[9][24][19][7] After several days, Kirby was brought in to repair the damage and later described what he found after opening Glidewell back up as the work of a "crazed maniac". Soon though, red flags began to pop up. Duntsch initially attended Millsaps College to play Division III college football, and later transferred to Division I Colorado State University. The suit alleged that Baylor Plano made an average net profit of $65,000 on every spinal surgery performed by Duntsch. At Baylor Regional Medical Center,after botched surgeries and complaints from fellow doctors, Duntsch resigned. "Dr. Death"and the companion docuseries "Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story" are both available to stream on Peacock now. The Hippocratic Oath is sworn by all doctors and binds them to do no harm. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Duntsch was Board Certified to do brain and spinal surgery. That statement is blatantly untrue and the ABNS has written to the Oxygen network and its parent companies to demand a correction. [7] While operating on Jacqueline Troy, Duntsch cut one of her vocal cords and an artery and also damaged her trachea. Did Christopher Duntsch Have Any Successful Surgeries? Christopher Duntsch was allowed to perform more than 30 botched surgeries in DFW over the course of two years before finally having his license revoked. The Real Story Behind the Dr. Death Podcast - Christopher Duntsch [7], Shughart argued that Duntsch should have known he was likely to hurt others unless he changed his approach, and that his failure to learn from his past mistakes demonstrated that his maiming of Efurd was intentional. The Texas Medical Board must stop this sociopath Duntsch immediately or he will continue to maim and kill innocent patients, Kirby wrote in the letter. At Baylor Regional Medical Center, during a simple laminectomy, Duntsch slashed one of Martin's major arteries butrefused to admit his mistake. [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. Since receiving his life sentence, Dr Death is currently housed in the O.B. Baylor didn't terminate Duntsch instead they allowedhim to resign his privileges. In addition, he was mixed up with an addiction to cocaine and other drugs, with peers reporting that he would go on all-night benders before operating the next day. [4], Upon applying for work, he looked extremely qualified on paper: he had spent a total of fifteen years in training (medical school, residency and fellowship), and his curriculum vitae was twelve single-spaced pages. Lazar was scathingly critical of Duntsch's work. They had discovered stem cells in human brain tumors. 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. The series, starring Joshua Jackson asDuntsch, examines that question and finds a deadly combination of mismanagement and a lack of centralized authority in the medical community. Duntsch's initial presentation bowled him over. Its easier for a hospital to just kick the can down the road and let the doctor become some other hospitals problem than to risk backlash from the doctor, she said. When he finally came to the hospital, he busied himself with another patient, also on the DA's list, Mary Efurd. B. Ellis Unit outside Huntsville. His father, Donald, was a physical therapist and Christian missionary, and his mother, Susan, was a schoolteacher. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. In an article in Texas Observer,author SaulElbein says that one of the doctors he spoke to likened Duntsch to Hannibal Lecter three times in eight minutes. And there were plenty of other signs as well. 12 Unnerving Facts About Dr. Death Christopher Duntsch - Ranker "[4] The Texas Medical Board revoked Duntsch's license on December 6, 2013. Duntsch continued operating despite clear signs that Martin was losing massive amounts of blood. [4][5] In 2017, he was convicted of maiming one of his patients and sentenced to life imprisonment. Then he also took prescription painkillers and ate a paper blotter of LSD. If he could do 50Shades of Grey and some scandalous modeling, playing a menacing Dr. Death should be a piece of cake, right? [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. According to Rosenblum, Jerry Summers had forgiven Chris Duntsch several years prior to his death. She was deposed over Skype since, at the time, she was stationed with the Air Force in the Middle East. And how many other doctors who arent as insane as Dr. Duntsch like, there are multiple seasons of Dr. He later appealed his case, but lost when his conviction was upheld 2-1 in the Fifth District Court of Appeals . Prior to his criminal charges, he was running research labs and was considered to be an up-and-coming neurosurgeon. The information it tracks, includingmalpractice payouts and suspensions, is available only to hospital administrators, not doctors or patients. To some, this came off as confidence, but as he brought his ego into medicine, doctors around him started to recognize him as a textbook case of narcissism. 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. Unlike a TV series where you get to see the character,a podcast is darker. Ellis Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville and will not be eligible for parole until he is 74 years old in 2045. IMDb Jerrys death is particularly tragic as it is linked to the surgeon from the podcast series Dr Death. At the time, Kane was dating Jerry Summer, a childhood friend of Duntsch. In the deposition, she states that Duntsch snorted cocaine from a handy pile he kept on a dresser at his home. [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. He later told Glidewell that it was clear Duntsch had tried to kill him. After interviewing dozens of Duntsch's patients and their survivors, prosecutors concluded that Duntsch's actions were indeed criminal, and nothing short of imprisonment would prevent him from practicing medicine again. He took out so much of his spinal cord that he couldnt keep his head up. If youre a big fan of NBCs stable of shows, want to catch up on some past hit movies or just dont want to shell out the cash for Netflix or Hulu, the free version of Peacock is great. Dr. Death and Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story are now available to stream on Peacock. Yes, Dr. Christopher Duntsch made his friend, Jerry Summers, a quadriplegic. Duntsch's license was finally revoked in June 2013, after he had killed two patients and maimed 31 others. St. Jude refuted this by saying there was no such program there at that time. [19] Prosecutors sought a sentence long enough to ensure that Duntsch would never be able to practice medicine again. School librarian Kellie Martin, 55, died during a routine back operation after Duntsch punctured a blood vessel. Prosecutors also faulted Duntsch's employers for not reporting him. His license gone, Duntsch went off the rails. ", "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? She suffered a stroke as a result. What made him cause damage, trauma and even death to his patients? Duntsch was told to take a drug test but disappeared instead. Lopez answers Henderson's frustrationin a somber tone, sayingthat while you may know a doctor is bad, gathering evidence takes time. Duntsch, on the other hand, recorded fake testimonials to open his own practice and hopped from hospital to hospital to keep trying to practice medicine as a neurosurgeon. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Duntsch never completed (and barely even started) the rigorous ABNS Certification process. Malicious intent? Death viewers. It would be very easy and for people to just plop Black Hat on him and call it a day and sleep well at night thinking that he was an aberration.". Was Dr Christopher Duntsch board certified? This May Be the Most Horrifying Surgery Story You've Ever Heard In February 2021, he passed away from an infection connected to a cervical fusion surgery that he underwent one decade prior. Distractify is a registered trademark. Not long after he arrived at the job, Duntsch operated on his childhood best friend Jerry Summers. Not only did he harm his patients, but he kept trying to practice. [18] He damaged patient Philip Mayfield's spinal cord, drilling into it and leaving him partially paralyzed from the neck down. Christopher Duntsch, who once claimed to be a mixture of "God, Einstein and the Antichrist," injured or killed 33 of his 38 patients in less than two years, according to prosecutors. Jodi Smith. Meanwhile, his patients kept suffering, and dying, in his OR. Martin paid with her lifebecause her doctor was too proud to say he screwed up. Why did Dr. Death do it? But I think it speaks to the inequality of who is in power in these bureaucratic institutions where it has to be like two top surgeons who go after him nonstop, putting their necks out, who have to get the government involved, rather than just like a nurse who knows whats up just saying, This didnt go well, and they could just be fired without consequence.. Dr. Duntsch is at number one. [19][25][7] She later recalled waking up feeling "excruciating pain", a "ten-plus" on a scale of 1 to 10. And this was 10 months before Duntsch's last surgery. [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. To be a good doctor, you have to be a good human being. [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. Death Series, Dr. Chris Duntsch left DiscGenics after being sued by the companys former Chief Operating Officer in 2011. And professional marketing videos got him ready and willing patients. [16] In 2021, he was profiled on CNBC's American Greed.[4][49]. He attempted to fuse together vertebrae in his neck, but the surgery went drastically wrong and left Summers a quadriplegic. Negligence? 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. To add to this, his so-called Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center may also be dubious. According to ProPublica, Duntsch's residency and fellowship records show less than 100 surgeries. Duntsch ended up slicing her vertebral artery, stopping blood and oxygen flow to her brain. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Dr. Death is now also going to be a TV show with Christian Slater and Alec Baldwin playing main roles. Dr. Henderson (Alec Baldwin), Dr. Kirby (Christian Slater) and the nurse Josh Baker, played by Hubert Point-Du Jour, these are the professionals who are speaking up. The Texas Medical Board launched an investigation and found that Duntsch was performing unnecessary and risky procedures on his patients without informing them of the potential risks and complications. You'd think that a surgeon who was this bad would have some mud spattered on him on the internet. By this time, however, Brown was brain dead. Ex-surgeon, who allegedly said he wanted to be a serial killer - Chron Did these doctors truly not see though Duntsch? One of the early investors in Duntsch's company Discgenics was Dr. Rand Page. Duntsch also received 40 percent of all revenue he generated beyond $800,000 each year. Twins Ava Marie And Leah Rose In Profile, The Link Between B Complex Vitamins and Anxiety Examined, Khalil Paynes Redemption: Black Lightnings Heartbreaking Finale. It is an unfortunate reminder that even highly educated medical professionals are prone to human error when it comes to practicing medicine. [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. And not just any doctor a neurosurgeon, operating on injured backs and necks. He harmed the very people who trusted him. But was he just an inadequate addict? The COO had accused Duntsch of violating his fiduciary duty to the company and of misappropriating funds. Dr. Robert Henderson, a spinal surgeon who later took over Efurds care, would later testify that Duntsch had operated in the wrong place in her back, amputated a nerve root and botched the implantation of a device meant to stabilize her spine. Not only was he not qualified for and held no privileges to perform brain surgery, but Dallas Medical did not have the proper equipment or personnel for such an operation. The Dallas district attorneys office discovered through a search of hospital records that Christopher Duntsch, a neurosurgery resident, had only completed about 100 operations during his training. They listened, judged and found Duntsch guilty, and sentenced him to life in prison, reports USA Today. I think some of them he probably did intentionally. Preston and Aiden are both in their twenties now, and have been featured in interviews about their fathers crimes. His investors took him to court. The surgery had left him unable to move his arms and legs, making him a quadriplegic. Toby Shook, a Dallas defense attorney, gave a statement toDallas Magazine:"I cannot recall a physician being indicted for aggravated assault for acts committed during surgery. When he finally turned up again, he was made to attended a program for impaired physicians. The Difference Between Sociopath and Psychopath. But for his victims, the judgment was a big relief. What Was 'Dr. Death' Christopher Duntsch's Background? | True Crime Buzz A companion docuseries Dr. (But he was clearly poorly trained with an ego the size of Tennessee). A lot of people seem to think its a mix between narcissism and inadequacy. During his residency program for neurosurgery, he completed fewer than 100 surgeries despite the expected 1,000 operations for a typical resident. In fact, he went on to work at two more hospitals. You can also watchAmerican Greedon CNBC, and Oxygen's own "License to Kill," which profiled Duntsch's deadly malpractice. Feb. 7, 2017. The Untold Truth Of Dr. Death - Grunge But hospital after hospital passed the buck. He then packed it with too much of a substance intended to stop the bleeding. Many shake and tremble, some have unimaginable pain. He wasn't concerned about the drugs in his system while he did his rounds. In 2014, they performed a complicated spinal fusion surgery on Glidewell, which ultimately ended up being Dr. Duntschs final surgery before he was arrested and charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault. The next year, in 2006, Duntsch became more money-minded. Saul Elbein writes in the Texas Observer that Dr. Hendersonsent him a recording of his complaint to the Texas Medical Board. 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. All Rights Reserved. But on January 6, 2012, a week after the surgery, Duntsch went back in. So I definitely think thats a huge part of it. Required fields are marked *. Joshua Jackson, who plays Duntsch, and AnnaSophia Robb, who plays assistant district attorney Michelle Shughart, the real-life prosecutor responsible for putting Duntsch behind bars, spoke with The Wrap about why they think Dr. Death did it. But with that terrifying track record, how was he able to continue to operate? [19][16] Kirby claimed that it looked as if Duntsch had tried to decapitate Glidewell and contended that such a botched surgery "has not happened in the United States of America" before. Was he was only in it for the research prestige and the money? In 2017, he was convicted on five counts of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and sentenced to life in prison. 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. The real question is:Can this TV show bring about a change in medical law, or how hospitals treat their patients and doctors? What happened to Christopher Duntsch? The sponge triggered a severe blood-borne infection that caused Glidewell to become septic. William was born in Denton, TX and currently resides in Austin. Duntsch was described asa precocious boy and a bright student. [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. The good-looking but eerie Jamie Dornan. I can tell you that, with the intention of allowing audiences to come to their own conclusions, my conclusion is that Christopher is an extraordinarily complex and tragic figure. Yet, instead of saving lives and using his knowledge for good, the opposite happened. Had he been fired, that would have been reportable to the national data bank, so he was able to circumvent a major safety feature in the system, neurosurgeon Dr. Martin Lazar told American Greed.. As is the case with programs based on real events, Peacocks Dr. Adams, Michael Kirk, Jack Kirk, and Michael Swan, as well as the press nickname Dr. Death, is an American physician and an admitted serial killer. Death, was a neurosurgeon from Dallas, Texas who had a promising career in medicine until it took a disastrous turn. Another patient, 74-year-old Mary Efurd, wokeup from her procedurescreaming in pain and couldnt bear weight on her legs after her surgery. To fellow surgeon Mark Hoyle, he said, "Everybody's doing it wrong. In it, he is yelling at Maria Lopez, the medical board investigator assigned to Duntsch's case in January 2013, demanding to know why he was still practicing. Take the case of Dr. Death, aka Dr. Christopher Duntsch. [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. The very first complaint should have triggered an investigation. Ellis Unit outside of Huntsville, Texas. All eight episodes of Peacocks Dr. Since no one else knew what was wrong, they couldn't save her. He said, "What I am being is what I am, one of kind, a mother f****r stone cold killer that can buy or own or steal or ruin or build whatever he wants.". Thats the question on everyones minds, including Beils, the reporter who initially broke the story on her Wondery podcast. 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. [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. Their suffering becomes yours. [46], Dr. Death, a TV mini-series based on the podcast, began streaming on Peacock on July 15, 2021. 33 of his 37 surgeries were botched, with two dead and 31 injured for life. Kane came into the picture as a deposition witness. 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. Between 2011 and 2013, Christopher Duntsch operated on 37 patients in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. [4], After 13 days of trial, the jury needed only four hours to convict him for the maiming of Efurd. He graduated from one of the top-tier medical schools and completed a residency program for neurosurgery. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. And when this podcast tells you all the gory details, you become that patient. Dr Duntsch participated in fewer than 100 surgeries during his residency, which is significantly less than the number of surgeries typically performed by neurosurgery residents. I'm the only clean minimally invasive guy in the whole state." Most doctors would pull themselves out of the field after a few botched surgeries because of the guilt they have to carry after permanently hurting someone. Out of his 38 surgeries, only three had no complications. When Henderson saw the imaging from Duntsch's surgery, he was certain that there would be legal action, and had the salvage surgery recorded. Peacock has released 'Dr. He is not eligible for parole until 2045, when he will be 74 years old. [9] Duntsch's defense blamed their client's actions on poor training and lack of oversight by the hospitals. You can get access to the first three episodes of Dr. Death with Peacocks free tier. He promises to take all pain and suffering away. Duntsch could have turned it into something good and meaningful. 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.