But soon his patients started to experience complications, and the system failed to protect them. 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 was smart. [7] He likened what he found when he opened Efurd up to the results of a child playing with Tinkertoys or an erector set. He was left with pain so debilitating he could not work any longer and now spends most of his days at home. By this time, Jerry Summers, his childhood friend, had moved from Tennessee to live with Duntsch. He wrote grants and secured more than $3 million in funding. The two soon began dating and moving in together within three months. 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. Henderson and Kirby feared that Duntsch could move and theoretically get a medical license in another state. Wendy Renee Young and Christopher Duntsch first met in 2011 at a Beauty Shop bar in Memphis. The Texas Medical Board would later conclude that Brown died of excessive blood loss and a stroke, according to The Texas Observer . [4], Early in his tenure at Baylor Plano, Duntsch made a poor impression on his fellow surgeons. Kirby, Henderson, and another doctor decided to contact the district attorney, convinced that Duntsch's malpractice was so egregious it was criminal. Philip Mayfield, one of Christopher Duntschs patients, who was paralyzed after his surgery. [4] [19], Despite both of his surgeries at Dallas Medical Center going catastrophically awry, hospital officials did not report him to the NPDB. He didn't contact a lawyer, although he struggled with the decision. 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. Where is Michelle Shughart Now? - The Cinemaholic Before his license was revoked by the Texas Medical Board, he was accused of injuring 33 out of 38 . Christopher Daniel Duntsch (born April 3, 1971)[1] is a former American neurosurgeon who has been nicknamed Dr. D. and Dr. Death[2] for gross malpractice resulting in the maiming of several patients' spines and two deaths while working at hospitals in the DallasFort Worth metroplex. Officers took him to a nearby psychiatric hospital. In the end, Floella Brown never regained consciousness because Duntsch refused to transfer her to another doctor in time, and her family had to remove her from life support. Ghostbar, Dragonfly at Hotel Zaza. After intense rehab and his determination, eventually, he was able to use a walker and cane to mobilize himself. 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. [7], While in Memphis, Duntsch began a long-term relationship with Wendy Renee Young. According to D Magazine, Duntsch did so well in medical school that he was allowed to join the prestigiousAlpha Omega Medical Honor Society. [14] He persuaded Young to come with him; Young agreed, since she had grown up in the Dallas area. 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. Patient paralyzed by Dr. Death 'guarantees' there are other surgeons The series peers into the torturous crimes of . Who Were The Victims Of Dr. Christopher Duntsch? | True Crime Buzz Christopher Duntsch. Unfortunately, when Morguloff woke up, he began to experience continuous pain, paresthesia, and loss of sensation in his left leg. Former teammates later said that, while Duntsch trained hard, he lacked talent at the game. Joshua Jackson Is Game, but 'Dr. Death' Lacks Insight: TV - Variety It's hard to find a lawyer willing to jump through these hoops no matter how negligent the doctor was, because Texas limits non-economic damages in most cases to $250,000 per doctor. Glidewell is still in constant pain and has undergone more than 50 procedures to correct the damage left by Duntsch. Then, on December 6, 2011, he operated on seventy-four-year-old Mary Efurd. Mayfield was taken to a different hospital and told his spinal cord had already been deformed, and the damage was irreversible. Duntsch filed a patent for the technology, and he listed himself as one of the inventors even though he had not discovered it. 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. Death'? "Christopher Duntsch, Texas Medical Board license number N8183, is an impaired physician, a sociopath, and must be stopped from practicing medicine." Robin Glidewell also sent a letter . Lazar was scathingly critical of Duntsch's work. 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. Everything went perfect in there." Duntsch also appears in no yearbooks during the time in which he says he earned his Ph.D. Peacock's Dr. Death is a chilling dramatization of the real-life story of former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch. In effect, plaintiffs have to prove a tough case without access to the necessary hospital records. Yet, in April 2012, he returned to work just four months after surgery. Christopher Duntsch, 44, faces up to life in prison if convicted. Baylor wanted Duntsch operating quickly and often so they could be reimbursed for the monies they had advanced to him. 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. Death.. February 22, 2017. Christopher Duntsch Texas True Crime Blog No diagnostic imaging studies were ordered, and no reasonable explanation was offered for his condition. He declared bankruptcy after listing debts of over $1 million. Finally, Dr. Kirby received a call from Hassan Chahadeh. He was a genius. Written by Patrick Macmanus, the show will only be available exclusively on Peacock. 2-Dr.Randall Kirby, a hero. Henderson sent Duntsch's picture to the University of Tennessee to determine whether he actually had a degree from that institution and received confirmation that Duntsch, in fact, did. 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. August 28, 2013, 2:01 . 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. When other doctors discovered the sponge, Duntsch refused to return to help remove it. He had complex regional pain syndrome, a rare type of chronic pain that caused his skin to blister and peel off. [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. Baylor suspended Duntsch, pictured, for a month. However, Duntsch was allowed to resign, and the hospital didn't notify the National Practitioner Data Bankagain. However, things soon went south. Christopher was raised along with his three younger siblings in a wealthy suburb in Memphis, Tennessee. [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. The television series Dr. Death based on the incident, began streaming on Peacock in July 2021. He was sent to a program for impaired physicians when he returned but was allowed to finish his residency. 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. Watch the trailer for Dr . Christopher Duntsch was a neurosurgeon who radiated confidence. He ran two labs, gained experience writing grants, and earned more than $3 million in funding for research projects. Dr. Henderson thought the operation on Mary Efurd was so botched that Christopher Duntsch had to be an imposter. In April 2015, Duntsch was arrested again for shoplifting $887 worth of merchandise from a Dallas Walmart. [7] While operating on Jacqueline Troy, Duntsch cut one of her vocal cords and an artery and also damaged her trachea. Passmore says if he settles, he is allowing the hospital to continue to get away with their negligence. Kissinger also noticed that Duntsch had pinpoint pupils and hardly seemed to blink. "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. Cheney recalled wondering why a neurosurgeon with such outstanding credentials would be operating at a lower-tiered hospital on the way to his surgery. Journalists must draw attention to the failures in the U.S. medical and legal systems that allowed Christopher Duntsch, the subject of journalist Laura Beil's well-regarded "Dr. Death" podcast series, to injure dozens of patients, members of an expert panel said at the "10 years after 'Dr. Death': Are patients any safer from bad doctors?" panel at Health Journalism 2022 in Austin. 12 Unnerving Facts About Dr. Death Christopher Duntsch - Ranker On top of this, he misspelled both Kukekov and Ignatova's names. The sponge triggered a severe blood-borne infection that caused Glidewell to become septic. His CV also conveyed he earned a Ph.D. in microbiology from St. Jude Children's Research Hospitals, graduating summa cum laude. Legacy Surgery Center in Frisco (now Frisco Ambulatory Surgery Center). However, he sewed up Glidewell with the sponge still in place despite others in the operating room warning him about it. In January 2013, Kenneth Fennell was scheduled for another operation because he was still experiencing extreme pain in his back. 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. is a beautiful and populous city located in Montana U.S. . Those words continue to haunt her, and she's tormented by the knowledge that her endorsement caused others to select Duntsch themselves. The hospital called Rimlawi when it couldn't reach his colleague. He was brilliant. Dr. Death: Disgraced surgeon at center of podcast, show has CSU roots Jerry Summers believed that his best friend Christopher Duntsch was a talented neurosurgeon who would cure his chronic neck pain. 'Dr. Death': Who Is Kim Morgan, and What Happened to Her? "It's on the butt cheek of his scrubs. 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. When he arrived, Nurse Kyle Kissinger spotted a hole in Duntsch's scrubs. Texas Doctor Found Guilty of Felony in Medical Malpractice Case Page opened a desk drawer and saw a mirror with a pile of cocaine and a rolled-up dollar bill on top. The show starsJoshua Jackson,Grace Gummer, AnnaSophia Robb,Christian SlaterandAlec Baldwin. [38][39] On December 10, 2018, the Texas Court of Appeals affirmed Duntsch's conviction by a 21 split decision. 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. He hoped to play football, but his multiple transfers revoked his eligibility. Anatomy of a Tragedy: The Story Behind 'Sociopath Surgeon' Christopher However, during training for neurosurgery he followed a research path and did fewer operations than most trainees. [35], The last charge was for the maiming and paralyzing of Efurd. 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. A spill of more than 500,000-gallons of crude oil from the Keystone Pipeline in December in Kansas was caused by a combination of a faulty weld and "bending stress fatigue" on the pipe, the . Death'? Dr. Death in surgery. Duntsch's next patient was Jeff Glidewell. Dr. Christopher D. Duntsch, Inactive - Plano, TX - RateMDs 11:15 PM on Mar 1, 2014 CST. 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. The case status is Disposed - Other Disposed. 'Dr. Death' Surgeon Killed or Maimed 33 of His Patients - Peoplemag Premiering Thursday on . Morguloff had become addicted to the pain killers being prescribed to him by this time. [31][16] The inquiry went nowhere until 2015, when the statute of limitations on any potential charges was due to run out. In May 2013, Dr. Randall Kirby was invited to a dinner by University General Hospital to meet their new neurosurgeon, Dr. Duntsch. As he lay there in agony, Duntsch was nowhere to be found. The explanation was enough to satisfy Muse. [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. ", "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? This case was filed in Dallas County District Courts, Dallas County Civil District Courts located in Dallas, Texas. Trusty would later find out there was no award and it had just been a paid advertisement. Morgan didn't follow Duntsch after he left, however. He was wearing the shirt of his black scrubs, and it was covered in blood. Advertisement. I thought he was either really, really good, or hes just really, really arrogant and thought he was good, Hoyle said. 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. A Texas jury found Christopher Duntsch guilty Feb. 14 of maiming patients who had turned to him for surgery to resolve debilitating injuries. Christopher Duntsch: A Review of Clinicide - Walsh Medical Media 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.". [9][10], Duntsch had severed Brown's vertebral artery, and refused to abort despite the massive blood loss. However, Baylor did not fire him; instead, he was allowed to resign. As a result, Summers lost almost 1,200 mL of blood. She was left with just one vocal cord. Dr. Death is based on the podcast of the same name, produced by Wondery. Homesick, Duntsch left Colorado after a year and transferred to Memphis State University, now the University of Memphis. The indictments were made four months before the statute of limitations ran out. Joshua Jackson went to the dark side to play Dr. Christopher Duntsch, who's serving a life sentence for maiming a woman during surgery, in the new Peacock series Dr. Death. As Burke says in "Dr. Death," "No matter what happens, no matter what somebody does to you or the people you love, all you're gonna get is $250,000. Duntsch also received forty percent of all revenue he generated beyond $800,000 each year. She was transferred to a Dallas hospital after suffering from a severe infection, and Randal Kirby was asked to operate on her. Dr. Christopher Duntsch appeared to havean impressive resume, but left a trail ofpain and devastation for those who trusted him with their health. But when he awoke and was experiencing extreme pain, Dr. Duntsch said that surgery had been a success and there had been no complications. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Licensed to kill: lawsuit seeks to overturn Texas hospital shield law executive producer explains how Christopher Duntsch could have avoided prison. Chahadeh was worried about his facility and getting sued by Duntsch; he said to Dr. Kirby that they had already given him privileges. 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. In October 2011, she registered articles of incorporation to form Duntsch's practice, the Texas Neurosurgical Institute. Berry Morguloff was Dr. Duntsch's next unsuspecting victim. The surgery was supposed to take less than 45 minutes and ultimately lasted over four hours. Out of his 38 surgeries, only three had no complications. "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.
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