts of over $1 million. They didn't have enough evidence to stop him because he hadn't done anything wrong yet. There were two names on the top page: Kellie Martin and Christopher Duntsch. "He said the patient died from having an allergic reaction to the anesthesia." She was 27, and he was 40. Christopher Duntsch was nicknamed Dr. Death due to the injuries he caused his patients. Chris Dozois, a fellow linebacker with the Rams, recalled Duntsch struggling, even with basic drills, but begging to run them over and over until he got it right. Christopher Duntsch Early Life Story, Family Background and Education. [9], In March 2014, three former patients of Duntsch's Mary Efurd, Kenneth Fennel, and Lee Passmore filed separate federal lawsuits against Baylor Plano, alleging the hospital allowed Duntsch to perform surgeries despite knowing that he was a dangerous physician. The case status is Disposed - Other Disposed. Not only was he not qualified for and held no privileges to perform brain surgery, but Dallas Medical did not have the proper equipment or personnel for such an operation. To avoid the costs of fighting and possibly losing a wrongful termination suit, hospital officials reached a deal with Duntsch's lawyers in which Duntsch was allowed to resign in return for Baylor Plano issuing a letter stating that there were no issues with him. He was sent to a program for impaired physicians when he returned but was allowed to finish his residency. Even though he lived in Colorado, he returned to Dallas to see his two sons. Then check out the horrifying story of Simon Bramhall, a surgeon who admitted to burning his initials into patients livers. He called Duntsch's fellowship supervisor in Memphis and the supervisor of Duntsch's residency; it was then that he learned about the incident that led him to be referred to the impaired physician program. He secured investments in Discgenics from local spine surgeons, including Dr. Robertson and Dr. Kevin Foley, a prominent Memphis neurosurgeon Duntsch spent a year training under as part of the surgery fellowship at the Semmes-Murphey Clinic. It was determined during the repair surgery that Dr. Duntsch had not even been operating on the correct part of Jeff Glidewell's spine. Cheney recalled wondering why a neurosurgeon with such outstanding credentials would be operating at a lower-tiered hospital on the way to his surgery. Assistant district attorney Michelle Shughart, who led the prosecution of Duntsch, later recalled that Henderson and Kirby reached out to her demanding to testify against Duntsch; according to Shughart, doctors rarely testify against each other. He had complex regional pain syndrome, a rare type of chronic pain that caused his skin to blister and peel off. By this time, Jerry Summers, his childhood friend, had moved from Tennessee to live with Duntsch. Duntsch was suspected of having used cocaine the night before the operation. [7], Henderson later recalled wondering if Duntsch was an impostor; he could not believe that a real surgeon would botch Efurd's surgery so badly. Advertisement. CHRISTOPHER Duntsch, is infamously known as Dr Death for gross malpractice. He was wearing the shirt of his black scrubs, and it was covered in blood. In 2005, partway through the six-year program, he became the director of the tissue bank. Their fling was confined to his office at Baylor Plano, and Morgan said in her deposition that he frequently drank vodka and did medical research for hours. Duntsch's next patient was Jeff Glidewell. He was brilliant. Young had family in Dallas and decided she would go with him if he picked that city. [10][7], Duntsch completed his residency having participated in fewer than 100 surgeries. Texas Medical Board Mayfield died of COVID in February 2021; according to his wife, he had been vulnerable to the virus due to complications caused by Duntsch's botched surgery. After intense rehab and his determination, eventually, he was able to use a walker and cane to mobilize himself. For instance, he came to work wearing the same tattered scrubs for three days in a row. Duntsch filed a patent for the technology, and he listed himself as one of the inventors even though he had not discovered it. But, she never reported Duntsch up the ladder or told anyone about the horrors she witnessed in the operating room. Dr. Frederick Boop, chief of neurosurgery at the hospital where Duntsch was completing his residency, said that university officials asked Duntsch to take a drug test. However, St. Jude says there was no such program at the hospital. When he woke up, he was a quadriplegic with incomplete paralysis. Passmore focused on recovery and getting back to work in the months following his surgery. Former teammates later said that, while Duntsch trained hard, he lacked talent at the game. From 2011 to 2013, dozens of patients in the Dallas area woke up after their surgeries with horrible pain, numbness and, paralysis. Convinced that he was a clear and present danger to the public, they urged the Dallas County district attorney's office to pursue criminal charges. Dr. Phil airs on weekdays. Since Duntsch's departure was technically voluntary, Baylor Plano was under no obligation to report him to the Texas Medical Board or the National Practitioner Data Bank. Christopher Duntsch - Wikipedia Dr. Rimlawi called Baylor Plano and advised them against continuing a relationship with Christopher Duntsch, but this fell to deaf ears. The True Story Of Christopher Duntsch, The Killer Surgeon Known As Dr. However, on January 6, 2012, a week after the surgery, Dr. Duntsch performed another operation on Passmore. 1-Christopher Duntsch and then girlfriend, Wendy Young. In September 2012, Jeff Cheney went to Duntsch to relieve the pain that had moved from his shoulder down to his arm. An investigator by trade and nature, Passmore started digging into Dr. Christopher Duntsch. ", You know in the beginning he talked about marriage. Jodi Smith. This case was filed in Dallas County District Courts, Dallas County Civil District Courts located in Dallas, Texas. In April 2015, Duntsch was arrested again for shoplifting $887 worth of merchandise from a Dallas Walmart. He was nicknamed Dr. D. and Dr. Death for malpractice resulting in the maiming of several patients and killing two of them while working at hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Although he wasn't a talented athlete, he trained for hours on his own and made it as a linebacker on his high school football team at Evangelical Christian School in Memphis. Her husband could not hold himself up; he had no support of his own and could barely speak. He then packed it with too much of a substance intended to stop the bleeding. Yet, in April 2012, he returned to work just four months after surgery. Duntsch pierced and blocked her vertebral artery with a misplaced screw and refused to stop despite the massive blood loss. Many of his patients suffered severe spinal cord damage, resulting in paralysis and pain severe enough to render painkillers ineffective. Duntsch approached Pam Trusty about being on camera during a follow-up visit where she was still in pain. His CV also conveyed he earned a Ph.D. in microbiology from St. Jude Children's Research Hospitals, graduating summa cum laude. Dr. Dr. Death in surgery. [36] On February 20, 2017, he was sentenced to life in prison. He was told he would never be able to walk again. Texas Doctor Found Guilty of Felony in Medical Malpractice Case At the time, Duntsch was looking for operating prospects in Dallas, San Diego, and New York. Summers asked Duntsch to fix his chronic neck pain from a high school football injury that had gotten worse after a car accident. He completed a spine fellowship program at the Semmes-Murphey Clinic in Memphis for his surgical residency, spending the standard five years on neurosurgery and one-year learning general surgery. He wanted to become a doctor, and not just any doctor - a neurosurgeon, operating on injured backs and necks. The lead investigator on the case later revealed that she wanted Duntsch's license suspended while the ten-month probe was underway, but board attorneys were not willing to go along. 11:15 PM on Mar 1, 2014 CST. 'Dr. Death' shows how Texas law gives negligent health care providers a As Burke says in "Dr. Death," "No matter what happens, no matter what somebody does to you or the people you love, all you're gonna get is $250,000. During a deposition, Megan Krane recalled Duntsch eating a paper blotter of LSD and taking prescription painkillers on his birthday. No diagnostic imaging studies were ordered, and no reasonable explanation was offered for his condition. He was arrested for DUI in Denver, taken for a psychiatric evaluation in Dallas during one of his visits to see his children, and was arrested in Dallas for shoplifting. Joshua Jackson on Not Playing Dr. Death as an Evil Man He earned his M.D. Duntsch arrived at the hospital about 45 minutes after Efurd's surgery had been scheduled. In 2005, about a third of the way through his residency, department chairman Dr. Jon Robertson appointed Duntsch program director of the school's tissue bank. Death. Duntsch lasted about three months at MISI. He was smart. Veteran vascular surgeon Randall Kirby recalled that Duntsch frequently boasted about his abilities despite being so new to the area. The hospital initiated another peer review, but Duntsch resigned rather than face certain termination. It was. How the 'Dr. Death' TV show takes 'a deeper dive' than the popular podcast Passmore met with Dr. Duntsch and was impressed by his confidence; he would fix him. [30], Henderson and Kirby feared that Duntsch could move elsewhere and still theoretically get a medical license. [9] Duntsch's defense blamed their client's actions on poor training and lack of oversight by the hospitals. [9] Duntsch completed his undergraduate degree in 1995, then continued on to an ambitious MDPhD program. Watch the trailer for Dr . Around this time, Christopher Duntsch's behavior became noticeably erratic. When he arrived, Nurse Kyle Kissinger spotted a hole in Duntsch's scrubs. A neurosurgery expert for Duntsch's defense team himself said, "The conditions which created Dr. Duntsch still exist, thereby making it possible for another to come along.". On December 30, 2011, Duntsch operated on Lee Passmore. Wendy Young Says Christopher Duntsch Broke Into Home Covered In Blood "Something was wrong," Dr. Rimlawi said, "whether it be impairment from drugs, alcohol, mental illness, or a combination of all three." Duntsch stuffed Glidewell's throat with a surgical sponge to attempt to stop the bleeding. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Duntsch, aka Dr Death, was sentenced to life in prison in 2017, Dr Death - Trailer for the Peacock series based on the true story of Christopher Duntsch. [7][28][16], Kirby wrote a detailed complaint to the Texas Medical Board, calling Duntsch a "sociopath" who was "a clear and present danger to the citizens of Texas. [4][5] In 2017, he was convicted of maiming one of his patients and sentenced to life imprisonment. [16] In 2021, he was profiled on CNBC's American Greed. He later told Glidewell that it was clear Duntsch had tried to kill him. She also said that he kept a pile of cocaine on his dresser in his home office. i feel much better now ! However, part of the problem was proving that Duntsch's actions were willful as defined by Texas law. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Where Is Christopher Duntsch Now After His Appearance on - Distractify His very first operation at the hospital would once again turn deadly. Henderson then cleaned out bone fragments and discovered that one of Efurd's nerve roots was gone entirely. It's hard to find a lawyer willing to jump through these hoops no matter how negligent the doctor was, because Texas limits non-economic damages in most cases to $250,000 per doctor. [4], Early in his tenure at Baylor Plano, Duntsch made a poor impression on his fellow surgeons. They also believed that charge would be easy to prove in court; Duntsch had been told repeatedly that he was not placing the hardware in the correct position and fluoroscopy images from Efurd's surgery proved this. There are many sick people in the world, but Duntsch takes the cake for me. On May 24, 2011, Christopher Duntsch signed a physician services agreement with Rimlawi and Won's Minimally Invasive Spine Institute (MISI) in Dallas. Every victim deserves to have their story told, and unfortunately, Christopher Duntsch, aka Dr. Death, has 33. 'Dr. Death': Who Is Kim Morgan, and What Happened to Her? Im the only clean minimally invasive guy in the whole state.. Before working with him, Dr. Hoyle said that he didnt know how to feel about his fellow surgeon. In his deposition, Summers admitted he made up the pre-surgery cocaine binge because he felt Duntsch had abandoned him, as both his doctor and his friend. Marshall Muse was scheduled to have a disc removed in his back. The surgery was scheduled for December 30, 2011. She was moved to the ICU and died due to blood loss. It involves the case of Dr. Christopher Duntsch, a spinal neurosurgeon who left a trail of dead and permanently disabled . The databank was established in 1990 and tracks malpractice payouts and adverse actions against doctors, such as being fired, banned from Medicare, handed a lengthy suspension, or having their license suspended or revoked. Duntsch recommended fusing Morguloff's L5-S1 vertebrae, and the surgery was scheduled for January 11, 2012. Now, a podcast called Dr. Death is breaking down the deranged surgeons criminal acts and shows how drug abuse and blinding overconfidence led to big trouble for the patients who found themselvesunderneath the spiraling doctors knife. Your trust is important to us. Dr. Death season one review: a true crime podcast is even scarier - Vox This time on 53-year-old Mary Efurd. Duntsch earned his undergraduate degree in 1995 and enrolled at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Death in surgery. Due to these legal hurdles and costly lawyer fees on the plaintiff's part, few hospitals end up having to pay out after facing a malpractice lawsuit. Mary Efurd: While Brown was dying, Duntsch was operating on Mary Efurd, a 71-year-old anxious to return to her treadmill after surgery to relieve her back pain. Death,' Dallas neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch", "Texas neurosurgeon nicknamed 'Dr. As of this date, there have been no summary or administrative restrictions or suspension of Duntsch's medical staff membership or clinical privileges during the time he has practiced at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano.". He is a graduate of Evangelical Christian School in the Cordova suburb of Memphis, where he starred in football.[7]. He avoided it and disappeared for several days. [3], Duntsch was accused of injuring 33 out of 38 patients in less than two years before his license was revoked by the Texas Medical Board. Summers had a credit card in his name connected to Duntsch's account and would drive him around, balance his checkbooks, and pick up his dry cleaning. He claimed he was the best in Dallas. Just one day after his suspension had ended, Duntsch operated on Kellie Martin. [9][16], As part of their investigation, prosecutors obtained a December 2011 email in which Duntsch boasted that he was " ready to leave the love and kindness and goodness and patience that I mix with everything else that I am and become a cold-blooded killer. February 22, 2017. Barry Morguloff, the owner of a pool service company, was left with bone fragments in his spinal canal after Duntsch tried to pull a damaged, Jerry Summers, a longtime friend of Duntsch's, came to Plano to have, Kellie Martin was undergoing a routine back operation when Duntsch cut through her spinal cord and severed an artery. 'Hot TikTok doc' urges young people to get jabbed - warning of dangers of long Covid, Daughter, 39, guilty of stabbing mum to death before setting house on fire and dumping her dismembered body in river, Pregnant beautician loses baby after savage beating by monster husband who kidnapped her amid divorce row, Shocking moment man is crushed to death by an enraged elephant after crowd taunts herd of jumbos. Kane also recalled a cocaine- and LSD-fueled night of partying between her, her ex-boyfriend, and Duntsch where, after the end of their all-night party, she saw Duntsch put on his lab coat and go to work. [18] He damaged patient Philip Mayfield's spinal cord, drilling into it and leaving him partially paralyzed from the neck down. Duntsch suggested drilling a hole in Brown's head to relieve the pressure, but was refused permission. ", "Assault trial begins for Dallas surgeon who once wrote of becoming 'cold blooded killer', "The State of Texas vs. Christopher Daniel Dunstch", "Life Sentence Upheld on Appeal For Christopher Duntsch, aka Dr. Death", "What you need to know about 'Dr. Joshua Jackson Is Game, but 'Dr. Death' Lacks Insight: TV - Variety [19][16] Kirby claimed that it looked as if Duntsch had tried to decapitate Glidewell and contended that such a botched surgery "has not happened in the United States of America" before. He ran two labs, gained experience writing grants, and earned more than $3 million in funding for research projects. He was put on probation for three weeks and told to stick to relatively minor procedures when he returned. His father, Donald, was a physical therapist and Christian missionary. Duntsch operated and flew out to Las Vegas without securing a call physician. Dr Death, un nuevo programa que llegar a Peacock el jueves (15 de julio), se basa en la historia de la vida real de Christopher Duntsch, un ex neurocirujano que era, como dijo un famoso titular de ProPublica, "tan malo que era criminal".. Joshua Jackson interpreta a Duntsch, que ahora tiene 50 aos y cumple cadena perpetua despus de ser condenado en 2017 por mutilar a uno de sus . I can't believe that you're accusing me of killing someone,'" Muse recounted. He said even a person with the most basic sense of human anatomy would know they were operating in the wrong area. The surgery was supposed to take less than 45 minutes and ultimately lasted over four hours. A disc in his lower spine had blown out, and the pieces had to be picked out of the space above. He is not eligible for parole until 2045; he will be 74 years old by then. Trusty would later find out there was no award and it had just been a paid advertisement. As those watching the show know, Christopher was dubbed "Dr. Death" in D Magazine . According to Megan Kane, an ex-girlfriend of one of Duntschs friends, she saw him eat a paper blotter of LSD and take prescription painkillers on his birthday. He graduated from a top-tier medical school, was running research labs, and completed a residency program for neurosurgery. But he yearned to play linebacker for a Division 1 team and set his sights on the Colorado State Rams. among the top 12 percent of medical school graduates in his class named to the elite Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. by Saul Elbein. Texas law states that hospitals are liable for damages caused by doctors in their facilities only if the plaintiff can prove that the hospital acted with "malice"that is, the hospital knew of the extreme risk and ignored itin credentialing a doctor. Former neurosurgeon sentenced for purposely maiming patients For 33 patients of Texas neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, it was a reality. She says she even filed a temporary protective order against him in April 2012, after he showed up banging on her window at 2 am. So as Duntsch operated on Efurd, he quarreled with Kissinger and his supervisors, insisting on a craniotomy for Brown. He was a forty-five-year-old man with typical back problems. The hospital called Rimlawi when it couldn't reach his colleague. Unfortunately, it's all too real. Glidewell was left with only one vocal cord, permanent damage to his esophagus and partial paralysis on his left side. On April 9, 2013, Phillip Mayfield was scheduled to have a simple 45-minute operation to alleviate his back pain. Jeff Glidewell Today: Where Is Dr. Death's Last Patient Now? - Heavy.com Christopher Duntsch. Christopher Duntsch Wiki, Biography, Age, Wife, Family, Net Worth My experience with this doctor has been great. [42] The four hospitals that employed Duntsch have ongoing civil cases against him. Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Policy | Compact with Texans | Website Linking Policy; Please contact Pre-Licensure, Registration and Consumer Services at . After undergoing physical rehabilitation, Mayfield was able to walk with a cane but continued to experience paralysis on the right side of his body and in his left arm. Jerry Summers believed that his best friend Christopher Duntsch was a talented neurosurgeon who would cure his chronic neck pain. 'Dr. Death' Peacock Review: Stream It Or Skip It? - Decider This meant Summers could still feel pain, but was unable to move from the neck down. [2][4][19][7], Duntsch moved to Dallas Medical Center in Farmers Branch, where he was granted temporary privileges until hospital officials could obtain his records from Baylor Plano. "[3] A neurosurgery expert for Duntsch's defense team himself said, "The conditions which created Dr.Duntsch still exist, thereby making it possible for another to come along. Soon after starting Efurd's surgery, Duntsch turned to Kissinger and told him he would be performing a craniotomy on Floella Brown. Duntsch is a serial maimer and killer. [38][39] On December 10, 2018, the Texas Court of Appeals affirmed Duntsch's conviction by a 21 split decision. The Peacock limited series, based on the Wondery podcast, covers the true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch (played by Joshua Jackson ), whose surgical career ruined the lives of numerous people . A Texas jury found Christopher Duntsch guilty Feb. 14 of maiming patients who had turned to him for surgery to resolve debilitating injuries. In 2014, he developed syringomyelia, a painful condition that causes fluid-filled cysts on the spinal cord. Passmore can't feel his feet; his chest shakes, his right-hand jitters, he can't run or swim with his kids, he struggles with incontinence, and he has nerve pain that fires through his back. She came in to have two vertebrae fused, but when she woke up she experienced severe pain and couldnt stand. Dr. Hassan Chahadeh, the owner, said when Duntsch had applied for privileges, his record was clean. However, it wouldnt be long until Duntschs seemingly perfect career began to unravel. In October 2011, she registered articles of incorporation to form Duntsch's practice, the Texas Neurosurgical Institute.