Dallas-based surgeon Christopher Duntsch was also the subject of a Wondery podcast titled "Dr. Death." (Dallas County Jail) The indictment accused Duntsch of wide-ranging malpractice, including . Passmore told D Magazine during an interview that he is uncomfortable receiving any attention but knows he must do so if anyone is going to listen. 12 Unnerving Facts About Dr. Death Christopher Duntsch - Ranker https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Duntsch, https://www.propublica.org/article/dr-death-christopher-duntsch-a-surgeon-so-bad-it-was-criminal, https://www.dmagazine.com/healthcare-business/2021/10/a-witness-to-dr-death-in-the-presence-of-a-sociopath/, https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2016/november/christopher-duntsch-dr-death/, https://www.oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/who-were-the-victims-of-dr-christopher-duntsch, https://www.dallasnews.com/news/investigations/2014/03/02/planos-baylor-hospital-faces-hard-questions-after-claims-against-former-neurosurgeon/, https://www.texasobserver.org/anatomy-tragedy/, https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2015/08/25/7-chilling-thoughts-of-jailed-neurosurgeon-christopher-duntsch/, https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/greg-abbott-enters-fray-in-lawsuits-involving-sociopath-doctor/, https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2017/02/a-jury-now-controls-the-fate-of-neurosurgeon-christopher-duntsch/, https://www.thedailybeast.com/victim-of-real-life-dr-death-believes-there-are-others-like-him-out-there?ref=scroll, https://www.oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/what-happened-to-discgenics-co-founded-by-dr-death-christopher-duntsch, https://www.texasobserver.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Morguloff-Complaint.pdf. In 2006, Duntsch teamed up with two Russian stem cell scientists: Valery Kukekov and Tatyana Ignatova. By this time, Jerry Summers, his childhood friend, had moved from Tennessee to live with Duntsch. He later told Glidewell that it was clear Duntsch had tried to kill him. No one came out and spoke with Kellie Martin's family or informed them of her condition during this time. 11:15 PM on Mar 1, 2014 CST. He stalled at first, telling administrators he got lost on the way to the lab. "Dr. Death" is based on the chart-topping podcast of the same name that, in turn, is based on the horrifying true story of Christopher Duntsch. According to his lawyers, Duntsch had not realized how poorly he had performed as a surgeon until he heard the prosecution experts tell the jury about his many blunders on the operating table. 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. Listen to Dr. Death | S1: Dr. Duntsch on TuneIn Joshua Jackson Is Game, but 'Dr. Death' Lacks Insight: TV - Variety 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. Where Is Christopher Duntsch Now After His Appearance on - Distractify [9] Texas Medical Board Revocation Order. [14] He persuaded Young to come with him; Young agreed, since she had grown up in the Dallas area. In 2010, he completed the MDPhD and neurosurgery residency programs at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center,[3] and subsequently completed a spine fellowship program at the Semmes-Murphey Clinic in Memphis. With Brown still in the ICU, Duntsch took another patient into surgery that morning. He was left with pain so debilitating he could not work any longer and now spends most of his days at home. Unfortunately, it's all too real. The patient was Mary Efurd coming in for a second operation. Three holes had been poked into Efurd's spinal column where Duntsch had tried and failed to insert screws. However, he closed Glidewell with the sponge in place despite others in the operating room warning him about it. He called Duntsch's fellowship supervisor in Memphis, as well as 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. Dhruv Trivedi. The True Story Of Christopher Duntsch, The Killer Surgeon Known As Dr. 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. D Magazine gave him the nickname in . [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. However, part of the problem was proving that Duntsch's actions were willful as defined by Texas law. [29] Texas Attorney General and current Governor Greg Abbott filed a motion to intervene in the suits to defend Baylor Plano, citing the Texas legislature's 2003 statute that placed a medical malpractice cap of $250,000 and removed the term "gross negligence" from the definition of legal malice. This time on 53-year-old Mary Efurd. 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. When Jerry Summers woke up, he couldn't move his arms or legs. However, Mayfield still woke up with paralysis on occasion. Then check out the horrifying story of Simon Bramhall, a surgeon who admitted to burning his initials into patients livers. 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. [19] Prosecutors sought a sentence long enough to ensure that Duntsch would never be able to practice medicine again. From 2011 to 2013, dozens of patients in the Dallas area woke up after their surgeries with horrible pain, numbness and, paralysis. 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. Dr. Duntsch came from a good family and showed considerable potential at medical school. Duntsch approached Pam Trusty about being on camera during a follow-up visit where she was still in pain. and Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee Health Center. "[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. Even worse, some of the patients never got the chance to wake up. His name appeared on several papers and patents, and he took part in a number of biotech startups. Duntsch continued operating despite clear signs that Martin was losing massive amounts of blood. Trusty was never told she was participating in an infomercial and believed Duntsch had been selected as the top neurosurgeon in Dallas and was participating in a video about the award. "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. Chahadeh was worried about his facility and getting sued by Duntsch; he said to Dr. Kirby that they had already given him privileges. 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?" The case highlights the risks of allowing a troubled physician to move to another hospital . After several more months of botched surgeries, Duntsch finally lost his surgical privileges altogether in June 2013 after two physicians complained to the Texas Medical Board. [10][7], Duntsch completed his residency having participated in fewer than 100 surgeries. Mr. His sophomore year, he made it as one of the few walk-on players. Kirby warned him again that it was only a matter of time. Christopher Daniel Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971, and raised alongside his three siblings in an affluent suburb of Memphis, Tennessee. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! [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. 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. Soon afterward, he severely maimed Jeff Glidewell after mistaking part of his neck muscle for a tumor during a routine cervical fusion, severing one of his vocal cords, cutting a hole in his esophagus and slicing an artery. 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. Duntsch had come highly recommended to Fennell and wooed him with boasts that he'd soon be head of Baylor Medical Center's entire neurosurgery department. He refused to acknowledge anything was wrong, hindering the, This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 04:48. Dr. Christopher D. Duntsch, Inactive - Plano, TX - RateMDs MARY EFURD vs CHRISTOPHER D DUNTSCH, MDet al - UniCourt In addition, a ligament in his leg was severed, and a screw was stripped and lodged into a nerve bundle. Board chairman Irwin Zeitzler later said that complications in neurosurgery were more common than most think. executive producer explains how Christopher Duntsch could have avoided prison. Plano's 'Doctor Death': The Christopher Duntsch case - YouTube Where is Michelle Shughart Now? - The Cinemaholic 'Dr. Death' Condemns Christopher Duntsch, but the Real Culprit Is Texas Christopher Duntsch wrote that he was ready to become a "cold blooded killer". 5 of Dallas County (opinion)", "Texas Court of Appeals Affirms Conviction of 'Dr. [4] [19], Despite both of his surgeries at Dallas Medical Center going catastrophically awry, hospital officials did not report him to the NPDB. Her husband could not hold himself up; he had no support of his own and could barely speak. A Texas jury found Christopher Duntsch guilty Feb. 14 of maiming patients who had turned to him for surgery to resolve debilitating injuries. When he arrived, Nurse Kyle Kissinger spotted a hole in Duntsch's scrubs. Many of his patients suffered severe spinal cord damage, resulting in paralysis and pain severe enough to render painkillers ineffective. He then packed it with too much of a substance intended to stop the bleeding. Dr. Christopher Duntsch's patients ended up maimed and dead, but the real tragedy is that the Texas Medical Board couldn't stop him. The television series Dr. Death based on the incident, began streaming on Peacock in July 2021. When Morgan asked Duntsch about the woman in his house, he said she was just his secretary and friend. 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 initially attended Millsaps College to play Division III college football, and later transferred to Division I Colorado State University. 5 chilling details about Christopher Duntsch - sportskeeda.com When Henderson opened the freshly made incisions on her, he was appalled. He is not eligible for parole until 2045; he will be 74 years old by then. Duntsch told Mayfield's wife it went well, but she instantly knew something was wrong as she walked into his room. [43], The conviction of Duntsch has been called a precedent-setting case, as it is believed to be the first time that a physician has been convicted on criminal charges for actions in the course of their medical work. 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. On 06/26/2013 MARY EFURD filed a Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice lawsuit against CHRISTOPHER D DUNTSCH, MD. Duntsch was in a long-term relationship with Wendy Renee Young, after the pair met at a bar in Memphis when she was 27 and he was 40. Did Christopher Duntsch Have Any Successful Surgeries? The sponge triggered a severe blood-borne infection that caused Glidewell to become septic. Henderson sent Duntsch's picture to the University of Tennessee to determine whether he had a degree from that institution and received confirmation that Duntsch was not a fraud. Prosecutors also faulted Duntsch's employers for not reporting him. According to court documents, surgeons at the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute soon grew suspicious of Duntsch. "He said the patient died from having an allergic reaction to the anesthesia." Every victim deserves to have their story told, and unfortunately, Christopher Duntsch, aka Dr. Death, has 33. 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. [7], Shughart argued that Duntsch should have known he was likely to 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. Morguloff sought a second opinion on his excruciating pain from Dr. Michael Desaloms. Christopher was raised along with his three younger siblings in a wealthy suburb in Memphis, Tennessee. Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971. An MRI revealed that multiple bone fragments in his spinal canal were compressing and adhering to his S1 nerve and that Duntsch had installed the hardware incorrectly. While Kirby was repairing Troy, he uncovered that Duntsch had pinned her esophagus under a plate near her spine and poked holes in her trachea. He moved in with his parents in Colorado and filed for bankruptcy, claiming around one million dollars in debt. 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.". He said, "Randy, you were right. Martin would become Duntschs first casualty when she bled out in intensive care unit after her relatively common procedure. [9] He was suspected of being under the influence of cocaine while operating during his fourth year of residency training, and was sent to a program for impaired physicians. He thought it was odd that Duntsch wasn't working at Baylor Plano anymore, so he called his insurance company, who stated Christopher Duntsch was in good standing. His older son had been born back when he was at Baylor Plano. Donald Duntsch was a gridiron football standout in Montana, and . Out of his 38 surgeries, only three had no complications. Base compensation was $600,000 a year for two years, beginning on June 14, 2011. [33][34] The indictments were made four months before the statute of limitations were to run out. He is a graduate of Evangelical Christian School in the Cordova suburb of Memphis, where he starred in football.[7]. It was determined during the repair surgery that Dr. Duntsch had not even been operating on the correct part of Jeff Glidewell's spine. "[32][9] ADA Michelle Shughart, who led the prosecution of Duntsch, later recalled that Henderson, Kirby, and Lazar contacted her demanding to testify against Duntsch; according to Shughart, doctors almost never testify against each other. The Real Story Behind the Dr. Death Podcast - Christopher Duntsch Christopher Duntsch was a neurosurgeon who radiated confidence. The criminal conviction of Christopher Duntsch, MD, PhD, holds important lessons for risk managers. When he called Duntsch's office, he was told it would "go away." Where Is Christopher Duntsch's Wife Wendy Renee Young Now? Finally, Dr. Kirby received a call from Hassan Chahadeh. During his surgery, Duntsch didnt installed the necessary hardware to Muses spine and instead had left it floating between the spine and muscle tissue. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott filed a motion to intervene in the suits to defend Baylor Plano, citing the Texas legislature's 2003 statute that placed a medical malpractice cap of $250,000, and removed the term "gross negligence" from the definition of legal malice. [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. [44] The Dallas County district attorney's office called it "a historic case with respect to prosecuting a doctor who had done wrong during surgery. Over objections from Duntsch's lawyers, prosecutors called many of Duntsch's other patients to the stand to prove that his actions were intentional. Young had family in Dallas and decided she would go with him if he picked that city. However, during training for neurosurgery he followed a research path and did fewer operations than most trainees. 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. At one point, he was only able to eat small bites of food at one time. After intense rehab and his determination, eventually, he was able to use a walker and cane to mobilize himself. During his tenure at Baylor Plano, Kimberly Morgan assisted in every surgery with Duntsch. Death. He has taken Baylor Plano to court over changing the Texas law requiring patients to prove that a hospital intended to harm them when it granted privileges to someone unsafe. After 13 days of trial, the jury needed only four hours to convict him for the maiming of Efurd, and on February 20, 2017, he was sentenced to life in prison. 'Killer' Surgeon Gets Life for Maiming Patient - Medscape Duntsch lasted about three months at MISI. She witnessed Duntsch put on his lab coat and make his rounds the following morning as if nothing had happened. (Dallas County Jail via AP) Gift Article. The series peers into the torturous crimes of . When Henderson saw the imaging from Duntsch's surgery, he was certain that there would be legal action, and had the salvage surgery recorded. Is Dr. Death on Netflix? Where to watch Dr. Death online Ellis Unit prison in Huntsville, Texas. Christopher Duntsch Early Life Story, Family Background and Education. How could Dr. Christopher Duntsch practice medicine for as long as he did without being stopped? Dr. Death in surgery. DiscGenics says its mission is toimprove the lives of those suffering from the debilitating effects of degenerative diseases of the spine. July 14, 2021. 'Sociopath' neurosurgeon accused of botching operations The explanation was enough to satisfy Muse. He then prescribed Muse so much Percocet that a pharmacist refused to fill the prescription. 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. 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. However, he sewed up Glidewell with the sponge still in place despite others in the operating room warning him about it. As the trial team put it, the "scary pattern" of Duntsch's actions became apparent to the others in the office, leading the DA to give the green light to take the case to a grand jury. Who Were The Victims Of Dr. Christopher Duntsch? | True Crime Buzz Promising Beginnings. Dr. Death: La verdadera historia detrs de la nueva serie sobre el ex Dr. Phil airs on weekdays. 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 . It had come from Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano. "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. When he woke, he could not move anything on the right side of his body. 'Dr. Death': Who Is Kim Morgan, and What Happened to Her? By this time, however, Brown was brain dead. In May 2013, Dr. Randall Kirby was invited to a dinner by University General Hospital to meet their new neurosurgeon, Dr. Duntsch. 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. He had a bedroom upstairs in their Plano house. In effect, plaintiffs have to prove a tough case without access to the necessary hospital records. August 28, 2013, 2:01 . Duntsch's next patient was Jeff Glidewell. Dubbed "Dr. Death," the case gained national attention, revealing [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". His CV also conveyed he earned a Ph.D. in microbiology from St. Jude Children's Research Hospitals, graduating summa cum laude. On April 9, 2013, Phillip Mayfield was scheduled to have a simple 45-minute operation to alleviate his back pain. She had suffered from lower back pain for years and was referred to Duntsch by her pain management doctor. Duntschs career started off bright. Floella Brown went under Dr. Deaths knife in July 2012 and shortly after her surgery, she suffered a massive stroke caused by Duntsch slicing her vertebral artery during surgery. As those watching the show know, Christopher was dubbed "Dr. Death" in D Magazine . "[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. At the time, hospitals were not required to report doctors who only had temporary privileges. Christopher Duntsch, known as "Dr. Death" tried to explain himself in rambling emails, but he only made things worse for his criminal case. He was brilliant. [4][5] In 2017, he was convicted of maiming one of his patients and sentenced to life imprisonment. Advertisement. Christopher Duntsch - AKA Dr. Death - spent 18 months as a practicing surgeon at multiple Texas hospitals until he had his license revoked in 2013. [13] In 2010, Duntsch moved to Dallas. Is Christopher Duntsch In Jail? Arrest And Charges Details The Dallas district attorney's office subpoenaed every hospital on Duntsch's CV for records of his surgeries. Before going to medical school, Duntsch wanted to be a pro-football player. His very first operation at the hospital would once again turn deadly. 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. Fennell is in constant pain, and it took several months of rehabilitation before he could begin to walk with a cane. Moving made sense for both of them. "[4] The Texas Medical Board revoked Duntsch's license on December 6, 2013. Why Did Dr. Death Do It? 'Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story' Explains In July 2015, a grand jury indicted Dr. Death on five counts of aggravated assault and one count of harming an elderly person, his patient Mary Efurd, according to Rolling Stone. 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. [9] Duntsch's defense blamed their client's actions on poor training and lack of oversight by the hospitals. Duntsch is a former Dallas neurosurgeon who, through . Henderson then cleaned out bone fragments and discovered that one of Efurd's nerve roots was gone entirely. While there, he damaged patient Jeff Cheney's spinal cord, leaving him without feeling on the right side of his body. [4] In an article for The Texas Prosecutor, the journal of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, Shughart and the other members of the trial team recalled that their superiors were initially skeptical when they presented the case, but eventually found themselves in "overwhelming disbelief" that a surgeon could do what Duntsch was accused of doing. He will be up for parole in 2045, when he is 74 years old. Advertisements. 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. 0:05. Duntsch suggested drilling a hole in Brown's head to relieve the pressure, but was refused permission. Duntsch received his undergraduate degree from the University of Memphis and stayed in town to receive an M.D. He remained there for several months before being allowed to return to the residency. Trusty would later find out there was no award and it had just been a paid advertisement. Page opened a desk drawer and saw a mirror with a pile of cocaine and a rolled-up dollar bill on top. 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 . In September 2012, Jeff Cheney went to Duntsch to relieve the pain that had moved from his shoulder down to his arm. A patient who was left barely able to walk and in constant pain after undergoing two botched surgeries at the hands of killer neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch says he 'guarantees' there are other . Nevertheless, it took until June 2013 to find the "pattern of patient injury" required to justify suspending Duntsch's license, despite receiving complaints dating back to 2011. [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. CHRISTOPHER Duntsch, is infamously known as Dr Death for gross malpractice. He was then brought on board at the Dallas Medical Center where he continued his carnage. "I called Dr. Duntsch up, and I said, 'I saw this online.' [7] He likened what he found when he opened Efurd up to the results of a child playing with Tinkertoys or an erector set. Even though he lived in Colorado, he returned to Dallas to see his two sons. [11] Several of his friends recalled him going to work after a night of doing drugs, with one of them saying he would never allow Duntsch to operate on him. The surgery was scheduled for December 30, 2011. 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.". [38] Shughart countered that the 2011 email, sent after his first surgeries went wrong, proved that Duntsch knew his actions were intentional. On May 24, 2011, Christopher Duntsch signed a physician services agreement with Rimlawi and Won's Minimally Invasive Spine Institute (MISI) in Dallas.