Former neurosurgeon sentenced for purposely maiming patients Over the course of two years, Christopher Duntsch operated on 38 patients in the Dallas area. Dr. Death (2021 TV series) Dr. Death is an American crime drama miniseries created by Patrick Macmanus, based on the podcast of the same name, focusing on the titular Christopher Duntsch, a neurosurgeon who became infamous for permanently mutilating his patients, killing two of them. Duntsch had also installed hardware into her muscle, not her bone, so loose that it moved when you touched it. "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. [42] The four hospitals that employed Duntsch have ongoing civil cases against him. On April 9, 2013, Phillip Mayfield was scheduled to have a simple 45-minute operation to alleviate his back pain. Duntsch suggested drilling a hole in Brown's head to relieve the pressure, but was refused permission. 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. Those words continue to haunt her, and she's tormented by the knowledge that her endorsement caused others to select Duntsch themselves. Duntsch filed a patent for the technology, and he listed himself as one of the inventors even though he had not discovered it. Ellis Unit prison in Huntsville, Texas. She came in to have two vertebrae fused, but when she woke up she experienced severe pain and couldnt stand. It was Duntsch, babbling about his family being in danger. Officers said he was driving on the left side of the road with two flat tires. He died in 2021 of an infection related to complications from Duntsch's operation. 3-Jeff Glidewell, another victim of Duntsch's. 4-Michelle Shugart, the woman who brought this all to fruition . Duntsch continued operating despite clear signs that Martin was losing massive amounts of blood. "It's a miracle," she said in the infomercial later promoted on his website. Jerry Summers believed that his best friend Christopher Duntsch was a talented neurosurgeon who would cure his chronic neck pain. Kirby arrived and transferred Glidewell to a top-tier hospital to perform an emergency operation to remove the sponge. Famously known by the Family name Christopher Daniel Duntsch, is a great neurosurgeon and convicted criminal for malpractice.He was born on April 3, 1971, in Montana. Where Is Christopher Duntsch AKA Dr. Death Now? He Got A - Bustle among the top 12 percent of medical school graduates in his class named to the elite Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. Dr. Death: La verdadera historia detrs de la nueva serie sobre el ex Christopher Daniel Duntsch (born April 3, 1971) is a former American neurosurgeon who has been nicknamed Dr. D. and Dr. Death for gross malpractice resulting in the maiming of several patients' spines and two deaths while working at hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.. Duntsch was accused of injuring 33 out of 38 patients in less than two years before his license was revoked by the . He also reported shooting pains throughout his body. His pain management specialist advised against an operation but referred him to a neurosurgeon named Christopher Duntsch. The board called in veteran neurosurgeon Martin Lazar to review the case. Philip Mayfield, one of Christopher Duntschs patients, who was paralyzed after his surgery. She bled to death . Duntsch's next patient was Jeff Glidewell. You'd like to think . Dr. Death executive producer explains how Christopher Duntsch could Before the surgery, Kirby related that Duntsch said he was the best spine surgeon in Dallas and the only spine surgeon trained in minimally invasive spine surgery. Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana and spent most of his youth in Memphis, Tennessee. By this time, Duntsch was almost penniless, and the judge had to appoint a lawyer for him. Christopher Duntsch was just a regular guy who became Dr. Death after he decided to be a neurosurgeon. The day after Mary Efurd's surgery, she awoke in excruciating pain and could not turn over or wiggle her toes. He didn't wear underwear. He performed only one surgery with the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute. [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. 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. Glidewell was left with only one vocal cord, permanent damage to his esophagus and partial paralysis on his left side. The night before his surgery, he read online about Kellie Martin's death just months earlier. Duntsch told his friends and family that Passmore would be fine in a day or two and to not worry about it. "He said the patient died from having an allergic reaction to the anesthesia." Duntsch initially attended Millsaps College to play Division III college football, and later transferred to Division I Colorado State University. Despite this refusal, Duntsch was allowed to finish his residency. Is Dr. Death on Netflix? Where to watch Dr. Death online Jeff Glidewell came across Dr. Christopher Duntsch in 2013 while searching for a neurosurgeon . Although she didn't think much of it and assumed Morgan was helping with research. Kirby warned him again that it was only a matter of time. I can't believe that you're accusing me of killing someone,'" Muse recounted. Philip is one of more than 30 people maimed by Dr. Christopher Duntsch, nicknamed Dr. Death by the media. Patient paralyzed by Dr. Death 'guarantees' there are other surgeons In 2006, Duntsch teamed up with two Russian stem cell scientists: Valery Kukekov and Tatyana Ignatova. Evil Lives Here: Shadows Of Death is investigating the numerous crimes of former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, who was nicknamed Dr. Death after causing pain, suffering, and even death to multiple patients over the course of two years. Leaving on April 20, 2012, with a lawyer-negotiated letter saying, "All areas of concern with regard to Christopher D. Duntsch have been closed. Dr. Fulton never worked with Duntsch again. His girlfriend, Wendy Young, had a second son in September 2014. She was moved to the ICU and died due to blood loss. The surgical disasters of neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch led to his jailing in 2017, setting a legal precedent. Why do Slipknot wear masks and what do they look like without? A few days later, he took the test and passed. She also said that he kept a pile of cocaine on his dresser in his home office. Passmore met with Dr. Duntsch and was impressed by his confidence; he would fix him. Jurors convicted Duntsch Tuesday of injury to an elderly person in the botched July 2012 surgery that put Mary Efurd in a wheelchair. Could you take care of it?" Many readers may recognize the name Christopher Duntsch, a doctor who allegedly was negligent in his practice for years before finally being stripped of his medical license. Duntsch is the first physician sentenced to life in prison for his actions while practicing medicine. Christopher Duntsch was nicknamed Dr. Death due to the injuries he caused his patients. 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. No show's ever made you as terrified of doctors as 'Dr. Death' will On 06/26/2013 MARY EFURD filed a Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice lawsuit against CHRISTOPHER D DUNTSCH, MD. Peacock's Dr. Death is a chilling dramatization of the real-life story of former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch. He refused to abort the surgery even after a trauma surgeon colleague and an anesthesiologist warned him about the blood loss. This was the time when Dr. Christopher Duntsch started to turn into Dr. Death. Former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch is one of the most infamous doctors ever brought to trial in a criminal case, and with good reason. 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. They have two sons. [19][25][7] She later recalled waking up feeling "excruciating pain", a "ten-plus" on a scale of 1 to 10. Christopher Daniel Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971, and raised alongside his three siblings in an affluent suburb of . Dr. Death: Disgraced surgeon at center of podcast, show has CSU roots Robert Lowes. 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]. 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. 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. Before working with him, Dr. Hoyle said that he didnt know how to feel about his fellow surgeon. Under heavy lobbying from Kirby and Henderson, the Texas Medical Board suspended Duntsch's license on June 26, 2013. Around 2006 and 2007, Duntsch began to become unhinged. 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. Berry Morguloff was Dr. Duntsch's next unsuspecting victim. Duntsch stuffed Glidewell's throat with a surgical sponge to attempt to stop the bleeding. Duntsch is at the O. He was left with pain so debilitating he could not work any longer and now spends most of his days at home. February 22, 2017. Licensed to kill: lawsuit seeks to overturn Texas hospital shield law Im the only clean minimally invasive guy in the whole state.. In 2017, Duntsch was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of maiming one of his patients. Duntsch is a former neurosurgeon born in 1971 in Montana . Ellis Unit outside of Huntsville, Texas. [7] He likened what he found when he opened Efurd up to the results of a child playing with Tinkertoys or an erector set. Hoyle called the surgery sloppy enough to cancel the remaining four operations he had scheduled with Duntsch and vowed never to work with him again. [7], While in Memphis, Duntsch began a long-term relationship with Wendy Renee Young. Duntsch earned his undergraduate degree in 1995 and enrolled at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. 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. South Hampton Community Hospital in Dallas (now University General Hospital). [31][16] The inquiry went nowhere until 2015, when the statute of limitations on any potential charges was due to run out. 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. Several of Duntsch's surgeries at Baylor Plano resulted in severely maimed patients: Baylor Plano officials found that Duntsch failed to meet their standards of care and permanently revoked his surgical privileges. Ellis Unit outside of Huntsville, Texas. 11:15 PM on Mar 1, 2014 CST. Moving made sense for both of them. With Brown still in the ICU, Duntsch took another patient into surgery that morning. Fennell is in constant pain, and it took several months of rehabilitation before he could begin to walk with a cane. He remained there for several months before being allowed to return to the residency. He avoided it and disappeared for several days. He was smart. No one came out and spoke with Kellie Martin's family or informed them of her condition during this time. The story of Dr. Death, Christopher Duntsch, feels like something out of a movie or book. Shughart countered that the 2011 email, sent after his first surgeries went wrong, proved that Duntsch knew his actions were intentional. 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 . Duntsch focused on his research for a while but was recruited from Memphis to join the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute in North Dallas in the summer of 2011. Anatomy of a Tragedy. 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. The criminal conviction of Christopher Duntsch, MD, PhD, holds important lessons for risk managers. In November 2011, he was hooked on the prescription opiates that numbed the pain in his lower back. However, things soon went south. Her husband could not hold himself up; he had no support of his own and could barely speak. Plans start at $4.99/month. (Dallas County Jail via AP) Gift Article. He felt that anyone with a basic knowledge of human anatomy would know that he was operating in the wrong area of Efurd's back. Wendy Young knew her ex-boyfriend Christopher Duntsch's medical career was unraveling, but she wasn't prepared for what she said was his bizarre behavior that coincided with his fall from grace as a surgeon.. Where is Christopher Duntsch AKA Dr. Death now? 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. [4][5] In 2017, he was convicted of maiming one of his patients and sentenced to life imprisonment. Over the span of a few years, he managed to maim and injure over 30 patients, with two more dying during and shortly after undergoing surgery with him. [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. There were two names on the top page: Kellie Martin and Christopher Duntsch. [27], While attempting to remove degenerated discs in Marshall "Tex" Muse's back, Duntsch left surgical hardware floating between the spine and muscle tissue. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. They didn't have enough evidence to stop him because he hadn't done anything wrong yet. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! He is very caring and took the time to help me understand my pain issues. The True Story Of Christopher Duntsch, The Killer Surgeon Known As Dr. In addition, a neurosurgeon hired to review Brown's case found that Dr. Duntsch had misdiagnosed the source of her pain and was operating in the wrong place. However, St. Jude says there was no such program at the hospital. He was a genius. He decided to turn to neurosurgery, which can be a lucrative field. Christopher Daniel Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971, and raised alongside his three siblings in an affluent suburb of Memphis, Tennessee. Duntsch is a former Dallas neurosurgeon who, through . [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. Did Christopher Duntsch have a wife and kids? The sponge triggered a severe blood-borne infection that caused Glidewell to become septic. 'Dr. Death' Surgeon Killed or Maimed 33 of His Patients - Peoplemag Duntsch operated and flew out to Las Vegas without securing a call physician. I dont know if hes there to harm me or what his true intentions were, Wendy Young said of the harrowing alleged encounter with Christopher Duntsch. This is the True Story of 'Dr Death' Christopher Duntsch Your trust is important to us. Duntsch told Mayfield's wife it went well, but she instantly knew something was wrong as she walked into his room. One day, he happened to see a fax come in to the medical examiner's office. He is not eligible for parole until 2045, when he will be 74 years old. In a long running series of complaints, a Texas doctor has been found guilty of a felony in one medical malpractice case. During this time, he ran two successful labs and raised millions of dollars in grant funding. They created a method for culturing the stem cells of intervertebral discs outside of the body. One of the early investors in DiscGenics, Rand Page, said Duntsch would be mixing a vodka orange juice during their morning meetings. The problem was that Dallas Medical Center did not perform those or even have the proper equipment to do them. July 14, 2021. Duntsch pierced and blocked her vertebral artery with a misplaced screw and refused to stop despite the massive blood loss. Jerry Summers, who grew up with Christopher Duntsch in Tennessee, was left a quadriplegic after agreeing to let "Dr. Death" operate on his neck. A disc in his lower spine had blown out, and the pieces had to be picked out of the space above. In 2011, Christopher Duntsch met Wendy Young at the Beauty Shop bar in Memphis. Christopher Duntsch was sentenced to life in prison in February 2017 for his heinous acts. [8] Duntsch returned home to attend Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). Christopher Duntsch is confirmed to have injured 31 patients and killed two . [12], Initially, Duntsch focused heavily on the PhD half of his degree. As those watching the show know, Christopher was dubbed "Dr. Death" in D Magazine . [26][4], After leaving Dallas Medical Center, Duntsch received privileges at South Hampton Community Hospital in Dallas and also took a job at an outpatient clinic named Legacy Surgery Center (now Frisco Ambulatory Surgery Center) in Frisco. Jerry Summers, who grew up with Christopher Duntsch in Tennessee, was left a quadriplegic after agreeing to let "Dr. Death" operate on his neck. Kirby, Henderson, and another doctor decided to contact the district attorney, convinced that Duntsch's malpractice was so egregious it was criminal. Then check out the horrifying story of Simon Bramhall, a surgeon who admitted to burning his initials into patients livers. The charismatic neurosurgeon was actually a successful researcher before he starting killing people in the operating . Duntsch also received forty percent of all revenue he generated beyond $800,000 each year. 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. He was a forty-five-year-old man with typical back problems. Victim of Real-Life 'Dr. Death' Believes There Are Others - Yahoo! Kirby was shocked; he called the owner of University General and warned him that Duntsch would hurt someone, and the hospital would be over. Christopher Duntsch wrote that he was ready to become a "cold blooded killer". 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 . Fennell required months of rehabilitation to be able to walk with a cane, and was left unable to walk for more than 30 feet or stand for more than a few minutes without having to sit down again. Texas Medical Board "I called Dr. Duntsch up, and I said, 'I saw this online.' There are a lot of explanations proposed for why the real-life subject of Peacock's "Dr. Death" limited series, neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Duntsch (played by Joshua Jackson), maimed and . He proved to be Duntsch's last surgery; University General pushed him out soon afterward. 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. During a deposition, Megan Krane recalled Duntsch eating a paper blotter of LSD and taking prescription painkillers on his birthday. B. Ellis Unit outside Huntsville. He thought surgery might give him some relief and stop his need for drugs. Dhruv Trivedi. The Dallas district attorney's office subpoenaed every hospital on Duntsch's CV for records of his surgeries. In February 2012, he went under the knife for an elective spinal fusion surgery. '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. Dr. Death is based on the podcast of the same name, produced by Wondery. The pressure was building inside her brain. To see the rest of Dr. Christopher Duntsch's murder and maiming spree, and the fight to stop him, you'll need to purchase Peacock premium. Duntsch stuffed a surgical sponge in Glidewell's throat to stanch the bleeding. Troy was sedated for weeks and forced to eat through a feeding tube because food was getting into her lungs. Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Policy | Compact with Texans | Website Linking Policy; Please contact Pre-Licensure, Registration and Consumer Services at . Homesick, Duntsch left Colorado after a year and transferred to Memphis State University, now the University of Memphis. [16] In 2021, he was profiled on CNBC's American Greed. Morguloff sought a second opinion on his excruciating pain from Dr. Michael Desaloms. [16][24] Henderson described Duntsch's surgery as an "assault", and concluded that Efurd would have been bedridden had the salvage surgery not been performed. During his short tenure, he spent little time in the operating room. Thankfully, this ended up being Dr. Christopher Duntsch's last operation. For the last three days, jurors listened to testimony in the . Henderson and Kirby feared that Duntsch could move and theoretically get a medical license in another state. At the time, Duntsch was looking for operating prospects in Dallas, San Diego, and New York. Written by Patrick Macmanus, the show will only be available exclusively on Peacock. On December 30, 2011, Duntsch operated on Lee Passmore. MISI representatives stated he would brag about his capabilities and be critical of the work of other surgeons. Duntschs career started off bright. Baylor Plano again ordered Duntsch to take a drug test. The first season of Dr. Death, which launched in 2018 and ran for seven episodes, examined the life and horrific crimes of Christopher Duntsch. The first screening came back diluted with tap water, but a second, taken a few days later, came back clean. This case was filed in Dallas County District Courts, Dallas County Civil District Courts located in Dallas, Texas. The two soon began dating and moving in together within three months. He knew this couldn't have been a one-time mistake. The Peacock originalDr Deathis based on atrue story. He then packed it with too much of a substance intended to stop the bleeding. If Baylor Plano or Dallas Medical had reported him to the Texas Medical Board or the National Practitioner Databank, hiring personnel would have been notified something was wrong. He said even a person with the most basic sense of human anatomy would know they were operating in the wrong area. However, he ignored them and proceeded with his scheduled surgery on Efurd. When Henderson opened the freshly made incisions on her, he was appalled. Glidewell is still in constant pain and has undergone more than 50 procedures to correct the damage left by Duntsch. He later appealed his case, but lost when his conviction was upheld 2-1 in the Fifth District Court of Appeals . He didn't contact a lawyer, although he struggled with the decision. After his license was revoked,Duntsch fled from Texas. 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 did not respond to messages from the hospital for a few hours, then the next day scheduled an elective surgery on Efurd rather than care for Brown. Lazar was scathingly critical of Duntsch's work. However, on January 6, 2012, a week after the surgery, Dr. Duntsch performed another operation on Passmore. She said she thought that he was going to make millions, Kimberly Morgan's friend once said her attraction to Christopher Duntsch. Young let him buy her an appletini, and they felt a connection; eventually, she went home with Duntsch. Listen to Dr. Death | S1: Dr. Duntsch on TuneIn Prosecutors put a high priority on that charge, as it provided the widest sentencing range, with Duntsch facing up to life in prison if convicted. It was then that Christopher decided to switch his career to medicine. DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch has been sentenced to life in prison for a series of botched spinal surgeries, reports CBS . His resume looked brilliant on paper," journalistMatt Goodman said of Christopher Duntsch's ability to continue to gain employment at Texas hospitals despite a deadly track record. [4] [19], Despite both of his surgeries at Dallas Medical Center going catastrophically awry, hospital officials did not report him to the NPDB. Dubbed "Dr. Death," the case gained national attention, revealing 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. 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. Where Is Christopher Duntsch's Wife Wendy Renee Young Now? He will be up for parole in 2045, when he is 74 years old. Death'? Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Dr Deathis a new limited series about the rise and fall of Duntsch. Baylor officials took Summers' accusation seriously and ordered Duntsch to take a drug test. Had Duntsch been fired, Baylor Plano would have been required to report him to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), which is intended to flag problematic physicians. Out of his 38 surgeries, only three had no complications. Every victim deserves to have their story told, and unfortunately, Christopher Duntsch, aka Dr. Death, has 33. 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. Vaccinated people who catch Covid are reporting unique symptoms - the 4 signs to watch for, Man, 34, charged with murder after woman, 63, killed in house fire as family vow 'you'll never be forgotten', Six dead after private jet crashes and explodes in fireball between two houses sparking forest blaze near golf course. His father, Donald, was a physical therapist and Christian missionary. Morgan didn't follow Duntsch after he left, however. 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. He might have been fired from the Institute but was still a surgeon at Baylor Plano. [30], Henderson and Kirby feared that Duntsch could move elsewhere and still theoretically get a medical license.