[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. "[4] The Texas Medical Board revoked Duntsch's license on December 6, 2013. He avoided it and disappeared for several days. 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. Why do Slipknot wear masks and what do they look like without? Over the course of 18-months, the nefarious ex-surgeon performed a spree of botched . Unfortunately, when Fennell woke up from surgery, he was paralyzed from the waist down. 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. The hospital hired him and granted him temporary surgical privileges until his reference checks were completed. Duntsch is a former Dallas neurosurgeon who, through . executive producer explains how Christopher Duntsch could have avoided prison. "As his victims pile up, two fellow physicians and Dallas prosecutor Michelle Shughart set out to stop him.". 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. A disc in his lower spine had blown out, and the pieces had to be picked out of the space above. He was brilliant. [4], Longtime spine surgeon Robert Henderson performed the salvage surgery on Efurd. South Hampton Community Hospital in Dallas (now University General Hospital). February 22, 2017. The story of Dr. Death, Christopher Duntsch, feels like something out of a movie or book. The day after Mary Efurd's surgery, she awoke in excruciating pain and could not turn over or wiggle her toes. In July 2015, Duntsch was arrested in Dallas and charged with six felony counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, five counts of aggravated assault causing severe bodily injury, and one count of injury to an elderly person. She bled so much that blood was saturating the blue draping around her body and dripping onto the floor. In October 2011, she registered articles of incorporation to form Duntsch's practice, the Texas Neurosurgical Institute. Now, a podcast called Dr. Death is breaking down the deranged surgeon's criminal acts and shows how drug abuse and blinding overconfidence led to big trouble for the patients who found themselves underneath the spiraling doctor's knife.. There are many sick people in the world, but Duntsch takes the cake for me. ", "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. The series peers into the torturous crimes of . Christopher Duntsch wrote that he was ready to become a "cold blooded killer". 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 claimed he was the best in Dallas. Lee Passmore is still fighting. Duntsch suggested drilling a hole in Brown's head to relieve the pressure, but was refused permission. When Martin awoke from anesthesia, she was screaming and clawing at her legs which had become patchy and full of purple streaks and spots. He wrote grants and secured more than $3 million in funding. Duntsch moved to Denver, Colorado, and went into a downward spiral. Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971. There were two names on the top page: Kellie Martin and Christopher Duntsch. Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano (now Baylor Scott and White Medical Center - Plano). Since Duntsch's departure was technically voluntary, Baylor Plano was under no obligation to report him to the Texas Medical Board or the National Practitioner Data Bank. [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. However, Duntsch was allowed to resign, and the hospital didn't notify the National Practitioner Data Bankagain. Those words continue to haunt her, and she's tormented by the knowledge that her endorsement caused others to select Duntsch themselves. 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. [4] [19], Despite both of his surgeries at Dallas Medical Center going catastrophically awry, hospital officials did not report him to the NPDB. Christopher Duntsch, 44, faces up to life in prison if convicted. [38][39] On December 10, 2018, the Texas Court of Appeals affirmed Duntsch's conviction by a 21 split decision. 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. 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. The hospital called Rimlawi when it couldn't reach his colleague. In my opinion, we had a serial killer in our medical community, Dr. Randall Kirbysays of Christopher Duntsch in "Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story.". She also said they snorted cocaine from a small pile he kept on a dresser in his home office. 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. Having exhausted his football eligibility, Duntsch decided to switch to a career in medicine. In December 2012, Jacqueline Troy was left barely able to speak above a whisper after Duntsch cut her vocal cords and one of her arteries. Duntsch moved into a five-bedroom house not far from the hospital. When Henderson opened the freshly made incisions on her, he was appalled. Duntsch lasted about three months at MISI. DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch has been sentenced to life in prison for a series of botched spinal surgeries, reports CBS . The series is set to premiere on July 12 and will feature a star-studded cast. Im the only clean minimally invasive guy in the whole state.. 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. As those watching the show know, Christopher was dubbed "Dr. Death" in D Magazine . He graduated from a top-tier medical school, was running research labs, and completed a residency program for neurosurgery. i feel much better now ! 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 . 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. When other doctors discovered the sponge, Duntsch refused to return to help remove it. She suffered a stroke as a result. Duntsch continued operating despite clear signs that Martin was losing massive amounts of blood. "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. The surgery was supposed to take less than 45 minutes and ultimately lasted over four hours. Finally, Dr. Kirby received a call from Hassan Chahadeh. She said she thought that he was going to make millions, Kimberly Morgan's friend once said her attraction to Christopher Duntsch. 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." The charismatic neurosurgeon was actually a successful researcher before he starting killing people in the operating . Dallas Magazine states that Duntsch became key in supplying samples to scientists for research. You'd like to think . The True Story Of Christopher Duntsch, The Killer Surgeon Known As Dr. 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. 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. In 2005, about a third of the way through his residency, department chairman Dr. Jon Robertson appointed Duntsch program director of the school's tissue bank. Baylor wanted Duntsch operating quickly and often so they could be reimbursed for the monies they had advanced to him. He was a genius. MISI representatives stated he would brag about his capabilities and be critical of the work of other surgeons. 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. [7], While in Memphis, Duntsch began a long-term relationship with Wendy Renee Young. As a result, Summers lost almost 1,200 mL of blood. In 2014, he developed syringomyelia, a painful condition that causes fluid-filled cysts on the spinal cord. The pressure was building inside her brain. Duntsch filed a patent for the technology, and he listed himself as one of the inventors even though he had not discovered it. He was held in the Dallas County jail for almost two years until the case went to trial in 2017. [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. [18] He damaged patient Philip Mayfield's spinal cord, drilling into it and leaving him partially paralyzed from the neck down. Christopher Duntsch ended up at Millsaps College in Mississippi to play football and was offered financial aid. ", "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? When Henderson saw the imaging from Duntsch's surgery, he was certain that there would be legal action, and had the salvage surgery recorded. She had suffered from lower back pain for years and was referred to Duntsch by her pain management doctor. Many of his patients suffered severe spinal cord damage, resulting in paralysis and pain severe enough to render painkillers ineffective. Christopher Duntsch, once a supremely confident neurosurgeon with a solid rsum and a wealth of potential, fled town in disgrace last year under a scalding cascade . Wendy Renee Young and Christopher Duntsch first met in 2011 at a Beauty Shop bar in Memphis. Now, his time at the university . [42] The four hospitals that employed Duntsch have ongoing civil cases against him. Christopher Daniel Duntsch was born in Montana on April 3, 1971, and raised alongside his three siblings in an affluent suburb of Memphis, Tennessee. As Burke says in "Dr. Death," "No matter what happens, no matter what somebody does to you or the people you love, all you're gonna get is $250,000. [4], After 13 days of trial, the jury needed only four hours to convict him for the maiming of Efurd. [18] Despite this, Duntsch was retained by South Hampton when new owners bought it and renamed it University General Hospital. The Judge overseeing this case is GINSBERG, CARL. But police say an email Duntsch wrote in 2011 points to his mind-set in the months before he "intentionally, knowingly and . He was left with only one vocal cord, permanent damage to his esophagus, and partial paralysis on his left side. His father, Donald, was a physical therapist and Christian missionary. Brown was left in a coma for hours before Duntsch finally acquiesced to her transfer. On 06/26/2013 MARY EFURD filed a Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice lawsuit against CHRISTOPHER D DUNTSCH, MD. This meant Summers could still feel pain, but was unable to move from the neck down. 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. The operation should have taken less than ninety minutes; it ultimately lasted four and a half hours. 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. Dr. Frederick Boop, chief of neurosurgery at the hospital where Duntsch was completing his residency, said that university officials asked Duntsch to take a drug test. He added that many board members found it hard to believe that a trained surgeon could be as incompetent as Duntsch appeared to be.[9]. He is very caring and took the time to help me understand my pain issues. At one point, an assisting surgeon named Dr. Hoyle observed Duntsch performing such alarming and erratic behavior; he grabbed his hands and pleaded with him to stop. 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. 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. Written by Patrick Macmanus, the show will only be available exclusively on Peacock. [19] Prosecutors sought a sentence long enough to ensure that Duntsch would never be able to practice medicine again. 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 . He is not eligible for parole until 2045, when he will be 74 years old. According to D Magazine, Duntsch did so well in medical school that he was allowed to join the prestigiousAlpha Omega Medical Honor Society. She was transferred to a Dallas hospital after suffering from a severe infection, and Randal Kirby was asked to operate on her. Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Policy | Compact with Texans | Website Linking Policy; Please contact Pre-Licensure, Registration and Consumer Services at . [48], In 2019, Duntsch was the focus of the premiere episode of License to Kill, Oxygen's series on criminal medical professionals. To top it all off, he was operating on the wrong portion of her back. 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 earned his M.D. [4][5] In 2017, he was convicted of maiming one of his patients and sentenced to life imprisonment. Jerry Summers, who grew up with Christopher Duntsch in Tennessee, was left a quadriplegic after agreeing to let "Dr. Death" operate on his neck. Dr. Duntsch assured Muse that the pain was normal and prescribed him, strong pain killers, causing him to spiral into an addiction. In May 2013, Dr. Randall Kirby was invited to a dinner by University General Hospital to meet their new neurosurgeon, Dr. Duntsch. He is currently appealing this sentence. Former teammates later said that, while Duntsch trained hard, he lacked talent at the game. After a fall in her kitchen, Martin experienced chronic back pain and sought out surgery to alleviate it. Morguloff sought a second opinion on his excruciating pain from Dr. Michael Desaloms. During surgery, Duntsch damaged Summers' vertebral artery causing it to bleed uncontrollably. He Was Also His Victim. 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. 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. Just one day after his suspension had ended, Duntsch operated on Kellie Martin. Once, he stopped by to pick up some paperwork. Christopher was raised along with his three younger siblings in a wealthy suburb in Memphis, Tennessee. After the operation, Brown woke up and seemed fine, but early the following day; she lost consciousness. 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. B. Ellis Unit outside Huntsville. "It's on the butt cheek of his scrubs. 2-Dr.Randall Kirby, a hero. Robert Lowes. The Dallas district attorney's office subpoenaed every hospital on Duntsch's CV for records of his surgeries. They argued that Duntsch was motivated to continue operating because the lucrative salary of a neurosurgeon would solve his mounting financial problems. Base compensation was $600,000 a year for two years, beginning on June 14, 2011. 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. 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. Henderson then cleaned out bone fragments and discovered that one of Efurd's nerve roots was gone entirely. July 14, 2021. His older son had been born back when he was at Baylor Plano. Duntsch arrived at the hospital about 45 minutes after Efurd's surgery had been scheduled. "[32][9] ADA Michelle Shughart, who led the prosecution of Duntsch, later recalled that Henderson, Kirby, and Lazar contacted her demanding to testify against Duntsch; according to Shughart, doctors almost never testify against each other. The appalling actions of the rogue surgeon and their repercussions on his unsuspecting patients were . Before his license was revoked by the Texas Medical Board, he was accused of injuring 33 out of 38 . In addition, a ligament in his leg was severed, and a screw was stripped and lodged into a nerve bundle.
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