Duntsch had also installed hardware into her muscle, not her bone, so loose that it moved when you touched it. He avoided it and disappeared for several days. Wendy Young had just given birth to their son and lived there with him. (Dallas County Jail via AP) Gift Article. Christopher Duntsch, once a supremely confident neurosurgeon with a solid rsum and a wealth of potential, fled town in disgrace last year under a scalding cascade . Duntsch continued to medicate Morguloff with prescription pain killers and ignored the change in his condition. He is currently appealing this sentence. Prosecutors also faulted Duntsch's employers for not reporting him. The staff told Duntsch that Brown, his patient from the day before, was in critical condition. Did Christopher Duntsch have a wife and kids? However, it wasn't clear how much training Duntsch received. He wanted to become a doctor, and not just any doctor - a neurosurgeon, operating on injured backs and necks. 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. At the time of their meeting, Young was working as a dancer in a strip club. In December 2012, Jacqueline Troy was left barely able to speak above a whisper after Duntsch cut her vocal cords and one of her arteries. 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. Christopher Duntsch. 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. The Dallas district attorney's office subpoenaed every hospital on Duntsch's CV for records of his surgeries. [23][19][24], While operating on Efurd, Duntsch severed one of her nerve roots during spinal fusion surgery while operating on the wrong portion of her back, twisted a screw into another nerve, left screw holes on the opposite side of her spine, failed to remove the disc he was supposed to remove, and left surgical hardware in her muscle tissue so loose that it moved when touched. [30], Henderson and Kirby feared that Duntsch could move elsewhere and still theoretically get a medical license. 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. Getty Dr. Duntsch, aka "Dr. Death", operated on his last patient in 2013, before he was arrested. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Mayfield was taken to a different hospital and told his spinal cord had already been deformed, and the damage was irreversible. The series peers into the torturous crimes of . DiscGenics says its mission is toimprove the lives of those suffering from the debilitating effects of degenerative diseases of the spine. [7] He lasted for less than a week before administrators pulled his privileges after the death of a patient, Floella Brown, and the maiming of another, Mary Efurd. On top of this, he misspelled both Kukekov and Ignatova's names. ", "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. [35], The last charge was for the maiming and paralyzing of Efurd. And its all because of one surgeon named Christopher Duntsch a.k.a. Then, on July 24, 2012, he operated on Floella Brown. Duntsch's next stop was at Dallas Medical Center. 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. [4], Longtime spine surgeon Robert Henderson performed the salvage surgery on Efurd. 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 didn't have enough evidence to stop him because he hadn't done anything wrong yet. 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.". Trusty would later find out there was no award and it had just been a paid advertisement. On November 7, 2011, Dr. Duntsch was scheduled to perform his first surgery at Baylor Plano on Kenneth Fennell for his back pain. In May 2013, Dr. Randall Kirby was invited to a dinner by University General Hospital to meet their new neurosurgeon, Dr. Duntsch. She had suffered from lower back pain for years and was referred to Duntsch by her pain management doctor. Once, he stopped by to pick up some paperwork. My experience with this doctor has been great. The charismatic neurosurgeon was actually a successful researcher before he starting killing people in the operating . He was tragically mistaken. However, he ignored them and proceeded with his scheduled surgery on Efurd. Duntsch continued operating despite clear signs that Martin was losing massive amounts of blood. 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. He knew this couldn't have been a one-time mistake. His first and only surgery with MISI was on a Thursday in September 2011 at Baylor Plano. Dr. Death in surgery. July 19, 2021. Morgan didn't follow Duntsch after he left, however. [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. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Duntsch initially attended Millsaps College to play Division III college football, and later transferred to Division I Colorado State University. The explanation was enough to satisfy Muse. 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.". (The Associated Press) A Texas neurosurgeon branded a "sociopath" by his colleagues could be facing 99 years in prison over multiple charges of intentionally botching . For 33 patients of Texas neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, it was a reality. In 2005, about a third of the way through his residency, department chairman Dr. Jon Robertson appointed Duntsch program director of the school's tissue bank. He earned his M.D. Duntsch boasted to his assistant and mistress, Kimberly Morgan, that he was " ready to leave the love and kindness and goodness and patience that I mix with everything else that I am and become a cold-blooded killer." 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 . Just one day after his suspension had ended, Duntsch operated on Kellie Martin. Jeff Glidewell came across Dr. Christopher Duntsch in 2013 while searching for a neurosurgeon . 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. 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 . Page opened a desk drawer and saw a mirror with a pile of cocaine and a rolled-up dollar bill on top. [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. Advertisements. Many of his patients suffered severe spinal cord damage, resulting in paralysis and pain severe enough to render painkillers ineffective. August 28, 2013, 2:01 . 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.. Christopher Duntsch Early Life Story, Family Background and Education. Of those 38, 31 were leftparalyzed or seriously injured and two of them died from surgical complications. During his surgery, Duntsch didnt installed the necessary hardware to Muses spine and instead had left it floating between the spine and muscle tissue. He was sent to a program for impaired physicians when he returned but was allowed to finish his residency. Dr. Death, read about how reckless surgeon Robert Liston killed his patient and two bystanders. On April 9, 2013, Phillip Mayfield was scheduled to have a simple 45-minute operation to alleviate his back pain. Anatomy of a Tragedy. [4][49], Last edited on 14 February 2023, at 04:48, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center Plano, Texas District and County Attorneys Association, "Dr. Duntsch defense expert: "The only way this happens is the entire system fails the patients", "Plano Doctor Suspended After Two Patient Deaths", "Former Neurosurgeon Faces Life In Prison After Guilty Verdict", "What Was Dr. Christopher Duntsch's Background And Why Were People So Impressed With The Man Later Known As 'Dr. 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. However, things soon went south. 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. [3], Duntsch was accused of injuring 33 out of 38 patients in less than two years before his license was revoked by the Texas Medical Board. Every victim deserves to have their story told, and unfortunately, Christopher Duntsch, aka Dr. Death, has 33. Christopher Duntsch wrote that he was ready to become a "cold blooded killer". B. Ellis Unit outside Huntsville. When he woke, he could not move anything on the right side of his body. Now, one of the several complaints against the . In November 2011, he was hooked on the prescription opiates that numbed the pain in his lower back. Cheney recalled wondering why a neurosurgeon with such outstanding credentials would be operating at a lower-tiered hospital on the way to his surgery. Having exhausted his football eligibility, Duntsch decided to switch to a career in medicine. Duntsch recommended fusing Morguloff's L5-S1 vertebrae, and the surgery was scheduled for January 11, 2012. "[4] The Texas Medical Board revoked Duntsch's license on December 6, 2013. From 2017: https://bit.ly/3hXJccx ", "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. Then came the fax, and he saw Duntsch's name next to Kellie Martin's. The board called in veteran neurosurgeon Martin Lazar to review the case. An investigator by trade and nature, Passmore started digging into Dr. Christopher Duntsch. The two went back to Duntsch's home and danced under a disco ball he had in his office. [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. [6], Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana and spent most of his youth in Memphis, Tennessee. But, she never reported Duntsch up the ladder or told anyone about the horrors she witnessed in the operating room. They met with an assistant DA but got little traction. Duntsch had his surgical rights temporarily suspended after his botched surgery on Summers and his first patient back was 55-year-old Kellie Martin. 5 of Dallas County (opinion)", "Texas Court of Appeals Affirms Conviction of 'Dr. Before his license was revoked by the Texas Medical Board, he was accused of injuring 33 out of 38 . Following his blunders, Duntsch resigned from Baylor Plano in April 2012 before they could fire him. ", "Plano's Baylor hospital faces hard questions after claims against former neurosurgeon", "Barry Morguloff's suit against the Baylor Health Care System", "Was Wendy Renee Young Dr. Death's Wife? One of the patients who suffered disastrous consequences was Jerry Summers, the boyfriend of Megan Kane and a friend of Christopher Duntsch. 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. He was left with only one vocal cord, permanent damage to his esophagus, and partial paralysis on his left side. He will be up for parole in 2045, when he is 74 years old. Glidewell was left with only one vocal cord, permanent damage to his esophagus and partial paralysis on his left side. Duntsch pierced and blocked her vertebral artery with a misplaced screw and refused to stop despite the massive blood loss. "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. Robert Lowes. 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. 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. 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. Despite all of this, Duntsch was retained by South Hampton when new owners bought it and renamed it University General Hospital. But, he can only walk 30 feet at a time and cannot stand for more than a few minutes. He will not be eligible for parole until 2045, when he will be 74-years-old. 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. "It's a miracle," she said in the infomercial later promoted on his website. He thought surgery might give him some relief and stop his need for drugs. [38] Shughart countered that the 2011 email, sent after his first surgeries went wrong, proved that Duntsch knew his actions were intentional. Wendy Renee Young and Christopher Duntsch first met in 2011 at a Beauty Shop bar in Memphis. Efurd eventually gained back some control and mobility, but she now uses a wheelchair and suffers chronic pain. The story of Dr. Death, Christopher Duntsch, feels like something out of a movie or book. Kirby, Henderson, and another doctor decided to contact the district attorney, convinced that Duntsch's malpractice was so egregious it was criminal. Kirby warned him again that it was only a matter of time. Peacock's new grisly drama tells the real-life story of Dallas-area neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch, who killed or maimed more than 30 patients in the 2010s. by Saul Elbein. Martin would become Duntschs first casualty when she bled out in intensive care unit after her relatively common procedure. Why do Slipknot wear masks and what do they look like without? A few days later, he took the test and passed. CHRISTOPHER Duntsch, is infamously known as Dr Death for gross malpractice. 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. Before he was "Dr. Death" on Wondery's hit 2018 podcast, disgraced former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch was a student at Colorado State University. He had complex regional pain syndrome, a rare type of chronic pain that caused his skin to blister and peel off. The first screening came back diluted with tap water, but a second, taken a few days later, came back clean. After his license was revoked,Duntsch fled from Texas. The day after Mary Efurd's surgery, she awoke in excruciating pain and could not turn over or wiggle her toes. At the time, Duntsch was looking for operating prospects in Dallas, San Diego, and New York. [38][39] On December 10, 2018, the Texas Court of Appeals affirmed Duntsch's conviction by a 21 split decision.