While they were in the lab working, Duntsch went to work raising money for a company he called DiscGenics. Kirby warned him again that it was only a matter of time. Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Policy | Compact with Texans | Website Linking Policy; Please contact Pre-Licensure, Registration and Consumer Services at . Wendy Young had just given birth to their son and lived there with him. Duntsch stuffed Glidewell's throat with a surgical sponge to attempt to stop the bleeding. One of the early investors in DiscGenics, Rand Page, said Duntsch would be mixing a vodka orange juice during their morning meetings. 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. Advertisements. He performed only one surgery with the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute. The pressure was building inside her brain. He was smart. When he woke up, he was a quadriplegic with incomplete paralysis. 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. Former teammates later said that, while Duntsch trained hard, he lacked talent at the game. 'Dr. Death': Who Is Kim Morgan, and What Happened to Her? She said she thought that he was going to make millions, Kimberly Morgan's friend once said her attraction to Christopher Duntsch. At the time of their meeting, Young was working as a dancer in a strip club. [9] He was suspected of being under the influence of cocaine while operating during his fourth year of residency training, and was sent to a program for impaired physicians. "[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. 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. He was put on probation for three weeks and told to stick to relatively minor procedures when he returned. Duntsch is a former neurosurgeon born in 1971 in Montana . Boop said that Duntsch spent his final year as an attending physician and could not operate independently. Christopher was raised along with his three younger siblings in a wealthy suburb in Memphis, Tennessee. 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. Duntsch also received forty percent of all revenue he generated beyond $800,000 each year. Jerry Summers, who grew up with Christopher Duntsch in Tennessee, was left a quadriplegic after agreeing to let "Dr. Death" operate on his neck. Following his blunders, Duntsch resigned from Baylor Plano in April 2012 before they could fire him. The series peers into the torturous crimes of . 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. WFAA-TVChristopher Duntsch a.k.a. [36][11][9] For the same reason, prosecutors opted to try Duntsch for Efurd's maiming first. They created a method for culturing the stem cells of intervertebral discs outside of the body. 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. One of the patients who suffered disastrous consequences was Jerry Summers, the boyfriend of Megan Kane and a friend of Christopher Duntsch. A neurosurgeon in Dallas, Texas, who once described himself as a "stone cold killer" was sentenced to life in prison on February 20 for maiming a woman named Mary . Duntsch initially attended Millsaps College to play Division III college football, and later transferred to Division I Colorado State University. Baylor wanted Duntsch operating quickly and often so they could be reimbursed for the monies they had advanced to him. The nursing staff put down towels to soak it up. Even if a plaintiff wins the maximum award, after you pay your lawyer and your experts and go through, potentially, years of trial, not much is left. Jerry Summers, who grew up with Christopher Duntsch in Tennessee, was left a quadriplegic after agreeing to let "Dr. Death" operate on his neck. Passmore focused on recovery and getting back to work in the months following his surgery. Glidewell was left with only one vocal cord, permanent damage to his esophagus and partial paralysis on his left side. He had complex regional pain syndrome, a rare type of chronic pain that caused his skin to blister and peel off. Wendy Renee Young and Christopher Duntsch first met in 2011 at a Beauty Shop bar in Memphis. His girlfriend, Wendy Young, had a second son in September 2014. "As his victims pile up, two fellow physicians and Dallas prosecutor Michelle Shughart set out to stop him.". Wendy Young Says Christopher Duntsch Broke Into Home Covered In Blood Around 2006 and 2007, Duntsch began to become unhinged. Glidewell is still in constant pain and has undergone more than 50 procedures to correct the damage left by Duntsch. [7], While in Memphis, Duntsch began a long-term relationship with Wendy Renee Young. Duntsch recommended fusing Morguloff's L5-S1 vertebrae, and the surgery was scheduled for January 11, 2012. The surgery was scheduled for December 30, 2011. "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. He moved in with his parents in Colorado and filed for bankruptcy, claiming around one million dollars in debt. Dr. Duntsch came from a good family and showed considerable potential at medical school. Death', "Texas Jury Imposes Life Sentence on Neurosurgeon", "The Making and Breaking of Dr. "Christopher Duntsch" (Dr. Death)", "Season 14 of CNBC's 'American Greed' Premieres Monday, January 18 at 10PM", Dr. Death: The Texas Surgeon Who Paralyzed his Patients, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Christopher_Duntsch&oldid=1139253982. [9] Texas Medical Board Revocation Order. Summers asked Duntsch to fix his chronic neck pain from a high school football injury that had gotten worse after a car accident. If you had back pain, and had tried everything else, Dr. Duntsch could give you the spine surgery that would take your pain away. After intense rehab and his determination, eventually, he was able to use a walker and cane to mobilize himself. He was then brought on board at the Dallas Medical Center where he continued his carnage. Death'? 5 chilling details about Christopher Duntsch - sportskeeda.com A Texas neurosurgeon accused of intentionally botching multiple spinal surgeries, resulting in the death of two . Premiering Thursday on . Left: Christopher Duntsch in surgery, Right: Christopher Duntschs mugshot. 'Dr. Death' Peacock Review: Stream It Or Skip It? - Decider 'Dr. Death': Texas Neurosurgeon Sentenced to Life in Prison - Peoplemag I thought he was either really, really good, or hes just really, really arrogant and thought he was good, Hoyle said. This was the time when Dr. Christopher Duntsch started to turn into Dr. Death. Dhruv Trivedi. Every victim deserves to have their story told, and unfortunately, Christopher Duntsch, aka Dr. Death, has 33. [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. He wanted to become a doctor, and not just any doctor - a neurosurgeon, operating on injured backs and necks. Former neurosurgeon sentenced for purposely maiming patients 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. His older son had been born back when he was at Baylor Plano. Troy was left barely able to speak above a whisper, had to be sedated for weeks and had to be fed through a feeding tube for some time as food was getting into her lungs. I can't believe that you're accusing me of killing someone,'" Muse recounted. Cheney recalled wondering why a neurosurgeon with such outstanding credentials would be operating at a lower-tiered hospital on the way to his surgery. Plano's 'Doctor Death': The Christopher Duntsch case - YouTube When he arrived, Nurse Kyle Kissinger spotted a hole in Duntsch's scrubs. Christopher Duntsch Wiki, Biography, Age, Wife, Family, Net Worth She bled so much that blood was saturating the blue draping around her body and dripping onto the floor. By this time, Duntsch was almost penniless, and the judge had to appoint a lawyer for him. After a breath test, Duntsch was arrested for DUI and sent to a detox facility. Part of the problem was being able to prove that Duntsch's actions were willful as defined by Texas law. However, he sewed up Glidewell with the sponge still in place despite others in the operating room warning him about it. The problem was that Dallas Medical Center did not perform those or even have the proper equipment to do them. 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." Passmore had a herniated disc in his lower spine pressing on a nerve causing him pain. During his short tenure, he spent little time in the operating room. [37][4], Over objections from Duntsch's lawyers, prosecutors called many of Duntsch's other patients to the stand in order to prove that his actions were intentional. She was moved to the ICU and died due to blood loss. During a deposition, Megan Krane recalled Duntsch eating a paper blotter of LSD and taking prescription painkillers on his birthday. Duntsch's defense blamed their client's actions on poor training and lack of hospital oversight. Several people who were in the operating room for Efurd's surgery suspected that Duntsch might have been intoxicated, recalling that his pupils were dilated. 'Sociopath' neurosurgeon accused of botching operations Dr. Death, read about how reckless surgeon Robert Liston killed his patient and two bystanders. [30], Henderson and Kirby feared that Duntsch could move elsewhere and still theoretically get a medical license. 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. [38][39] On December 10, 2018, the Texas Court of Appeals affirmed Duntsch's conviction by a 21 split decision. DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch has been sentenced to life in prison for a series of botched spinal surgeries, reports CBS . 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. executive producer explains how Christopher Duntsch could have avoided prison. He ran two labs, gained experience writing grants, and earned more than $3 million in funding for research projects. In 2017, Duntsch was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of maiming one of his patients. How could Dr. Christopher Duntsch practice medicine for as long as he did without being stopped? (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 . He declared bankruptcy after listing debts of over $1 million. The surgery was supposed to take less than 45 minutes and ultimately lasted over four hours. [46], Dr. Death, a TV mini-series based on the podcast, began streaming on Peacock on July 15, 2021. He claimed he was the best in Dallas. Christopher Duntsch - Wikipedia Passmore met with Dr. Duntsch and was impressed by his confidence; he would fix him. From 2017: https://bit.ly/3hXJccx Duntsch continued operating despite clear signs that Martin was losing massive amounts of blood. Henderson and Kirby feared that Duntsch could move and theoretically get a medical license in another state. Troy was sedated for weeks and forced to eat through a feeding tube because food was getting into her lungs. 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. [7] He likened what he found when he opened Efurd up to the results of a child playing with Tinkertoys or an erector set. 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. [31][16] The inquiry went nowhere until 2015, when the statute of limitations on any potential charges was due to run out. He hoped to play football, but his multiple transfers revoked his eligibility. Despite several warnings from his colleagues that he was not doing the surgery correctly and was attempting to put screws into muscle rather than bone, Duntsch persisted. 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. On 06/26/2013 MARY EFURD filed a Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice lawsuit against CHRISTOPHER D DUNTSCH, MD. Dr. Death season one review: a true crime podcast is even scarier - Vox Soon after starting Efurd's surgery, Duntsch turned to Kissinger and told him he would be performing a craniotomy on Floella Brown. Once, he stopped by to pick up some paperwork. 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. He remained there for several months before being allowed to return to the residency. He was told he would never be able to walk again. Young let him buy her an appletini, and they felt a connection; eventually, she went home with Duntsch. Death.. The criminal conviction of Christopher Duntsch, MD, PhD, holds important lessons for risk managers. 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. Duntsch moved into a five-bedroom house not far from the hospital. CHRISTOPHER Duntsch, is infamously known as Dr Death for gross malpractice. The two soon began dating and moving in together within three months. 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. They didn't have enough evidence to stop him because he hadn't done anything wrong yet. Dr. Hassan Chahadeh, the owner, said when Duntsch had applied for privileges, his record was clean. 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. It involves the case of Dr. Christopher Duntsch, a spinal neurosurgeon who left a trail of dead and permanently disabled . The hospital initiated another peer review, but Duntsch resigned rather than face certain termination. The explanation was enough to satisfy Muse. Since receiving his life sentence, Dr Death is currently housed in the O.B. Base compensation was $600,000 a year for two years, beginning on June 14, 2011. No show's ever made you as terrified of doctors as 'Dr. Death' will Around this time, Christopher Duntsch's behavior became noticeably erratic. [18] Despite this, Duntsch was retained by South Hampton when new owners bought it and renamed it University General Hospital. Christopher Duntsch a.k.a. One screw was jabbed directly into her spinal canal and had skewered the nerves that control one leg and the bladder. He will not be eligible for parole until 2045, when he will be 74-years-old. Duntsch lasted about three months at MISI. Duntsch's next patient was Jeff Glidewell. There were two names on the top page: Kellie Martin and Christopher Duntsch. Did Christopher Duntsch Have Any Successful Surgeries? 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. All the while, the operating room staff questioned whether Duntsch was putting hardware into Efurd in the right places and noticed he kept drilling and removing screws. Was Wendy Renee Young Dr. Death's Wife? - Heavy.com The Judge overseeing this case is GINSBERG, CARL. At the time, hospitals were not required to report doctors who only had temporary privileges. 'Dr Death' Stars Share Why They Think Christopher Duntsch - TheWrap Jerry Summers believed that his best friend Christopher Duntsch was a talented neurosurgeon who would cure his chronic neck pain. 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. Learn more. [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. 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. Texas neurosurgeon nicknamed 'Dr. Death' found guilty of maiming woman The hospital hired him and granted him temporary surgical privileges until his reference checks were completed. The series is set to premiere on July 12 and will feature a star-studded cast. "It's on the butt cheek of his scrubs. The sponge triggered a severe blood-borne infection that caused Glidewell to become septic. 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. [7] While operating on Jacqueline Troy, Duntsch cut one of her vocal cords and an artery and also damaged her trachea. The Untold Truth Of Dr. Death - Grunge.com Victim statements reveal more gruesome details of botched surgeries - WFAA Christopher Duntsch - AKA Dr. Death - spent 18 months as a practicing surgeon at multiple Texas hospitals until he had his license revoked in 2013. Efurd eventually gained back some control and mobility, but she now uses a wheelchair and suffers chronic pain. His name appeared on several papers and patents, and he took part in a number of biotech startups. A Texas jury found Christopher Duntsch guilty Feb. 14 of maiming patients who had turned to him for surgery to resolve debilitating injuries. However, St. Jude says there was no such program at the hospital. She also said that he kept a pile of cocaine on his dresser in his home office. "Something was wrong," Dr. Rimlawi said, "whether it be impairment from drugs, alcohol, mental illness, or a combination of all three." "[20][4] Under heavy lobbying from Kirby and Henderson, the Texas Medical Board suspended Duntsch's license on June 26, 2013. 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 . Shughart countered that the 2011 email, sent after his first surgeries went wrong, proved that Duntsch knew his actions were intentional. Pic credit: Dallas County Sheriff's Office. When Morgan asked Duntsch about the woman in his house, he said she was just his secretary and friend. After 13 days of trial, the jury needed only four hours to convict him for the maiming of Efurd, and on February 20, 2017, he was sentenced to life in prison. She was left with just one vocal cord. They argued that Duntsch was motivated to continue operating because the lucrative salary of a neurosurgeon would solve his mounting financial problems. [29] Texas Attorney General and current Governor 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. "[45], Wondery Media launched a ten-episode podcast series named Dr. Death, focusing on Duntsch. Yet, in April 2012, he returned to work just four months after surgery. Unfortunately, it's all too real. Leaving on April 20, 2012, with a lawyer-negotiated letter saying, "All areas of concern with regard to Christopher D. Duntsch have been closed. Why Did Dr. Death Do It? 'Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story' Explains During surgery, he cut a major vessel in her spinal cord. However, Baylor did not fire him; instead, he was allowed to resign. The deal required Duntsch to attain privileges at Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano. Officers said he was driving on the left side of the road with two flat tires. Of those 38, 31 were leftparalyzed or seriously injured and two of them died from surgical complications. "[4] The Texas Medical Board revoked Duntsch's license on December 6, 2013. Duntsch received his undergraduate degree from the University of Memphis and stayed in town to receive an M.D. Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana and spent most of his youth in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. Death was fired before the end of his first week for the damage hed inflicted on Brown and Efurd. Duntsch operated and flew out to Las Vegas without securing a call physician. Im the only clean minimally invasive guy in the whole state.. He was sent to a program for impaired physicians when he returned but was allowed to finish his residency. On November 7, 2011, Dr. Duntsch was scheduled to perform his first surgery at Baylor Plano on Kenneth Fennell for his back pain. In his deposition, Summers admitted he made up the pre-surgery cocaine binge because he felt Duntsch had abandoned him, as both his doctor and his friend. 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. He wrote grants and secured more than $3 million in funding. Former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch is one of the most infamous doctors ever brought to trial in a criminal case, and with good reason. Christopher Duntsch, 44, faces up to life in prison if convicted. Facebook Wendy Renee Young and Christopher Duntsch. Duntsch, 40 at that time, bought an appletini for Young, 27, and they started their relationship. Christopher Duntsch: The Remorseless Killer Surgeon Called 'Dr. Death' Page opened a desk drawer and saw a mirror with a pile of cocaine and a rolled-up dollar bill on top. 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. His father, Donald, was a physical therapist and Christian missionary. [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. Martin would become Duntschs first casualty when she bled out in intensive care unit after her relatively common procedure. When Henderson opened the freshly made incisions on her, he was appalled.
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