He was tragically mistaken. Assistant district attorney Michelle Shughart, who led the prosecution of Duntsch, later recalled that Henderson and Kirby reached out to her demanding to testify against Duntsch; according to Shughart, doctors rarely testify against each other. 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. 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. After intense rehab and his determination, eventually, he was able to use a walker and cane to mobilize himself. After undergoing physical rehabilitation, Mayfield was able to walk with a cane but continued to experience paralysis on the right side of his body and in his left arm. His father, Donald, was a physical therapist and Christian missionary, and his mother, Susan, was a schoolteacher. However, on January 6, 2012, a week after the surgery, Dr. Duntsch performed another operation on Passmore. Prosecutors also faulted Duntsch's employers for not reporting him. 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. 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. As a young neurosurgeon in Texas, Duntsch killed . Christopher Duntsch was sentenced to life in prison in February 2017 for his heinous acts. Dr. Fulton never worked with Duntsch again. 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. Unfortunately, when Morguloff woke up, he began to experience continuous pain, paresthesia, and loss of sensation in his left leg. However, it wouldnt be long until Duntschs seemingly perfect career began to unravel. "It's on the butt cheek of his scrubs. They didn't have enough evidence to stop him because he hadn't done anything wrong yet. But based on documents gathered by the DA, when Duntsch finished his residency, he had operated fewer than 100 times. If you had back pain, and had tried everything else, Dr. Duntsch could give you the spine surgery that would take your pain away. Duntsch received his undergraduate degree from the University of Memphis and stayed in town to receive an M.D. Christopher Duntsch wrote that he was ready to become a "cold blooded killer". [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. The deal required Duntsch to attain privileges at Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano. [38], Duntsch is housed at the O. In January 2013, Kenneth Fennell was scheduled for another operation because he was still experiencing extreme pain in his back. Over this period, Duntsch performed back surgeries that left his patients in a worse condition, paralyzed, or deceased. Duntsch continued to medicate Morguloff with prescription pain killers and ignored the change in his condition. As a result, Summers lost almost 1,200 mL of blood. Philip is one of more than 30 people maimed by Dr. Christopher Duntsch, nicknamed Dr. Death by the media. 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. Many of his patients suffered severe spinal cord damage, resulting in paralysis and pain severe enough to render painkillers ineffective. Duntsch is the first physician sentenced to life in prison for his actions while practicing medicine. Baylor officials took Summers' accusation seriously and ordered Duntsch to take a drug test. As he lay there in agony, Duntsch was nowhere to be found. Jerry Summers, who grew up with Christopher Duntsch in Tennessee, was left a quadriplegic after agreeing to let "Dr. Death" operate on his neck. 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. Jerry Summers believed that his best friend Christopher Duntsch was a talented neurosurgeon who would cure his chronic neck pain. He then packed it with too much of a substance intended to stop the bleeding. He didn't wear underwear. Death. He will be up for parole in 2045, when he is 74 years old. 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. She bled so much that blood was saturating the blue draping around her body and dripping onto the floor. However, the surgery had to be moved to November 14 because Duntsch had failed to order the appropriate surgical hardware and equipment. She witnessed Duntsch put on his lab coat and make his rounds the following morning as if nothing had happened. Peacock's Dr. Death is a chilling dramatization of the real-life story of former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch. One of the patients who suffered disastrous consequences was Jerry Summers, the boyfriend of Megan Kane and a friend of Christopher Duntsch. 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. 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. In April 2015, Duntsch was arrested again for shoplifting $887 worth of merchandise from a Dallas Walmart. Robert Lowes. 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. He said, "Randy, you were right. 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. However, Baylor did not fire him; instead, he was allowed to resign. Kane also recalled a cocaine- and LSD-fueled night of partying between her, her ex-boyfriend, and Duntsch where, after the end of their all-night party, she saw Duntsch put on his lab coat and go to work. 5 of Dallas County (opinion)", "Texas Court of Appeals Affirms Conviction of 'Dr. 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. I can't believe that you're accusing me of killing someone,'" Muse recounted. Dr. Hassan Chahadeh, the owner, said when Duntsch had applied for privileges, his record was clean. This was the time when Dr. Christopher Duntsch started to turn into Dr. Death. Advertisements. 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. 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. Morgan says they spent a lot of time in clubs. The two soon began dating and moving in together within three months. A deranged surgeon runs amok, maiming and killing multiple patients, unhindered by a medical community sworn to police itself. Caroline is a writer and Florida-transplant currently living in New York City. 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. He later told Glidewell that it was clear Duntsch had tried to kill him. Despite all of this, Duntsch was retained by South Hampton when new owners bought it and renamed it University General Hospital. 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. Those words continue to haunt her, and she's tormented by the knowledge that her endorsement caused others to select Duntsch themselves. It was completely unnecessary, didn't relieve her pain, and only set her up for another needed surgery. Though he appealed his conviction in 2018, it was denied. Jeff Cheney later learned that part of his spinal cord had been cut during the operation. Finally, Dr. Kirby received a call from Hassan Chahadeh. Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971. [2][4][19][7], Duntsch moved to Dallas Medical Center in Farmers Branch, where he was granted temporary privileges until hospital officials could obtain his records from Baylor Plano. There were two names on the top page: Kellie Martin and Christopher Duntsch. 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. At one point, he was only able to eat small bites of food at one time. 1-Christopher Duntsch and then girlfriend, Wendy Young. They created a method for culturing the stem cells of intervertebral discs outside of the body. Dr. Death in surgery. ", You know in the beginning he talked about marriage. He is not eligible for parole until 2045, when he will be 74 years old. [6], Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana and spent most of his youth in Memphis, Tennessee. Duntsch had removed part of his femoral nerve. [12], Initially, Duntsch focused heavily on the PhD half of his degree. 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.". [9] Texas Medical Board Revocation Order. Duntsch earned his undergraduate degree in 1995 and enrolled at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. By this time, Duntsch was almost penniless, and the judge had to appoint a lawyer for him. He declared bankruptcy after listing debts of over $1 million. Kirby was shocked; he called the owner of University General and warned him that Duntsch would hurt someone, and the hospital would be over. So, Summers used the only thing he had left, his voice, to scream and yell, even telling the nurses that he and Duntsch had done an eight ball of cocaine the night before his surgery. Duntsch stuffed a surgical sponge in Glidewell's throat to stanch the bleeding. In March, the following spring, police were called to a bank in Northeast Dallas after a man with blood on his hands and face was seen beating on the doors. However, things soon went south. Philip Mayfield, one of Christopher Duntschs patients, who was paralyzed after his surgery. Morgan didn't follow Duntsch after he left, however. Christopher Daniel Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971, and raised alongside his three siblings in an affluent suburb of . The appalling actions of the rogue surgeon and their repercussions on his unsuspecting patients were . Leaving on April 20, 2012, with a lawyer-negotiated letter saying, "All areas of concern with regard to Christopher D. Duntsch have been closed. [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. Muse spiraled into opioid addiction that cost him his wife and his job. Christopher Duntsch. In October 2011, she registered articles of incorporation to form Duntsch's practice, the Texas Neurosurgical Institute. Duntsch also received forty percent of all revenue he generated beyond $800,000 each year. He did his surgical residency at the University of Tennessee in Memphis, spending five years studying neurosurgery and a year studying general surgery. 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. [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]. But, he can only walk 30 feet at a time and cannot stand for more than a few minutes. The Legislature has also made suing hospitals difficult. The operation should have taken less than ninety minutes; it ultimately lasted four and a half hours. Out of his 38 surgeries, only three had no complications. [7], While in Memphis, Duntsch began a long-term relationship with Wendy Renee Young. (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 . 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. When Morgan asked Duntsch about the woman in his house, he said she was just his secretary and friend. He thought surgery might give him some relief and stop his need for drugs. However, he ignored them and proceeded with his scheduled surgery on Efurd. Duntsch was suspected of having used cocaine the night before the operation. Mayfield died of COVID in February 2021; according to his wife, he had been vulnerable to the virus due to complications caused by Duntsch's botched surgery. His CV also conveyed he earned a Ph.D. in microbiology from St. Jude Children's Research Hospitals, graduating summa cum laude. The Peacock originalDr Deathis based on atrue story. Watch the trailer for Dr . Lee Passmore is still fighting. Kirby, Henderson, and another doctor decided to contact the district attorney, convinced that Duntsch's malpractice was so egregious it was criminal. Dubbed "Dr. Death," the case gained national attention, revealing After a fall in her kitchen, Martin experienced chronic back pain and sought out surgery to alleviate it. Duntsch filed a patent for the technology, and he listed himself as one of the inventors even though he had not discovered it. 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 decided to turn to neurosurgery, which can be a lucrative field. He wanted to become a doctor, and not just any doctor - a neurosurgeon, operating on injured backs and necks. Dr. Mark Hoyle, a surgeon who worked with Duntsch during one of his botched procedures, told D Magazine that he would make extremely arrogant announcements such as: Everybody is doing it wrong. Moving made sense for both of them. Under heavy lobbying from Kirby and Henderson, the Texas Medical Board suspended Duntsch's license on June 26, 2013. Dr Deathis a new limited series about the rise and fall of Duntsch. 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. His father was a missionary and physical therapist and his mother was a school teacher. Around 2006 and 2007, Duntsch began to become unhinged. [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. 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. Duntsch pierced and blocked her vertebral artery with a misplaced screw and refused to stop despite the massive blood loss. [9][16], As part of their investigation, prosecutors obtained a December 2011 email in which Duntsch boasted 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. Duntsch is a former neurosurgeon born in 1971 in Montana . It was. 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. Yet, in April 2012, he returned to work just four months after surgery. Death,' Dallas neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch", "Texas neurosurgeon nicknamed 'Dr. The True Story Of Christopher Duntsch, The Killer Surgeon Known As Dr. At the time, hospitals were not required to report doctors who only had temporary privileges. When other doctors discovered the sponge, Duntsch refused to return to help remove it. 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. Henderson and Kirby feared that Duntsch could move and theoretically get a medical license in another state. When he woke up, he was a quadriplegic with incomplete paralysis. Jodi Smith. Three holes had been poked into Efurd's spinal column where Duntsch had tried and failed to insert screws. He stalled at first, telling administrators he got lost on the way to the lab. [4] Mayfield died of COVID-19 in February 2021; according to his wife, he had been vulnerable to the virus due to complications caused by Duntsch's botched surgeries. He was a genius. This case was filed in Dallas County District Courts, Dallas County Civil District Courts located in Dallas, Texas. One of the early investors in DiscGenics, Rand Page, said Duntsch would be mixing a vodka orange juice during their morning meetings. Their fling was confined to his office at Baylor Plano, and Morgan said in her deposition that he frequently drank vodka and did medical research for hours. But he yearned to play linebacker for a Division 1 team and set his sights on the Colorado State Rams. "I called Dr. Duntsch up, and I said, 'I saw this online.' Dhruv Trivedi. There are many sick people in the world, but Duntsch takes the cake for me. B. Ellis Unit outside Huntsville. Dr. Duntsch assured Muse that the pain was normal and prescribed him, strong pain killers, causing him to spiral into an addiction. Glidewell is still in constant pain and has undergone more than 50 procedures to correct the damage left by Duntsch. Pic credit: Dallas County Sheriff's Office. He Was Also His Victim. During his short tenure, he spent little time in the operating room. She suffered a stroke as a result. It told the unfortunately true story of Doctor Christopher Duntsch, who was eventually sentenced to life in prison for maiming an elderly patient. By this time, however, Brown was brain dead. [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.

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