Duntsch had his surgical rights temporarily suspended after his botched surgery on Summers and his first patient back was 55-year-old Kellie Martin. A few days later, he took the test and passed. Since receiving his life sentence, Dr Death is currently housed in the O.B. For instance, he came to work wearing the same tattered scrubs for three days in a row. B. Ellis Unit outside Huntsville. Passmore focused on recovery and getting back to work in the months following his surgery. 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. Dr. Death in surgery. Duntsch was suspected of having used cocaine the night before the operation. Page opened a desk drawer and saw a mirror with a pile of cocaine and a rolled-up dollar bill on top. The sponge triggered a severe blood-borne infection that caused Glidewell to become septic. Dr. Death was fired before the end of his first week for the damage hed inflicted on Brown and Efurd. Those are the words that Dr. Christopher Duntsch, a Dallas neurosurgeon, wrote to his girlfriend in 2011 in the midst of a two-year period that left 33 of his 38 patients maimed, wounded or . Duntsch is a former Dallas neurosurgeon who, through . The suit alleged that Baylor Plano made an average net profit of $65,000 on every spinal surgery performed by Duntsch. Homesick, Duntsch left Colorado after a year and transferred to Memphis State University, now the University of Memphis. [19], In July 2015, approximately a year and a half after his license was revoked, Duntsch was arrested in Dallas and charged with six felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, five counts of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, and one count of injury to an elderly person. Lee Passmore was thirty-seven and worked as a field agent for the Collin County medical examiner. Pic credit: Dallas County Sheriff's Office. Texas Attorney General 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. He is very caring and took the time to help me understand my pain issues. [9] Duntsch completed his undergraduate degree in 1995, then continued on to an ambitious MDPhD program. ", "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? The last charge was for the maiming and paralyzing of Efurd. Mayfield was taken to a different hospital and told his spinal cord had already been deformed, and the damage was irreversible. On top of this, he misspelled both Kukekov and Ignatova's names. Unfortunately, when Morguloff woke up, he began to experience continuous pain, paresthesia, and loss of sensation in his left leg. February 21, 2017 / 5:45 AM / CBS News. "Dr. Death" is based on the chart-topping podcast of the same name that, in turn, is based on the horrifying true story of Christopher Duntsch. Duntsch also removed so much bone and muscle tissue from Summers' neck that his head was no longer secure on his body. He was smart. When Morgan asked Duntsch about the woman in his house, he said she was just his secretary and friend. The surgery was supposed to take less than 45 minutes and ultimately lasted over four hours. The pressure was building inside her brain. He recommended fusing two of her vertebrae and the insertion of "hardware" in her spinal area. When Henderson saw the imaging from Duntsch's surgery, he was certain that there would be legal action, and had the salvage surgery recorded. In 2006, Duntsch teamed up with two Russian stem cell scientists: Valery Kukekov and Tatyana Ignatova. Everything went perfect in there." Dr Deathis a new limited series about the rise and fall of Duntsch. During his short tenure, he spent little time in the operating room. It involves the case of Dr. Christopher Duntsch, a spinal neurosurgeon who left a trail of dead and permanently disabled . The Dallas district attorney's office subpoenaed every hospital on Duntsch's CV for records of his surgeries. Christopher Duntsch - AKA Dr. Death - spent 18 months as a practicing surgeon at multiple Texas hospitals until he had his license revoked in 2013. 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. Death,' Dallas neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch", "Texas neurosurgeon nicknamed 'Dr. They talked about marriage quickly, and they moved in together within three months. Duntsch is a former neurosurgeon born in 1971 in Montana . i feel much better now ! A CT scan would later reveal that Efurds nerve root had been amputated, there were several screw holes nowhere near where they were supposed to be, and one screw had been lodged in another nerve root. "[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. [4][5] In 2017, he was convicted of maiming one of his patients and sentenced to life imprisonment. Dr. Death is based on the podcast of the same name, produced by Wondery. How could Dr. Christopher Duntsch practice medicine for as long as he did without being stopped? But police say an email Duntsch wrote in 2011 points to his mind-set in the months before he "intentionally, knowingly and . Baylor suspended Duntsch, pictured, for a month. Jerry Summers believed that his best friend Christopher Duntsch was a talented neurosurgeon who would cure his chronic neck pain. 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. He wanted to become a doctor, and not just any doctor - a neurosurgeon, operating on injured backs and necks. The Legislature has also made suing hospitals difficult. Death'? This was the time when Dr. Christopher Duntsch started to turn into Dr. Death. [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]. He performed only one surgery with the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute. According to court documents, surgeons at the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute soon grew suspicious of Duntsch. A spill of more than 500,000-gallons of crude oil from the Keystone Pipeline in December in Kansas was caused by a combination of a faulty weld and "bending stress fatigue" on the pipe, the . Before going to medical school, Duntsch wanted to be a pro-football player. On April 9, 2013, Phillip Mayfield was scheduled to have a simple 45-minute operation to alleviate his back pain. by Saul Elbein. 0:57. She was 27, and he was 40. [16] In 2021, he was profiled on CNBC's American Greed. His name appeared on several papers and patents, and he took part in a number of biotech startups. [46], Dr. Death, a TV mini-series based on the podcast, began streaming on Peacock on July 15, 2021. 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. There are a lot of explanations proposed for why the real-life subject of Peacock's "Dr. Death" limited series, neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Duntsch (played by Joshua Jackson), maimed and . In addition, a ligament in his leg was severed, and a screw was stripped and lodged into a nerve bundle. Christopher Duntsch is confirmed to have injured 31 patients and killed two . After his license was revoked,Duntsch fled from Texas. Nicknamed "Dr. Death," the story of Duntsch's egregious medical crimes and the healthcare system that failed so many by allowing him to practice received the podcast treatment in 2018 from Wondery, the team behind "Dirty John.". The sponge triggered a severe blood-borne infection that caused Glidewell to become septic. B. Ellis Unit outside Huntsville. [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. While they were in the lab working, Duntsch went to work raising money for a company he called DiscGenics. Duntsch severed his vertebral nerve, his vocal cords, cut a hole in his esophagus, sliced through an artery, and mistook part of his neck muscle as a tumor. He later appealed his case, but lost when his conviction was upheld 2-1 in the Fifth District Court of Appeals . Mayfield also suffered from random fainting spells that happen every few weeks. It was Duntsch, babbling about his family being in danger. "I called Dr. Duntsch up, and I said, 'I saw this online.' 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.". The Peacock limited series, based on the Wondery podcast, covers the true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch (played by Joshua Jackson ), whose surgical career ruined the lives of numerous people . We've had a catastrophic event here. He is a graduate of Evangelical Christian School in the Cordova suburb of Memphis, where he starred in football.[7]. If you had back pain, and had tried everything else, Dr. Duntsch could give you the spine surgery that would take your pain away. He graduated from a top-tier medical school, was running research labs, and completed a residency program for neurosurgery. 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. Christopher Duntsch was sentenced to life in prison in February 2017 for his heinous acts. You'd like to think . 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. [38] Shughart countered that the 2011 email, sent after his first surgeries went wrong, proved that Duntsch knew his actions were intentional. 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. [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. "Dr. Duntsch is one great man." Duntsch is a serial maimer and killer. Duntsch told Mayfield's wife it went well, but she instantly knew something was wrong as she walked into his room. Dr. Fulton never worked with Duntsch again. [7][28][16], Kirby wrote a detailed complaint to the Texas Medical Board, calling Duntsch a "sociopath" who was "a clear and present danger to the citizens of Texas. He hoped to play football, but his multiple transfers revoked his eligibility. [40][41] On May 8, 2019, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refused Duntschs petition for discretionary review. 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. July 14, 2021. Young let him buy her an appletini, and they felt a connection; eventually, she went home with Duntsch. He didn't wear underwear. According to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, a neurosurgery resident does about 1,000 operations during training. [8] Duntsch returned home to attend Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). 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. The True Story Of Christopher Duntsch, The Killer Surgeon Known As Dr. [4], After 13 days of trial, the jury needed only four hours to convict him for the maiming of Efurd. The board called in veteran neurosurgeon Martin Lazar to review the case. The deal required Duntsch to attain privileges at Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano. Jerry Summers, who grew up with Christopher Duntsch in Tennessee, was left a quadriplegic after agreeing to let "Dr. Death" operate on his neck. The case highlights the risks of allowing a troubled physician to move to another hospital . Her husband could not hold himself up; he had no support of his own and could barely speak. The first season of Dr. Death, which launched in 2018 and ran for seven episodes, examined the life and horrific crimes of Christopher Duntsch. Jodi Smith. 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. (Dallas County Jail via AP) Gift Article. The two soon began dating and moving in together within three months. Baylor Plano allowed Duntsch to continue operating despite the documented issues with Kenneth Fennell, Mary Efurd, Lee Passmore, and Barry Morguloff's surgeries. When Jerry Summers woke up, he couldn't move his arms or legs. 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.". 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 . Ratings for Dr. Christopher D. Duntsch, Inactive. Under heavy lobbying from Kirby and Henderson, the Texas Medical Board suspended Duntsch's license on June 26, 2013. The nursing staff put down towels to soak it up. 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. Passmore met with Dr. Duntsch and was impressed by his confidence; he would fix him. August 28, 2013, 2:01 . To stop the bleeding, he packed the space with so much anticoagulant foam that it constricted Summers' spine. In September 2012, Jeff Cheney went to Duntsch to relieve the pain that had moved from his shoulder down to his arm. [10][7], Duntsch completed his residency having participated in fewer than 100 surgeries. The case status is Disposed - Other Disposed. A disc in his lower spine had blown out, and the pieces had to be picked out of the space above. The hospital called Rimlawi when it couldn't reach his colleague. Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971. 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. When other doctors discovered the sponge, Duntsch refused to return to help remove it. The surgical disasters of neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch led to his jailing in 2017, setting a legal precedent. Baylor wanted Duntsch operating quickly and often so they could be reimbursed for the monies they had advanced to him. [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. 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. As the trial team put it, the "scary pattern" of Duntsch's actions became apparent to the others in the office, leading the DA to give the green light to take the case to a grand jury. Even worse, some of the patients never got the chance to wake up. When he began at MISI, Duntsch hired an assistant, Kimberly Morgan, and she started on August 29, 2011. One day, he happened to see a fax come in to the medical examiner's office. Lee Passmore is still fighting. Where is Kim Morgan Now? Had Duntsch been fired, Baylor Plano would have been required to report him to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), which is intended to flag problematic physicians. However, it wasn't clear how much training Duntsch received. It was completely unnecessary, didn't relieve her pain, and only set her up for another needed surgery. [36] On February 20, 2017, he was sentenced to life in prison. Duntsch earned his undergraduate degree in 1995 and enrolled at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. A deranged surgeon runs amok, maiming and killing multiple patients, unhindered by a medical community sworn to police itself. Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Policy | Compact with Texans | Website Linking Policy; Please contact Pre-Licensure, Registration and Consumer Services at . He died in 2021 of an infection related to complications from Duntsch's operation. Christopher Daniel Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971, and raised alongside his three siblings in an affluent suburb of . On November 7, 2011, Dr. Duntsch was scheduled to perform his first surgery at Baylor Plano on Kenneth Fennell for his back pain. In one particularly disturbing episode, in March 2015, she said she arrived home to her front door had been locked with a deadbolt from the inside. This meant Summers could still feel pain, but was unable to move from the neck down. Kirby, Henderson, and another doctor decided to contact the district attorney, convinced that Duntsch's malpractice was so egregious it was criminal. Death'? He then packed it with too much of a substance intended to stop the bleeding. During this time, he ran two successful labs and raised millions of dollars in grant funding. His girlfriend, Wendy Young, had a second son in September 2014. Though he appealed his conviction in 2018, it was denied. She said she thought that he was going to make millions, Kimberly Morgan's friend once said her attraction to Christopher Duntsch. According to Megan Kane, an ex-girlfriend of one of Duntschs friends, she saw him eat a paper blotter of LSD and take prescription painkillers on his birthday. In effect, plaintiffs have to prove a tough case without access to the necessary hospital records. Many readers may recognize the name Christopher Duntsch, a doctor who allegedly was negligent in his practice for years before finally being stripped of his medical license. He also reported shooting pains throughout his body. After intense rehab and his determination, eventually, he was able to use a walker and cane to mobilize himself. 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. The explanation was enough to satisfy Muse. The staff told Duntsch that Brown, his patient from the day before, was in critical condition. Jeff Glidewell came across Dr. Christopher Duntsch in 2013 while searching for a neurosurgeon .