However, on January 6, 2012, a week after the surgery, Dr. Duntsch performed another operation on Passmore. Prince Charming, Im gonna change your life, Wendy Young said of the promising start to her romance with Christopher Duntsch. He refused to acknowledge anything was wrong, hindering the, This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 04:48. [4][5] In 2017, he was convicted of maiming one of his patients and sentenced to life imprisonment. Troy was left barely able to speak above a whisper, had to be sedated for weeks and had to be fed through a feeding tube for some time as food was getting into her lungs. Moving made sense for both of them. Duntsch suggested drilling a hole in Brown's head to relieve the pressure, but was refused permission. 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. Following his blunders, Duntsch resigned from Baylor Plano in April 2012 before they could fire him. Unfortunately, it's all too real. Did Christopher Duntsch have a wife and kids? Joshua Jackson on Not Playing Dr. Death as an Evil Man When he began at MISI, Duntsch hired an assistant, Kimberly Morgan, and she started on August 29, 2011. Philip is one of more than 30 people maimed by Dr. Christopher Duntsch, nicknamed Dr. Death by the media. 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. Jerry Summers believed that his best friend Christopher Duntsch was a talented neurosurgeon who would cure his chronic neck pain. "[38], The director of neurosurgery at UT Southwestern, Carlos Bagley, testifying for the defense, said that "the only way this happens is that the entire system fails the patients. When Morgan asked Duntsch about the woman in his house, he said she was just his secretary and friend. During surgery, Duntsch operated on the wrong part of Fennell's back. Former teammates later said that, while Duntsch trained hard, he lacked talent at the game. She also said that he kept a pile of cocaine on his dresser in his home office. 'Dr. Death' shows how Texas law gives negligent health care providers a Over this period, Duntsch performed back surgeries that left his patients in a worse condition, paralyzed, or deceased. When Kirby learned the details, he immediately asked the doctor who referred the case to him about the surgeon: "Is it a guy named Christopher Duntsch?" Immediately, he started yelling and cussing at me, saying, 'How dare you? [47] A follow-up docuseries, Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story, was later released on Peacock on July 29, 2021, featuring interviews with some of Duntsch's patients and colleagues, as well as with Henderson, Kirby and Shughart. His father, Donald, was a physical therapist and Christian missionary. In addition, a ligament in his leg was severed, and a screw was stripped and lodged into a nerve bundle. However, he closed Glidewell with the sponge in place despite others in the operating room warning him about it. The charismatic neurosurgeon was actually a successful researcher before he starting killing people in the operating . "If he wasn't doing research, he was out with Jerry Summers, partying," Morgan said in her deposition. He then prescribed Muse so much Percocet that a pharmacist refused to fill the prescription. That's why it really shined down to me," Kissinger said in an interview. When Martin awoke from anesthesia, she was screaming and clawing at her legs which had become patchy and full of purple streaks and spots. In 2005, partway through the six-year program, he became the director of the tissue bank. Donald Duntsch was a gridiron football standout in Montana, and Christopher was determined to follow in those footsteps. This was the time when Dr. Christopher Duntsch started to turn into Dr. Death. A Texas neurosurgeon accused of intentionally botching multiple spinal surgeries, resulting in the death of two . Kirby was shocked; he called the owner of University General and warned him that Duntsch would hurt someone, and the hospital would be over. By the end of the week, administrators told Duntsch he would no longer be operating at Dallas Medical Center. A disc in his lower spine had blown out, and the pieces had to be picked out of the space above. However, Duntsch was allowed to resign, and the hospital didn't notify the National Practitioner Data Bankagain. The Real Story Behind the Dr. Death Podcast - Christopher Duntsch [9][24][19][7] After several days, Kirby was brought in to repair the damage and later described what he found after opening Glidewell back up as the work of a "crazed maniac". However, St. Jude says there was no such program at the hospital. The first season of Dr. Death, which launched in 2018 and ran for seven episodes, examined the life and horrific crimes of Christopher Duntsch. Then, on July 24, 2012, he operated on Floella Brown. "I called Dr. Duntsch up, and I said, 'I saw this online.' [46], Dr. Death, a TV mini-series based on the podcast, began streaming on Peacock on July 15, 2021. Im the only clean minimally invasive guy in the whole state.. A Surgeon So Bad It Was Criminal ProPublica Ratings for Dr. Christopher D. Duntsch, Inactive. While they were in the lab working, Duntsch went to work raising money for a company he called DiscGenics. Plano's 'Doctor Death': The Christopher Duntsch case - YouTube When he woke, he could not move anything on the right side of his body. Due to the debilitating pain, Fennell later had a second operation by Duntsch to relieve it, and was left significantly paralyzed in his legs. To top it all off, he was operating on the wrong portion of her back. Death. [9] Duntsch's defense blamed their client's actions on poor training and lack of oversight by the hospitals. Dr. Duntsch came from a good family and showed considerable potential at medical school. Over the course of two years, Christopher Duntsch operated on 38 patients in the Dallas area. No show's ever made you as terrified of doctors as 'Dr. Death' will '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. 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. Troy was sedated for weeks and forced to eat through a feeding tube because food was getting into her lungs. In February 2012, he went under the knife for an elective spinal fusion surgery. A CT scan would later reveal that Efurds nerve root had been amputated, there were several screw holes nowhere near where they were supposed to be, and one screw had been lodged in another nerve root. B. Ellis Unit outside Huntsville. The television series Dr. Death based on the incident, began streaming on Peacock in July 2021. As he lay there in agony, Duntsch was nowhere to be found. Even if a plaintiff wins the maximum award, after you pay your lawyer and your experts and go through, potentially, years of trial, not much is left. He is currently appealing this sentence. Despite this refusal, Duntsch was allowed to finish his residency. When Duntsch finally returned on Monday, he was fired. Dr. Hassan Chahadeh, the owner, said when Duntsch had applied for privileges, his record was clean. [35], The last charge was for the maiming and paralyzing of Efurd. The pressure was building inside her brain. [48], In 2019, Duntsch was the focus of the premiere episode of License to Kill, Oxygen's series on criminal medical professionals. Christopher Duntsch's Emails Are Threatening and Bewildering - Yahoo He was sent to a program for impaired physicians when he returned but was allowed to finish his residency. Facebook Wendy Renee Young and Christopher Duntsch. Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano (now Baylor Scott and White Medical Center - Plano). [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. When he called Duntsch's office, he was told it would "go away." Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! "Something was wrong," Dr. Rimlawi said, "whether it be impairment from drugs, alcohol, mental illness, or a combination of all three." However, Baylor did not fire him; instead, he was allowed to resign. Kissinger also noticed that Duntsch had pinpoint pupils and hardly seemed to blink. Christopher Duntsch: The Remorseless Killer Surgeon Called 'Dr. Death' Summers remained quadriplegic for the rest of his life. Christopher Duntsch ended up at Millsaps College in Mississippi to play football and was offered financial aid. This case was filed in Dallas County District Courts, Dallas County Civil District Courts located in Dallas, Texas. In May 2013, Dr. Randall Kirby was invited to a dinner by University General Hospital to meet their new neurosurgeon, Dr. Duntsch. D Magazine gave him the nickname in . Dr. Rimlawi called Baylor Plano and advised them against continuing a relationship with Christopher Duntsch, but this fell to deaf ears. For 33 patients of Texas neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, it was a reality. Dr. Death: La verdadera historia detrs de la nueva serie sobre el ex Thankfully, this ended up being Dr. Christopher Duntsch's last operation. Christopher Duntsch was a neurosurgeon who radiated confidence. Promising Beginnings. "Based on a hit podcast and inspired by the terrifying true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch, a young and charismatic star in the Texas medical community," Peacock explains about the series. Kenneth Fennell, the first patient Duntsch operated on at Baylor Plano, was left with chronic pain after Duntsch operated on the wrong part of his back. Out of his 38 surgeries, only three had no complications. [37][4], Over objections from Duntsch's lawyers, prosecutors called many of Duntsch's other patients to the stand in order to prove that his actions were intentional. They didn't have enough evidence to stop him because he hadn't done anything wrong yet. He was brilliant. For instance, he came to work wearing the same tattered scrubs for three days in a row. To become a neurosurgeon, one typically has to complete over 1000 surgeries in residency, but somehow, reporter Laura Beil discovered that Duntsch only completed 100. Duntsch, who had been listed as the founder, president & chief science officer, was being sued by the former chief operating officer and was dismissed from his roles and seat on the board. 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 . Advertisements. Robert Lowes. Christopher Duntsch was sentenced to life in prison in February 2017 for his heinous acts. 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. "After building a flourishing neurosurgery practice, everything suddenly changes when patients entering Dr. Duntsch's operating room for complex but routine spinal surgeries start leaving permanently disabled or dead. Nicknamed "Dr. Death," the story of Duntsch's egregious medical crimes and the healthcare system that failed so many by allowing him to practice received the podcast treatment in 2018 from Wondery, the team behind "Dirty John.". Legacy Surgery Center in Frisco (now Frisco Ambulatory Surgery Center). His case is receiving renewed attention in the media. He is not eligible for parole until 2045; he will be 74 years old by then. When other doctors discovered the sponge, Duntsch refused to return to help remove it. 3-Jeff Glidewell, another victim of Duntsch's. 4-Michelle Shugart, the woman who brought this all to fruition . Dr. Robert Henderson was brought in on July 28, 2012, to perform a revision surgery on Efurd. Shughart countered that the 2011 email, sent after his first surgeries went wrong, proved that Duntsch knew his actions were intentional. My experience with this doctor has been great. Where Is Christopher Duntsch Now After His Appearance on - Distractify 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 . by Saul Elbein. Premiering Thursday on . [38] Shughart countered that the 2011 email, sent after his first surgeries went wrong, proved that Duntsch knew his actions were intentional. She bled so much that blood was saturating the blue draping around her body and dripping onto the floor. 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. He did his surgical residency at the University of Tennessee in Memphis, spending five years studying neurosurgery and a year studying general surgery. Is Dr. Death on Netflix? Where to watch Dr. Death online In July 2015, Duntsch was arrested in Dallas and charged with six felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, five counts of aggravated assault causing severe bodily injury, and one count of injury to an elderly person. But police say an email Duntsch wrote in 2011 points to his mind-set in the months before he "intentionally, knowingly and . Martin would become Duntschs first casualty when she bled out in intensive care unit after her relatively common procedure. According to D Magazine, a doctor at the hospital where Duntsch worked said that Duntsch had been sent to an impaired physician program after he refused to take a drug test. Where is Christopher Duntsch AKA Dr. Death now? Before going to medical school, Duntsch wanted to be a pro-football player. DiscGenics says its mission is toimprove the lives of those suffering from the debilitating effects of degenerative diseases of the spine. 5 of Dallas County (opinion)", "Texas Court of Appeals Affirms Conviction of 'Dr. In 2006, Duntsch teamed up with two Russian stem cell scientists: Valery Kukekov and Tatyana Ignatova. That same month, the two began an affair. So as Duntsch operated on Efurd, he quarreled with Kissinger and his supervisors, insisting on a craniotomy for Brown. 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. 0:05. At the time, Duntsch was accused of injuring 33 out of 38 patients in less than two years before the Texas Medical Board revoked his license. Shughart argued that Duntsch should have known he would hurt others unless he changed his approach and that his failure to learn from his past mistakes demonstrated that his maiming of Efurd was intentional. Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Policy | Compact with Texans | Website Linking Policy; Please contact Pre-Licensure, Registration and Consumer Services at . Ellis Unit outside of Huntsville, Texas. Texas Doctor Found Guilty of Felony in Medical Malpractice Case However, he ignored them and proceeded with his scheduled surgery on Efurd. Everything went perfect in there." Now, his time at the university . Death' found guilty of maiming woman during surgery", "Former neurosurgeon sentenced for purposely maiming patients", "Doctor convicted of botched surgery gets life in prison", "Christopher Daniel Duntsch v. The State of Texas Appeal from Criminal District Court No. She came in to have two vertebrae fused, but when she woke up she experienced severe pain and couldnt stand. An anesthesiologist and Dr. Anson Fulton, who assisted with the surgery, warned Duntsch about the blood loss, and he continued to ignore them and operate. I thought he was either really, really good, or hes just really, really arrogant and thought he was good, Hoyle said. Christopher Duntsch is currently imprisoned at the O.B. The case status is Disposed - Other Disposed. [9] Texas Medical Board Revocation Order. 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. They met with an assistant DA but got little traction. Board chairman Irwin Zeitzler later said that complications in neurosurgery were more common than most laymen believe, and it took until June 2013 to find the "pattern of patient injury" required to justify suspending Duntsch's license. 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. Duntsch's next stop was at Dallas Medical Center. Duntsch filed a patent for the technology, and he listed himself as one of the inventors even though he had not discovered it. The suit alleged that Baylor Plano made an average net profit of $65,000 on every spinal surgery performed by Duntsch. Pic credit: Dallas County Sheriff's Office. But soon his patients started to experience complications, and the system failed to protect them. He moved in with his parents in Colorado and filed for bankruptcy, claiming around one million dollars in debt. [36] On February 20, 2017, he was sentenced to life in prison. Those are the words that Dr. Christopher Duntsch, a Dallas neurosurgeon, wrote to his girlfriend in 2011 in the midst of a two-year period that left 33 of his 38 patients maimed, wounded or . All the while, the operating room staff questioned whether Duntsch was putting hardware into Efurd in the right places and noticed he kept drilling and removing screws. ", "Surgeon who wrote of becoming killer is denied bail reduction", "Elderly couple attends court hoping for justice in Duntsch case", "Who Were The Victims Of Dr. Christopher Duntsch, Who Earned The Ominous Nickname 'Dr. The appalling actions of the rogue surgeon and their repercussions on his unsuspecting patients were . Jeff Glidewell Today: Where Is Dr. Death's Last Patient Now? - Heavy.com Efurd eventually gained back some control and mobility, but she now uses a wheelchair and suffers chronic pain. Dr. Death in surgery. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Baylor wanted Duntsch operating quickly and often so they could be reimbursed for the monies they had advanced to him. His first and only surgery with MISI was on a Thursday in September 2011 at Baylor Plano. By this time, Jerry Summers, his childhood friend, had moved from Tennessee to live with Duntsch. 'Dr. Death' Condemns Christopher Duntsch, but the Real Culprit Is Texas He remained there for several months before being allowed to return to the residency.