He said, "Randy, you were right. Dr. Death in surgery. 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. In January 2013, Kenneth Fennell was scheduled for another operation because he was still experiencing extreme pain in his back. Peacock's Dr. Death is a chilling dramatization of the real-life story of former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch. The sponge triggered a severe blood-borne infection that caused Glidewell to become septic. The Texas Medical Board would later conclude that Brown died of excessive blood loss and a stroke, according to The Texas Observer . The night before his surgery, he read online about Kellie Martin's death just months earlier. The nursing staff put down towels to soak it up. On April 9, 2013, Phillip Mayfield was scheduled to have a simple 45-minute operation to alleviate his back pain. She bled so much that blood was saturating the blue draping around her body and dripping onto the floor. Christopher Duntsch ended up at Millsaps College in Mississippi to play football and was offered financial aid. Though he appealed his conviction in 2018, it was denied. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. Shughart countered that the 2011 email, sent after his first surgeries went wrong, proved that Duntsch knew his actions were intentional. Three holes had been poked into Efurd's spinal column where Duntsch had tried and failed to insert screws. Around 2006 and 2007, Duntsch began to become unhinged. Former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch is one of the most infamous doctors ever brought to trial in a criminal case, and with good reason. 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. Duntsch filed a patent for the technology, and he listed himself as one of the inventors even though he had not discovered it. [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. When Henderson opened the freshly made incisions on her, he was appalled. He thought surgery might give him some relief and stop his need for drugs. 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. Mr. The series is set to premiere on July 12 and will feature a star-studded cast. He declared bankruptcy after listing debts of over $1 million. However, it wasn't clear how much training Duntsch received. Duntsch moved to Denver, Colorado, and went into a downward spiral. [38][39] On December 10, 2018, the Texas Court of Appeals affirmed Duntsch's conviction by a 21 split decision. Before going to medical school, Duntsch wanted to be a pro-football player. [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. It told the unfortunately true story of Doctor Christopher Duntsch, who was eventually sentenced to life in prison for maiming an elderly patient. He was a forty-five-year-old man with typical back problems. 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. Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano (now Baylor Scott and White Medical Center - Plano). Christopher Duntsch, the onetime Dallas neurosurgeon whose butcher-like techniques killed two patients and permanently injured more, feels made to exist at the center of a work of fiction; perhaps, He performed only one surgery with the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute. When Jerry Summers woke up, he couldn't move his arms or legs. Did Christopher Duntsch have a wife and kids? Christopher was raised along with his three younger siblings in a wealthy suburb in Memphis, Tennessee. When he began at MISI, Duntsch hired an assistant, Kimberly Morgan, and she started on August 29, 2011. 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. The hospital called Rimlawi when it couldn't reach his colleague. A patient who was left barely able to walk and in constant pain after undergoing two botched surgeries at the hands of killer neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch says he 'guarantees' there are other . The Peacock originalDr Deathis based on atrue story. During his tenure at Baylor Plano, Kimberly Morgan assisted in every surgery with Duntsch. Duntsch received his undergraduate degree from the University of Memphis and stayed in town to receive an M.D. It was determined during the repair surgery that Dr. Duntsch had not even been operating on the correct part of Jeff Glidewell's spine. 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. Cheney recalled wondering why a neurosurgeon with such outstanding credentials would be operating at a lower-tiered hospital on the way to his surgery. The day after Mary Efurd's surgery, she awoke in excruciating pain and could not turn over or wiggle her toes. A disc in his lower spine had blown out, and the pieces had to be picked out of the space above. executive producer explains how Christopher Duntsch could have avoided prison. He was left with pain so debilitating he could not work any longer and now spends most of his days at home. In 2014, he developed syringomyelia, a painful condition that causes fluid-filled cysts on the spinal cord. While they were in the lab working, Duntsch went to work raising money for a company he called DiscGenics. Unfortunately, it's all too real. 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. It was completely unnecessary, didn't relieve her pain, and only set her up for another needed surgery. He remained there for several months before being allowed to return to the residency. Due to these legal hurdles and costly lawyer fees on the plaintiff's part, few hospitals end up having to pay out after facing a malpractice lawsuit. His sophomore year, he made it as one of the few walk-on players. [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. Dr. Christopher Duntsch became the subject of a Peacock original series for all the wrong reasons. [7], When Duntsch applied for privileges at Methodist Hospital in Dallas, the hospital queried the NPDB. From 2017: https://bit.ly/3hXJccx [16] Kirby also recalled that Duntsch's skills in the operating room left much to be desired; as Kirby put it, "he could not wield a scalpel".[4]. Duntsch's defense blamed their client's actions on poor training and lack of hospital oversight. Duntsch stuffed Glidewell's throat with a surgical sponge to attempt to stop the bleeding. Duntsch suggested drilling a hole in Brown's head to relieve the pressure, but was refused permission. Christopher Daniel Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971, and raised alongside his three siblings in an affluent suburb of Memphis, Tennessee. 11:15 PM on Mar 1, 2014 CST. (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 . In 2005, partway through the six-year program, he became the director of the tissue bank. Since Duntsch's departure was technically voluntary, Baylor Plano was under no obligation to report him to the Texas Medical Board or the National Practitioner Data Bank. By this time, Jerry Summers, his childhood friend, had moved from Tennessee to live with Duntsch. The two went back to Duntsch's home and danced under a disco ball he had in his office. 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. Duntsch, once a neurosurgeon, is the focal point of the new streaming Peacock docuseries "Dr. Death." D Magazine gave him the nickname in its reporting in 2016. B. Ellis Unit outside Huntsville. Duntsch had his surgical rights temporarily suspended after his botched surgery on Summers and his first patient back was 55-year-old Kellie Martin. 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. Christopher Duntsch, 44, faces up to life in prison if convicted. [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. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. [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. [27], While attempting to remove degenerated discs in Marshall "Tex" Muse's back, Duntsch left surgical hardware floating between the spine and muscle tissue. [7], While in Memphis, Duntsch began a long-term relationship with Wendy Renee Young. Before working with him, Dr. Hoyle said that he didnt know how to feel about his fellow surgeon. At one point, he was only able to eat small bites of food at one time. Unfortunately, when Morguloff woke up, he began to experience continuous pain, paresthesia, and loss of sensation in his left leg. 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. Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana and spent most of his youth in Memphis, Tennessee. As of this date, there have been no summary or administrative restrictions or suspension of Duntsch's medical staff membership or clinical privileges during the time he has practiced at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano.". Prosecutors also faulted Duntsch's employers for not reporting him. He hoped to play football, but his multiple transfers revoked his eligibility. Once, he stopped by to pick up some paperwork. As a young neurosurgeon in Texas, Duntsch killed . [18] He damaged patient Philip Mayfield's spinal cord, drilling into it and leaving him partially paralyzed from the neck down. [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. An anesthesiologist and Dr. Anson Fulton, who assisted with the surgery, warned Duntsch about the blood loss, and he continued to ignore them and operate. The Legislature not only puts the burden of proof on the plaintiff instead of the defendant in medical malpractice cases, but it also allows hospitals to keep information about doctors confidential. He later appealed his case, but lost when his conviction was upheld 2-1 in the Fifth District Court of Appeals . 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. The former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch was finally brought to justice after injuring and maiming over 30 of his patients during surgery and allegedly causing the deaths of two more. He called Duntsch's fellowship supervisor in Memphis and the supervisor of Duntsch's residency; it was then that he learned about the incident that led him to be referred to the impaired physician program. Duntsch was in a long-term relationship with Wendy Renee Young, after the pair met at a bar in Memphis when she was 27 and he was 40. Young let him buy her an appletini, and they felt a connection; eventually, she went home with Duntsch. [9][10], Duntsch had severed Brown's vertebral artery, and refused to abort despite the massive blood loss. He later told Glidewell that it was clear Duntsch had tried to kill him. He refused to abort the surgery even after a trauma surgeon colleague and an anesthesiologist warned him about the blood loss. Dr. Christopher Duntsch's patients ended up maimed and dead, but the real tragedy is that the Texas Medical Board couldn't stop him. This time on 53-year-old Mary Efurd. [4] Duntsch also claimed to have graduated magna cum laude from St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital with a doctorate in microbiology a program that the hospital did not offer at the time he allegedly attended. Duntsch approached Pam Trusty about being on camera during a follow-up visit where she was still in pain. Just weeks after permanently maiming Morguloff, Dr. Duntsch operated on his lifelong friend and roommate, Jerry Summers. Out of his 38 surgeries, only three had no complications. Dr. Robert Henderson was brought in on July 28, 2012, to perform a revision surgery on Efurd. Updated Dec 9, 2022 at 3:25pm. Duntsch's trial has been called a precedent-setting case, as it's the first time that a physician has been convicted on criminal charges for actions in the course of their medical work and malpractice involving botched surgery. Dr Deathis a new limited series about the rise and fall of Duntsch. Facebook Wendy Renee Young and Christopher Duntsch. In 2017, Duntsch was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of maiming one of his patients. Christopher Duntsch was nicknamed Dr. Death due to the injuries he caused his patients. Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971. One of the patients who suffered disastrous consequences was Jerry Summers, the boyfriend of Megan Kane and a friend of Christopher Duntsch. But, she never reported Duntsch up the ladder or told anyone about the horrors she witnessed in the operating room. His name appeared on several papers and patents, and he took part in a number of biotech startups. "Dr. Duntsch is one great man." According to D Magazine, Duntsch did so well in medical school that he was allowed to join the prestigiousAlpha Omega Medical Honor Society. However, red flags surfaced early on, as nurses wondered if Duntsch was under the influence of drugs while on duty. Jeff Cheney later learned that part of his spinal cord had been cut during the operation. He secured investments in Discgenics from local spine surgeons, including Dr. Robertson and Dr. Kevin Foley, a prominent Memphis neurosurgeon Duntsch spent a year training under as part of the surgery fellowship at the Semmes-Murphey Clinic. The True Story Of Christopher Duntsch, The Killer Surgeon Known As Dr. Officers took him to a nearby psychiatric hospital. Why do Slipknot wear masks and what do they look like without? [6], Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana and spent most of his youth in Memphis, Tennessee. This case was filed in Dallas County District Courts, Dallas County Civil District Courts located in Dallas, Texas. Jodi Smith. Death'? 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. 0:05. Could you take care of it?" An investigator by trade and nature, Passmore started digging into Dr. Christopher Duntsch. His very first operation at the hospital would once again turn deadly. Duntsch told his friends and family that Passmore would be fine in a day or two and to not worry about it. Christopher Duntsch was a neurosurgeon who radiated confidence. The last charge was for the maiming and paralyzing of Efurd. However, things soon went south. He realized he'd seen that hole for three straight days Duntsch hadn't changed his scrubs all week. [19] Prosecutors sought a sentence long enough to ensure that Duntsch would never be able to practice medicine again. After this look at Christopher Duntsch a.k.a. Dr. Christopher Duntsch appeared to havean impressive resume, but left a trail ofpain and devastation for those who trusted him with their health. It was then that Christopher decided to switch his career to medicine. Kirby arrived and transferred Glidewell to a top-tier hospital to perform an emergency operation to remove the sponge. He was tragically mistaken. Glidewell was reportedly still suffering the ill effects of Duntsch's operation years later and has undergone more than 50 procedures to correct the damage. An MRI revealed that multiple bone fragments in his spinal canal were compressing and adhering to his S1 nerve and that Duntsch had installed the hardware incorrectly. His first and only surgery with MISI was on a Thursday in September 2011 at Baylor Plano.
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