[36] On February 20, 2017, he was sentenced to life in prison. [4], After 13 days of trial, the jury needed only four hours to convict him for the maiming of Efurd. The original patent still holds, and hopefully, Discgenics would be able to break out of the Dr. Death shadow todo some real anti-cancer work instead. [33][34] The indictments were made four months before the statute of limitations were to run out. Dr. Death, a.k.a. Let's delve into what made him tick, and how the medical community failed the victims of Dr. Christopher Daniel Duntsch. The fault also lies with the Texas law. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Christopher Duntsch - AKA Dr. Death - spent 18 months as a practicing surgeon at multiple Texas hospitals until he had his license revoked in 2013. Once he'd arrived in Dallas, it quickly became apparent Duntsch wasn't the hotshot surgeon he had claimed to be. 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. And who will Dr. Death be? The company, Discgenics, is still going, and still holds the patents, listingDuntsch, Ignatova, and Kukekov as the inventors. The good-looking but eerie Jamie Dornan. 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. In 2017, Duntsch was found guilty of gross negligence and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Was this a way of keeping the University of Tennessee's ranking up? But even that database is limited. He refused to acknowledge anything was wrong, hindering the, This page was last edited on 10 April 2023, at 11:28. Since receiving his life sentence, Dr Death is currently housed in the O.B. Now, we're learning more about the true story of this horrific tale with Peacock's Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story. His resume included a combined MD/PhD program and neurosurgical residency at The University of Tennessee at Memphis College of Medicine and was bolstered by a prestigious spine surgery fellowship in the city, a research patent under his name and published academic papers. Only time will tell story about Christopher Duntsch finally broke, discovered stem cells in human brain tumors, Duntsch, Ignatova, and Kukekov as the inventors, Neurosurgeon residents need to complete 1,000 surgeries, Page would see Duntsch mixing a vodka orange, At Health Grades Duntsch had 4.3 out of 5 stars, Dr. Robertson also gave Duntsch a great review, Attorney James Girards was representing Lee Passmore, one of the doctors he spoke to likened Duntsch to Hannibal Lecter, the school refused to verify or deny his claims, according to a report by the Dallas County prosecutors, According to the prosecutors, TMB had many complaints on file, irreparably damaged by Dr. Death's grievous malpractices, It took the Texas Medical Board one whole year to investigate, Henderson actually checked if Duntsch was a real doctor with The University of Tennessee, Hospitals are liable only if the plaintiff can prove that the hospital was also malicious, the same law also helps these very hospitals, For the DA though she proved to be a good witness, A string of arrests for DWI, shoplifting, and more followed, Becker's Hospital Review covered the 13 worst physicians of 2017, as named by Medscape, Dr. Death is now also going to be a TV show, Will it help patients protect their rights. "[4] The Texas Medical Board revoked Duntsch's license on December 6, 2013. The COO had accused Duntsch of violating his fiduciary duty to the company and of misappropriating funds. Soon though, red flags began to pop up. On July 24, 2012, Duntsch operated on Floella Brown, 64, a banker about to retire after a long career. This way hisrecordin the national data bank remained spotless and he quickly moved on to Dallas Medical Center, where he was recruited to work just three months after leaving Baylor-Plano. The hospital also instructed Duntsch to only perform minor procedures, but his next surgery had an even more catastrophic outcome. The very first complaint should have triggered an investigation. Meanwhile, his patients kept suffering, and dying, in his OR. Many doctors indeed believe that Duntsch knew what he was doing they said its like he knew what to do and did the exact opposite. Many ofDuntsch's patient-turned-victims filed malpractice suits, according to Dallas News. Probably not, Robb added. My take on it is, for him, it was hubris, Jackson mused. Mary Efurd was one of these victims; she underwent surgery to treat her back pain in July 2012 but instead suffered an irreparable spinal cord injury that left her permanently paralyzed from the neck down. Not only did he harm his patients, but he kept trying to practice. ", "Greg Abbott Enters Fray in Lawsuits Involving "Sociopath" Doctor", "Abbott sides with Baylor hospital in neurosurgeon lawsuit", "Who Are Robert Henderson And Randall Kirby, The Surgeons Who Tried To Stop 'Dr. (But he was clearly poorly trained with an ego the size of Tennessee). A lot of people seem to think its a mix between narcissism and inadequacy. [4] [19], Despite both of his surgeries at Dallas Medical Center going catastrophically awry, hospital officials did not report him to the NPDB. A string of arrests for DWI, shoplifting, and more followed. The statute of limitations made them base their case on only six victims. Duntsch could have turned it into something good and meaningful. (And if you want to dive even deeper into the story, you can also watch the new docuseries "Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story" on Peacock, which features interviews with numerous people intimately involved in the case.). His investors took him to court. Over this period, Duntsch performed back surgeries that left his patients in a worse condition, paralyzed, or deceased. Premise: Based on the podcast of the same name, the limited series tells the true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch (Joshua Jackson), a Dallas surgeon who left more than 30 patients dead or permanently injured until two doctors (Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater) and an Assistant District Attorney (AnnaSophia Robb) work to stop him. [9][10], Duntsch had severed Brown's vertebral artery, and refused to abort despite the massive blood loss. According to the Texas Observer, one of Duntsch's first botched surgeries took place in January 2012 and led to bone fragments from the patient's vertebrae getting lodged in the nerves of his back. So I feel like it was like a mixture of drugs, I think hubris, I think narcissism I dont think he was a good doctor. I have one last thing to remind the Texas Medical Boardyour mission is to protect the publicDr. He decided to turn to neurosurgery, which can be a lucrative field. In the case of Dr. Out July 15, Dr. Death introduces viewers to Christopher Duntsch, a real-life Texas-based surgeon who in 2017 was sentenced to life in prison after maiming and even killing almost all of the nearly 40 patients he operated on between 2011 and 2013. The Hippocratic Oath is sworn by all doctors and binds them to do no harm. A husband and wife pair of Russian stem cell scientists, Valery Kukekov and Tatyana Ignatova entered the picture. Duntsch had completed a combined MD/PhD program and neurosurgical residency at The University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis, finished a prestigious spinalsurgery fellowship in the city, and even had patents and academic papers in his name. According to Rosenblum, Jerry Summers had forgiven Chris Duntsch several years prior to his death. Prior to his criminal charges, he was running research labs and was considered to be an up-and-coming neurosurgeon. Between 2011 and 2013, Christopher Duntsch operated on 37 patients in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A TV dramatization series of the same name is set to debut on Peacock in 2021. There are 31 people left alive today, irreparably damaged by Dr. Death's grievous malpractices. They have two sons. Out of his 38 surgeries, only three had no complications. 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. You can get access to the first three episodes of Dr. Death with Peacocks free tier. Swango is estimated to have been involved in as many as 60 fatal poisonings of patients and colleagues, though he admitted to causing only four deaths. [38], Duntsch is housed at the O. Anyone close to me thinks that I likely am something between God, Einstein and the Antichrist, he once wrote in a 2011 email, according to American Greed.Because how can I do anything I want and cross every discipline boundary like its a playground and never lose.. Floella Brown went under Dr. Death's knife in July 2012 and shortly after her surgery, she suffered a massive stroke caused by Duntsch slicing her vertebral artery during surgery. [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. The next year, in 2006, Duntsch became more money-minded. ", "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. The defamed doctor is the subject of the March 25 episode of Dr. Phil.Viewers will get to hear from one of his surviving victims, and from . Dr Duntsch participated in fewer than 100 surgeries during his residency, which is significantly less than the number of surgeries typically performed by neurosurgery residents. But I think whats terrifying for me, as an audience member, is like, how did you get away with it for so long? Duntsch ended up slicing her vertebral artery, stopping blood and oxygen flow to her brain. ", "Doctor Guilty of Felony Medical Malpractice", "Disciplinary actions against doctors have plunged during the pandemic, but that doesn't mean they are behaving", "An Update on Dr. Death Victim Philip Mayfield", "Jeff Glidewell Today: Where Is Dr. Death's Last Patient Now? A bold pronouncement, yet after just one sloppy, dangerous surgery, Hoyle vowednever to work with Duntsch again. I think everybody in the OR became pretty concerned because Dr. Duntsch was pulling a lot of muscle tissue out of Jerrys neck and there was just a lot of bleeding, Shughart, (portrayed in the series byAnnaSophia Robb), said of the surgery. In a 2018 Reddit AMA, one user asked her, In your opinion, was Duntsch really a cold-blooded killer like he wrote in his email, or was he a poorly and undertrained drugged-up neurosurgeon with an ego the size of Tennessee?. Will it help patients protect their rights? If you want to unlock all of the content Peacock has to offer, you can upgrade your account to Peacock Premium at $4.99 a month or $49.99 per year. Between 2010, when he began his surgery practice, and 2013, Duntsch, then in his early forties, performed many operations that resulted in severe injury or death. Death, Surgery Records, Conjoined Twins Abby and Brittany Hensel Decide on Procreation, Danny DeVito Short Statures Is Not A Hindrance to Success, Mayim Bialik Talks About Prader-Willi Syndrome. Surprisingly, his superiors at The University of Tennessee also gave him glowing reviews. Dallas County The final episode of. But I think it speaks to the inequality of who is in power in these bureaucratic institutions where it has to be like two top surgeons who go after him nonstop, putting their necks out, who have to get the government involved, rather than just like a nurse who knows whats up just saying, This didnt go well, and they could just be fired without consequence.. After learning thatDuntsch had continued to botch procedures at other facilities, Kirby packaged up a review of five of his cases and sent a desperate plea to the medical board. [6], Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana and spent most of his youth in Memphis, Tennessee. It stars Joshua Jackson as Duntsch, Alec Baldwin as Robert Henderson, Christian Slater as Randall Kirby and AnnaSophia Robb as Michelle Shughart. Saul Elbein writes in the Texas Observer that Dr. Hendersonsent him a recording of his complaint to the Texas Medical Board. Duntsch was told to take a drug test but disappeared instead. And Patrick [Macmanus, the Dr. Toby Shook, a Dallas defense attorney, gave a statement toDallas Magazine:"I cannot recall a physician being indicted for aggravated assault for acts committed during surgery. This is notably weird, considering Christopher Duntsch trained underDr. Boop, so you'd assume that theyoperated together as part of the whole learning surgery process. Attorney James Girards was representing Lee Passmore, one of Duntsch's victims and reached out to her. This lawsuit was eventually settled out of court in 2013. Becker's Hospital Review covered the 13 worst physicians of 2017, as named by Medscape. Because of a valuable patent the company owned, they let him through the gates and out into the world. The life in prison sentence was a deathblow to Duntsch, who, according to his father, was now a humbled man who had lost everything. I dont think thats a doctor who doesnt know what hes doing. Due to the debilitating pain, Fennell later had a second operation by Duntsch to relieve it, and was left significantly paralyzed in his legs. Death Showrunner Breaks Down Turning Hit Podcast Into New Drama Series On Peacock, AnnaSophia Robb Stars In New Series Dr. The patients on Botched get an appearance fee and their costs are handled by the show, he noted. For instance, he upbraided him for missing the signs that Martin was bleeding out, saying that, "You can't not know [that] and be a neurosurgeon. Christopher Duntsch, the focus of Peacock's true crime series Dr. Death, looked good on paper.When he arrived in Dallas in late 2010, Duntsch's resume spoke of a skilled neurosurgeon: An M.D. [8] Duntsch returned home to attend Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). For instance, he came to work wearing the same tattered scrubs for three days in a row. Hospital officials were exasperated when Duntsch refused to delay Efurd's surgery, and asked him multiple times to care for Brown or transfer her out of his care. Thats almost like, Hey, lets just see what happens. So I just dont know.. What happened to Christopher Duntsch? After a lengthy investigation by the Texas Medical Board and the Dallas County District Attorneys Office, Dr. Duntsch was arrested on August 19th, 2015 and charged with five counts of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury. From celebrity gossip to healthy living tips and from new technologies to educational resources - we have it all! They go, We met the funniest, funniest doctor in Newport Beach,' the newlywed surgeon once shared. You'd think that a surgeon who was this bad would have some mud spattered on him on the internet. School librarian Kellie Martin, 55, died during a routine back operation after Duntsch punctured a blood vessel. 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. The Incredible Genetic Trait Childbearing Hips. 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. [9] Duntsch's defense blamed their client's actions on poor training and lack of oversight by the hospitals. As Dr. Dubrow made clear in a 2015 interview with Allure, he and his partner in crime dont work for free on Botched, particularly as it takes up so much of their time. Was he intentionally harming people, or was he just that inadequate of a doctor? Muse woke up in considerable pain, but Duntsch convinced him it was normal. He is not eligible for parole until 2045, when he will be 74 years old. I really wish I knew she said. He also reported shooting pains throughout his body. Dr. Christopher Duntsch, a formr nurse practitioner in Dallas, Texas, was found guilty of maiming his elderly patient Mary Efurd and was sentenced to life in prison in February 2017. 33 of his surgeries went horribly wrong. Duntsch is a clear and present danger to the citizens of Texas.. [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. The difference between Season 6 and the other seasons is it took me more than one surgery on several of the patients to get them fixed. Now keep in mind, Morgan herself was at the wrong end of some of these suits. 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. Seven more doctors voiced complaints before TMB finally canceled Dr. Death's license. 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. Since no one else knew what was wrong, they couldn't save her. Death: The Undoctored Story launches July 29. In February 2021, he passed away from an infection connected to a cervical fusion surgery that he underwent one decade prior. Martin paid with her lifebecause her doctor was too proud to say he screwed up. He was even more certain of his brilliance at the end than he was at the beginning, Joshua Jackson tells TheWrap, (Warning: This post contains spoilers through the finale of Peacocks Dr. 38. His very first operation at the hospital would once again turn deadly. The Texas Medical Board launched an investigation and found that Duntsch was performing unnecessary and risky procedures on his patients without informing them of the potential risks and complications. I can tell you that, with the intention of allowing audiences to come to their own conclusions, my conclusion is that Christopher is an extraordinarily complex and tragic figure. At Health Grades Duntsch had 4.3 out of 5 stars, "above [the] national average." The Wondery podcast Dr. Death broke down Duntsch's career and his various crimes. B. Ellis Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville. The world at large may have never heard of Dr. Death but for Laura Beil. Dr. Christopher Duntsch seemed to be a successful neurosurgeon in the Dallas area. During his residency program for neurosurgery, he completed fewer than 100 surgeries despite the expected 1,000 operations for a typical resident. The deal required Duntsch to gain privileges at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano. It would take years for a few dedicated whistle blowers to finally expose him. Baylor asked him to resign immediately. And scary as it may seem, it's only when we listen to podcasts like these, do we realize the reality of medical horror stories. And professional marketing videos got him ready and willing patients. However, by the time he met Young, Duntsch was over $500,000 in debt. [19] Prosecutors sought a sentence long enough to ensure that Duntsch would never be able to practice medicine again. Duntsch suggested drilling a hole in Brown's head to relieve the pressure, but was refused permission. [40][41] On May 8, 2019, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refused Duntschs petition for discretionary review. Ignatova believes this to be deliberate. Did Dr Duntsch have any successful surgeries? Neurosurgeon residents need to complete 1,000 surgeries as training requirements. This very friend would later end up a quadriplegic under Duntsch's weapon of a scalpel. "[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. The docuseries aims to show the real people who were harmed by Dr. Death, some of whom are still alive today to share their stories. She was deposed over Skype since, at the time, she was stationed with the Air Force in the Middle East. However, the procedure resulted in catastrophic consequences; Summers suffered a vertebral artery dissection that caused paralysis from the neck down and left him a quadriplegic. [36][11][9] For the same reason, prosecutors opted to try Duntsch for Efurd's maiming first. The Dallas County DA, along with fighting against these very laws, was also running out of time. The real question isn't why Dr. Duntsch did what he did. The damage is irreversible. He later recalled that he read about Martin's death on the day before the surgery, but Duntsch cursed him out when he called to ask about it. Your email address will not be published. Welcome to H-O-M-E.org, your one stop shop for all the best in entertainment, movies, music, celebrities, health, lifestyle, sports, technology and education. 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. Death, Surgery Records. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. And there were plenty of other signs as well. [38] Shughart countered that the 2011 email, sent after his first surgeries went wrong, proved that Duntsch knew his actions were intentional. Only three of Duntsch's surgeries were performed with no complications. Christopher Duntsch, also known as Dr. [35], The last charge was for the maiming and paralyzing of Efurd. In 2017, he was convicted on five counts of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and sentenced to life in prison. Ellis Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville and will not be eligible for parole until he is 74 years old in 2045. If youre a big fan of NBCs stable of shows, want to catch up on some past hit movies or just dont want to shell out the cash for Netflix or Hulu, the free version of Peacock is great. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Sadly, being moral and good aren't therequisites schools need to let someone become a doctor. [19][25][7] She later recalled waking up feeling "excruciating pain", a "ten-plus" on a scale of 1 to 10. Duntsch was granted temporary surgical privileges at Dallas Medical Center, while hospital officials waited for his medical records to arrive from his former post. He then packed it with too much of a substance intended to stop the bleeding. An Analysis of Christopher Duntsch, Dr. Muse spiraled into opioid addiction that cost him his wife and his job. My take on it is, for him, it was hubris, Jackson told TheWrap. In 2014, they performed a complicated spinal fusion surgery on Glidewell, which ultimately ended up being Dr. Duntschs final surgery before he was arrested and charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault. But the same law also helps these very hospitals in keeping doctor credentials confidential. For the DA though she proved to be a good witness. 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. 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. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Twins Ava Marie And Leah Rose In Profile, The Link Between B Complex Vitamins and Anxiety Examined, Khalil Paynes Redemption: Black Lightnings Heartbreaking Finale. Yes, Christopher Duntsch had a medical degree. 33 of his 37 surgeries were botched, with two dead and 31 injured for life. Christopher Duntsch, also known as "Dr. Death," was a neurosurgeon from Dallas, Texas who had a promising career in medicine until it took a disastrous turn. There are some who believe that he never wanted to be in the ORat all. 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. While applying to Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano, TX, Duntsch also provided Dr. Jon Robertson as a reference. Another was rendered a quadriplegic and died a decade later from a related infection. Christopher Duntsch, also known as Dr. According to an article by WFAA, Christopher Duntsch's father Don stated his son had called him, completely beside himself, when he botched several surgeries. "[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. What turned Dr. Christopher Duntsch into Dr. Death? How many people did Christopher Duntsch kill? Had he been fired, that would have been reportable to the national data bank, so he was able to circumvent a major safety feature in the system, neurosurgeon Dr. Martin Lazar told American Greed.. He now remains in prison and is incarcerated at the at O. [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. One such recommendation came from the surgeon under whom Duntsch completed his residency, Dr. Frederick Boop. At The University of Tennessee, his supervisors were also investors in Duntsch's company, Discgenics. It was as if he knew everything to do, Henderson, (played by Alec Baldwin in the Peacock series) toldProPublica, and then hed done virtually everything wrong.. Base compensation was $600,000 a year for two years, beginning on June 14, 2011. When the Texas Medical Board revoked his license, Duntsch's reign of surgical terror had run its course. Your email address will not be published. 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. This all happened despite numerous complaints from surgeons and patients, as well as allegations of drug and alcohol abuse. At any given moment in doing the reporting, I had a different answer. "Dr. Death"and the companion docuseries "Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story" are both available to stream on Peacock now. He later appealed his case, but lost when his conviction was upheld 2-1 in the Fifth District Court of Appeals . After seeing the damage that Duntsch had done to Glidewell, Randall Kirby and Dr. Robert Henderson were called in to repair the damage. 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. Once back in the operating room, his work resulted in the same deadly consequences, according to Texas Medical Board records. While some called his eventual downfall greed-related, who knows what evil the human mind is capable of. Duntsch is a former neurosurgeon born in 1971 in Montana . But as the ultimate betrayal, some doctors violate this code of conduct in the worst possible ways. And of course, there are many in the medical field who go above and beyond the call of duty. Strangely enough, Dr. Boop also mentioned, "I have not operated with Chris." You can also watchAmerican Greedon CNBC, and Oxygen's own "License to Kill," which profiled Duntsch's deadly malpractice. During this time period, he was accused of recklessly endangering the lives of at least 33 patients, causing serious injury to five patients, and killing two others through his negligent care. When Henderson saw the imaging from Duntsch's surgery, he was certain that there would be legal action, and had the salvage surgery recorded. ), As Dr. [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. He is a graduate of Evangelical Christian School in the Cordova suburb of Memphis, where he starred in football.[7]. Dr. Christopher Duntsch came to Texas with an impressive resume. [48], In 2019, Duntsch was the focus of the premiere episode of License to Kill, Oxygen's series on criminal medical professionals.
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