[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. Duntsch is a former neurosurgeon born in 1971 in Montana . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Duntsch, https://www.propublica.org/article/dr-death-christopher-duntsch-a-surgeon-so-bad-it-was-criminal, https://www.dmagazine.com/healthcare-business/2021/10/a-witness-to-dr-death-in-the-presence-of-a-sociopath/, https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2016/november/christopher-duntsch-dr-death/, https://www.oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/who-were-the-victims-of-dr-christopher-duntsch, https://www.dallasnews.com/news/investigations/2014/03/02/planos-baylor-hospital-faces-hard-questions-after-claims-against-former-neurosurgeon/, https://www.texasobserver.org/anatomy-tragedy/, https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2015/08/25/7-chilling-thoughts-of-jailed-neurosurgeon-christopher-duntsch/, https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/greg-abbott-enters-fray-in-lawsuits-involving-sociopath-doctor/, https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2017/02/a-jury-now-controls-the-fate-of-neurosurgeon-christopher-duntsch/, https://www.thedailybeast.com/victim-of-real-life-dr-death-believes-there-are-others-like-him-out-there?ref=scroll, https://www.oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/what-happened-to-discgenics-co-founded-by-dr-death-christopher-duntsch, https://www.texasobserver.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Morguloff-Complaint.pdf. He was put on probation for three weeks and told to stick to relatively minor procedures when he returned. Efurd eventually gained back some control and mobility, but she now uses a wheelchair and suffers chronic pain. Duntsch had his surgical rights temporarily suspended after his botched surgery on Summers and his first patient back was 55-year-old Kellie Martin. 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, he closed Glidewell with the sponge in place despite others in the operating room warning him about it. To top it all off, he was operating on the wrong portion of her back. The night before his surgery, he read online about Kellie Martin's death just months earlier. Watch the trailer for Dr . In April 2015, Duntsch was arrested again for shoplifting $887 worth of merchandise from a Dallas Walmart. "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. According to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, a neurosurgery resident does about 1,000 operations during training. He stalled at first, telling administrators he got lost on the way to the lab. [23][19][24], While operating on Efurd, Duntsch severed one of her nerve roots during spinal fusion surgery while operating on the wrong portion of her back, twisted a screw into another nerve, left screw holes on the opposite side of her spine, failed to remove the disc he was supposed to remove, and left surgical hardware in her muscle tissue so loose that it moved when touched. And its all because of one surgeon named Christopher Duntsch a.k.a. 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. 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. Advertisement. However, it wouldnt be long until Duntschs seemingly perfect career began to unravel. In addition, a ligament in his leg was severed, and a screw was stripped and lodged into a nerve bundle. [9], In March 2014, three former patients of Duntsch's Mary Efurd, Kenneth Fennel, and Lee Passmore filed separate federal lawsuits against Baylor Plano, alleging the hospital allowed Duntsch to perform surgeries despite knowing that he was a dangerous physician. The hospital hired him and granted him temporary surgical privileges until his reference checks were completed. 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. No diagnostic imaging studies were ordered, and no reasonable explanation was offered for his condition. 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. Philip is one of more than 30 people maimed by Dr. Christopher Duntsch, nicknamed Dr. Death by the media. The Texas Medical Board would later conclude that Brown died of excessive blood loss and a stroke, according to The Texas Observer . Those words continue to haunt her, and she's tormented by the knowledge that her endorsement caused others to select Duntsch themselves. She suffered a stroke as a result. Ghostbar, Dragonfly at Hotel Zaza. When Duntsch finally returned on Monday, he was fired. His sophomore year, he made it as one of the few walk-on players. Board chairman Irwin Zeitzler later said that complications in neurosurgery were more common than most think. [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". No one can pay to remove ratings. 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. Then check out the horrifying story of Simon Bramhall, a surgeon who admitted to burning his initials into patients livers. Duntsch also received forty percent of all revenue he generated beyond $800,000 each year. He moved in with his parents in Colorado and filed for bankruptcy, claiming around one million dollars in debt. His very first operation at the hospital would once again turn deadly. Duntsch is a serial maimer and killer. [30], Henderson and Kirby feared that Duntsch could move elsewhere and still theoretically get a medical license. Hoyle called the surgery sloppy enough to cancel the remaining four operations he had scheduled with Duntsch and vowed never to work with him again. By this time, however, Brown was brain dead. Duntsch received his undergraduate degree from the University of Memphis and stayed in town to receive an M.D. Pic credit: Dallas County Sheriff's Office. [8] Duntsch returned home to attend Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). Despite his colleagues being [] 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. Could you take care of it?" Mayfield also suffered from random fainting spells that happen every few weeks. He did his surgical residency at the University of Tennessee in Memphis, spending five years studying neurosurgery and a year studying general surgery. The explanation was enough to satisfy Muse. Duntsch had also installed hardware into her muscle, not her bone, so loose that it moved when you touched it. His name appeared on several papers and patents, and he took part in a number of biotech startups. "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. February 22, 2017. (Dallas County Jail via AP) Gift Article. Lee Passmore is still fighting. That same month, the two began an affair. However, part of the problem was proving that Duntsch's actions were willful as defined by Texas law. Moving made sense for both of them. After intense rehab and his determination, eventually, he was able to use a walker and cane to mobilize himself. After he arrived in town, he secured a deal with the Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano and was given surgical rights at the hospital. [18] Despite this, Duntsch was retained by South Hampton when new owners bought it and renamed it University General Hospital. However, during training for neurosurgery he followed a research path and did fewer operations than most trainees. Lee Passmore was thirty-seven and worked as a field agent for the Collin County medical examiner. However, St. Jude says there was no such program at the hospital. The suit alleged that Baylor Plano made an average net profit of $65,000 on every spinal surgery performed by Duntsch. Nevertheless, it took until June 2013 to find the "pattern of patient injury" required to justify suspending Duntsch's license, despite receiving complaints dating back to 2011. She was 27, and he was 40. She also said they snorted cocaine from a small pile he kept on a dresser in his home office. Duntsch lasted about three months at MISI. This time on 53-year-old Mary Efurd. Dr. Fulton never worked with Duntsch again. Passmore can't feel his feet; his chest shakes, his right-hand jitters, he can't run or swim with his kids, he struggles with incontinence, and he has nerve pain that fires through his back. Duntsch approached Pam Trusty about being on camera during a follow-up visit where she was still in pain. After interviewing dozens of Duntsch's patients and their survivors, prosecutors concluded that Duntsch's acts were indeed criminal, and nothing short of imprisonment would prevent him from practicing medicine again. Christopher Duntsch is a former neurosurgeon known by his nickname Dr. Death or Dr. D. The Montana native got his nickname for his malpractice while working at hospitals in Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. 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. She said she thought that he was going to make millions, Kimberly Morgan's friend once said her attraction to Christopher Duntsch. By this time, Duntsch was almost penniless, and the judge had to appoint a lawyer for him. He was left with pain so debilitating he could not work any longer and now spends most of his days at home. Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971. Over the course of two years, Christopher Duntsch operated on 38 patients in the Dallas area. However, he sewed up Glidewell with the sponge still in place despite others in the operating room warning him about it. [12], Initially, Duntsch focused heavily on the PhD half of his degree. Duntsch stuffed Glidewell's throat with a surgical sponge to attempt to stop the bleeding. 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. South Hampton Community Hospital in Dallas (now University General Hospital). 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. Learn more. The appalling actions of the rogue surgeon and their repercussions on his unsuspecting patients were . He was brilliant. Jerry Summers, who grew up with Christopher Duntsch in Tennessee, was left a quadriplegic after agreeing to let "Dr. Death" operate on his neck. It was completely unnecessary, didn't relieve her pain, and only set her up for another needed surgery. ", You know in the beginning he talked about marriage. Then, on July 24, 2012, he operated on Floella Brown. His CV also conveyed he earned a Ph.D. in microbiology from St. Jude Children's Research Hospitals, graduating summa cum laude. is a beautiful and populous city located in Montana U.S. . [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]. 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. 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. Next week marks the five-year anniversary of Texas neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch being sentenced to life in prison. Young let him buy her an appletini, and they felt a connection; eventually, she went home with Duntsch. As those watching the show know, Christopher was dubbed "Dr. Death" in D Magazine . Premiering Thursday on . Famously known by the Family name Christopher Daniel Duntsch, is a great neurosurgeon and convicted criminal for malpractice.He was born on April 3, 1971, in Montana. 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. [7], When Duntsch applied for privileges at Methodist Hospital in Dallas, the hospital queried the NPDB. The case status is Disposed - Other Disposed. Wendy Renee Young was romantically involved with Texas physician Christopher Duntsch, who became known as "Dr . [27], While attempting to remove degenerated discs in Marshall "Tex" Muse's back, Duntsch left surgical hardware floating between the spine and muscle tissue. Caroline is a writer and Florida-transplant currently living in New York City. February 21, 2017 / 5:45 AM / CBS News. Duntsch also appears in no yearbooks during the time in which he says he earned his Ph.D. Dr. Duntsch came from a good family and showed considerable potential at medical school. 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. Leaving on April 20, 2012, with a lawyer-negotiated letter saying, "All areas of concern with regard to Christopher D. Duntsch have been closed. 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. "Something was wrong," Dr. Rimlawi said, "whether it be impairment from drugs, alcohol, mental illness, or a combination of all three." Passmore says if he settles, he is allowing the hospital to continue to get away with their negligence. Christopher Duntsch. Mary Efurd: While Brown was dying, Duntsch was operating on Mary Efurd, a 71-year-old anxious to return to her treadmill after surgery to relieve her back pain. Everything went perfect in there." Even though he lived in Colorado, he returned to Dallas to see his two sons. Jerry Summers believed that his best friend Christopher Duntsch was a talented neurosurgeon who would cure his chronic neck pain. 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. On April 9, 2013, Phillip Mayfield was scheduled to have a simple 45-minute operation to alleviate his back pain. The databank was established in 1990 and tracks malpractice payouts and adverse actions against doctors, such as being fired, banned from Medicare, handed a lengthy suspension, or having their license suspended or revoked. However, by the time he met Young, Duntsch was over $500,000 in debt. According to D Magazine, Duntsch did so well in medical school that he was allowed to join the prestigiousAlpha Omega Medical Honor Society. He was wearing the shirt of his black scrubs, and it was covered in blood. Getty Dr. Duntsch, aka "Dr. Death", operated on his last patient in 2013, before he was arrested. Wendy Young knew her ex-boyfriend Christopher Duntsch's medical career was unraveling, but she wasn't prepared for what she said was his bizarre behavior that coincided with his fall from grace as a surgeon.. [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. He was sent to a program for impaired physicians when he returned but was allowed to finish his residency. Dallas-based surgeon Christopher Duntsch was also the subject of a Wondery podcast titled "Dr. Death." (Dallas County Jail) The indictment accused Duntsch of wide-ranging malpractice, including . Lee Passmore's screams poured out from the ICU and down the hallway. She says she even filed a temporary protective order against him in April 2012, after he showed up banging on her window at 2 am. Ellis Unit prison in Huntsville, Texas. When Martin awoke from anesthesia, she was screaming and clawing at her legs which had become patchy and full of purple streaks and spots. Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana and spent most of his youth in Memphis, Tennessee. DiscGenics says its mission is toimprove the lives of those suffering from the debilitating effects of degenerative diseases of the spine. Christopher Duntsch was a neurosurgeon who radiated confidence. Christopher Duntsch, known as "Dr. Death" tried to explain himself in rambling emails, but he only made things worse for his criminal case. Dr. Death in surgery. Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano (now Baylor Scott and White Medical Center - Plano). He then packed it with too much of a substance intended to stop the bleeding. Every victim deserves to have their story told, and unfortunately, Christopher Duntsch, aka Dr. Death, has 33. Written by Patrick Macmanus, the show will only be available exclusively on Peacock. Dr. Phil airs on weekdays. His mother, Susan, was a school teacher. To avoid the costs of fighting and possibly losing a wrongful termination suit, hospital officials reached a deal with Duntsch's lawyers in which Duntsch was allowed to resign in return for Baylor Plano issuing a letter stating that there were no issues with him. [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. After his license was revoked,Duntsch fled from Texas. "[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. Christopher Duntsch wrote that he was ready to become a "cold blooded killer". Peacock's Dr. Death is a chilling dramatization of the real-life story of former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch. Baylor wanted Duntsch operating quickly and often so they could be reimbursed for the monies they had advanced to him. The series follows two other surgeons, along with . "[4] The Texas Medical Board revoked Duntsch's license on December 6, 2013. He was tragically mistaken. 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. He recommended fusing two of her vertebrae and the insertion of "hardware" in her spinal area. He refused to abort the surgery even after a trauma surgeon colleague and an anesthesiologist warned him about the blood loss. You'd like to think . She bled so much that blood was saturating the blue draping around her body and dripping onto the floor. I left with him and believed in him and then, you know, he just kind of fell apart.. In July 2015, a grand jury indicted Dr. Death on five counts of aggravated assault and one count of harming an elderly person, his patient Mary Efurd, according to Rolling Stone. As a result, Summers lost almost 1,200 mL of blood. The indictments were made four months before the statute of limitations ran out. Page opened a desk drawer and saw a mirror with a pile of cocaine and a rolled-up dollar bill on top. But based on documents gathered by the DA, when Duntsch finished his residency, he had operated fewer than 100 times. 11:15 PM on Mar 1, 2014 CST. Wendy Renee Young and Christopher Duntsch first met in 2011 at a Beauty Shop bar in Memphis. 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. The charismatic neurosurgeon was actually a successful researcher before he starting killing people in the operating . ", "Greg Abbott Enters Fray in Lawsuits Involving "Sociopath" Doctor", "Abbott sides with Baylor hospital in neurosurgeon lawsuit", "Who Are Robert Henderson And Randall Kirby, The Surgeons Who Tried To Stop 'Dr. Duntsch initially attended Millsaps College to play Division III college football, and later transferred to Division I Colorado State University. Duntsch, 40 at that time, bought an appletini for Young, 27, and they started their relationship. Film & TV 'Dr. Death' Condemns Christopher Duntsch, but the Real Culprit Is Texas's Broken Health-Care System I helped break the story on the convicted surgeon, but Peacock's dramatized .
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