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. YOU'VE REACHED YOUR MONTHLY ARTICLE LIMIT. 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]. The evidence said otherwise. He decided to turn to neurosurgery, which can be a lucrative field. It's thrilling if uncomfortable to listen. Duntsch stuffed a surgical sponge in Glidewell's throat to stanch the bleeding. The defamed doctor is the subject of the March 25 episode of Dr. Phil.Viewers will get to hear from one of his surviving victims, and from . 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. And when this podcast tells you all the gory details, you become that patient. [6], Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana and spent most of his youth in Memphis, Tennessee. The hospital also instructed Duntsch to only perform minor procedures, but his next surgery had an even more catastrophic outcome. Out July 15, Dr. Death introduces viewers to Christopher Duntsch, a real-life Texas-based surgeon who in 2017 was sentenced to life in prison after maiming and even killing almost all of the. [33][34] The indictments were made four months before the statute of limitations were to run out. "[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. No such thing. 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. Thats almost like, Hey, lets just see what happens. So I just dont know.. Becker's Hospital Review covered the 13 worst physicians of 2017, as named by Medscape. I really wish I knew she said. 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.". Dallas Magazine statesthatDuntsch became key in supplying samples to scientists for research. Welcome to H-O-M-E.org, your one stop shop for all the best in entertainment, movies, music, celebrities, health, lifestyle, sports, technology and education. The Dallas County DA, along with fighting against these very laws, was also running out of time. 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. [14] He persuaded Young to come with him; Young agreed, since she had grown up in the Dallas area. Anyone close to me thinks that I likely am something between God, Einstein and the Antichrist, he once wrote in a 2011 email, according to American Greed.Because how can I do anything I want and cross every discipline boundary like its a playground and never lose.. As is the case with programs based on real events, Peacocks Dr. But on January 6, 2012, a week after the surgery, Duntsch went back in. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Duntsch will not be eligible for parole until 2045, when he will be 74. "[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. According to Dallas Magazine, Dr. Christopher Duntsch talked a big game. Or did he have an ulterior motive to maim, torture, and even kill some of his patients? She said he was a very long talker and he would call his dad up and have these like two-hour conversations with 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. ", "Doctor Guilty of Felony Medical Malpractice", "Disciplinary actions against doctors have plunged during the pandemic, but that doesn't mean they are behaving", "An Update on Dr. Death Victim Philip Mayfield", "Jeff Glidewell Today: Where Is Dr. Death's Last Patient Now? Despite the fact that many of his surgeries went wrong, it is important to note that some reports have suggested that Duntsch did have some successful surgeries during his time as a doctor. He is not eligible for parole until 2045, when he will be 74 years old. Death showrunner Patrick McManus told, It was as if he knew everything to do, Henderson, (played by Alec Baldwin in the Peacock series) told. Theres blood on a lot of peoples hands, Kay Van Wey, a personal injury lawyer representing some of Duntschs former patients, told American Greed. Many of the decisions that were made in this case by multiple people along the line who had the moral obligation to do the right thing, their decision making was colored and tainted by financial considerations and that is just wrong on every level that I can imagine., Or as the final title card of Dr. Death reads, "This will happen again.". Baylor Medical Center-Plano began a formal peer review into the surgery and Duntsch took a leave of absence, but after he passed a drug test and an outside reviewer determined he did not have any drug or psychological issues, his surgery privileges were reinstated. And this was 10 months before Duntsch's last surgery. [30], Henderson and Kirby feared that Duntsch could move elsewhere and still theoretically get a medical license. [38], Duntsch is housed at the O. This way, no one recognizes them as the inventors. Martin paid with her lifebecause her doctor was too proud to say he screwed up. Muse woke up in considerable pain, but Duntsch convinced him it was normal. Improper training? 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. 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. [9][10], Duntsch had severed Brown's vertebral artery, and refused to abort despite the massive blood loss. ", "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? 33 of his 37 surgeries were botched, with two dead and 31 injured for life. I mean, he had some surgeries, he had a handful of surgeries that went fine. According to him, Duntsch had a "great work ethic" and no areas of weakness. [9][16], As part of their investigation, prosecutors obtained a December 2011 email in which Duntsch boasted that he was " ready to leave the love and kindness and goodness and patience that I mix with everything else that I am and become a cold-blooded killer. Unlike a TV series where you get to see the character,a podcast is darker. Death, was a neurosurgeon whose career started off with promise but quickly went downhill due to his involvement in numerous botched surgeries leaving several of his patients permanently injured or dead. Christopher Duntsch was just a regular guy who became Dr. Death after he decided to be a neurosurgeon. St. Jude refuted this by saying there was no such program there at that time. 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, during his medical career, he had been accused of medical malpractice resulting in the death or injury of several patients, leading to his arrest and conviction on five counts of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury. There's so much news out there, headlines can slip through the cracks. And there were plenty of other signs as well. What made this well-recommended neurosurgeon harm his patients and himself? Henderson actually checked if Duntsch was a real doctor with The University of Tennessee, appalled at the damage to Efurd's spine. [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]. [18] He damaged patient Philip Mayfield's spinal cord, drilling into it and leaving him partially paralyzed from the neck down. That said; the 12 jurors did what the Texas Medical Board should have done. He harmed the very people who trusted him. Back in 2018, the Dr. Death podcast took the world by storm when we learned about the killer doctor, Christopher Duntsch. I dont think thats a doctor who doesnt know what hes doing. Muse spiraled into opioid addiction that cost him his wife and his job. Christopher Daniel Duntsch is a former neurosurgeon nicknamed Dr. Death for the murder of two of his patients and the maiming of 30 others while working at hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. 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. Per Bustle, Christopher is currently incarcerated at O.B. And how many other doctors who arent as insane as Dr. Duntsch like, there are multiple seasons of Dr. Christopher Duntsch - AKA Dr. Death - spent 18 months as a practicing surgeon at multiple Texas hospitals until he had his license revoked in 2013. At The University of Tennessee, his supervisors were also investors in Duntsch's company, Discgenics. This is notably weird, considering Christopher Duntsch trained underDr. Boop, so you'd assume that theyoperated together as part of the whole learning surgery process. At Baylor Regional Medical Center,after botched surgeries and complaints from fellow doctors, Duntsch resigned. Yes, Dr. Christopher Duntsch made his friend, Jerry Summers, a quadriplegic. How Do You Get Rid Of Hiccups In 5 Seconds. Ellis Unit outside of Huntsville, Texas. Christopher Duntsch had two children: Preston and Aiden. In one, Duntsch tells the story, over stock footage of an operation, of a taxing back surgery he performed on an older woman. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. Dr. Death and Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story are now available to stream on Peacock. He felt that anyone with a basic knowledge of human anatomy would know that he was operating in the wrong area of Efurd's back. While the school refused to verify or deny his claims, he wasn't in any of the yearbooks of that time. There are a lot of explanations proposed for why the real-life subject of Peacocks Dr. Jodi Smith. According to ProPublica, Boop was aware of a complaint Duntsch used drugs before seeing patients. They listened, judged and found Duntsch guilty, and sentenced him to life in prison, reports USA Today. The board called in veteran neurosurgeon Martin Lazar to review the case. The world at large may have never heard of Dr. Death but for Laura Beil. All Rights Reserved. [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. I think everybody in the OR became pretty concerned because Dr. Duntsch was pulling a lot of muscle tissue out of Jerrys neck and there was just a lot of bleeding, Shughart, (portrayed in the series byAnnaSophia Robb), said of the surgery. Duntsch then joined Dallas Medical Center. He remained there for several months before being allowed to return to the residency. 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. CHRISTOPER Duntsch, also known as Dr. Death, was a doctor who seriously harmed and killed patients during surgeries in hospitals across Texas. As Dr. Dubrow made clear in a 2015 interview with Allure, he and his partner in crime dont work for free on Botched, particularly as it takes up so much of their time. 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. Dr. Christopher Duntsch seemed to be a successful neurosurgeon in the Dallas area. You can get access to the first three episodes of Dr. Death with Peacocks free tier. "Dr. Death" Sentenced to Life in Prison. At Health Grades Duntsch had 4.3 out of 5 stars, "above [the] national average." So the hospitals he worked for knew of his carelessness and sociopathic behavior in the OR. And yet, the names of the latter are incorrect and misspelled. and a Ph.D. from a top-tier medical school, a decade of experience, and a central role in a pioneering stem-cell treatment. His next patient, Floella Brown was 63. My take on it is, for him, it was hubris, Jackson told TheWrap. William was born in Denton, TX and currently resides in Austin. Duntsch ended up slicing her vertebral artery, stopping blood and oxygen flow to her brain. Thats the question on everyones minds, including Beils, the reporter who initially broke the story on her Wondery podcast. [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. Why did Dr. Death do it? The Peacock TV series Dr. The Secrets of Stardew Valleys Elusive Eel, Praetorium FFXIV A Different Perspective, Edwin Rist: The Feather Thief of the British Museum, New Moon: Reflecting Edwards Perspective, Storing Brazil Nuts for Maximum Shelf Life, The Mysterious Clicks of the Black Bird: Deciphering The Noise. With such goings-on, Duntsch got himself kicked out of his own company. At the time, Kane was dating Jerry Summer, a childhood friend of Duntsch. His childhood was seemingly great. [9] Duntsch's defense blamed their client's actions on poor training and lack of oversight by the hospitals. [8] Duntsch returned home to attend Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). [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. I'm the only clean minimally invasive guy in the whole state." The COO had accused Duntsch of violating his fiduciary duty to the company and of misappropriating funds. Hospitals are liable only if the plaintiff can prove that the hospital was also malicious, that it knew of the risk and ignored it. All eight episodes of Peacocks Dr. [3] His resume is about 12 pages long, so he looks really good on paper, exactly the kind of doctor that youd be looking for, Michelle Shughart, assistant district attorney in Dallas County told CNBC's American Greed earlier this year in an episode chronicling Duntschs briefand deadlycareer in Texas. The Difference Between Sociopath and Psychopath. He has also worked as a radio reporter and holds a degree from Moody College of Communication. According to ProPublica, Duntsch's residency and fellowship records show less than 100 surgeries. Many doctors indeed believe that Duntsch knew what he was doing they said its like he knew what to do and did the exact opposite. Death, Surgery Records. While psychopaths are classified as people with little or no conscience, sociopaths do have a limited, albeit weak, ability to feel empathy and remorse. His license gone, Duntsch went off the rails. Yet, instead of saving lives and using his knowledge for good, the opposite happened. While some called his eventual downfall greed-related, who knows what evil the human mind is capable of. Floella Brown went under Dr. Death's knife in July 2012 and shortly after her surgery, she suffered a massive stroke caused by Duntsch slicing her vertebral artery during surgery. That seems like something that goes far beyond. Then he also took prescription painkillers and ate a paper blotter of LSD. [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. When other doctors discovered the sponge, Duntsch refused to return to help remove it. Before his license was revoked by the Texas Medical Board, he was accused of injuring 33 out of 38 . [12], Initially, Duntsch focused heavily on the PhD half of his degree. Prior to his criminal charges, he was running research labs and was considered to be an up-and-coming neurosurgeon. Dr. Christopher Duntsch came to Texas with an impressive resume. Christopher Duntsch, the focus of Peacock's true crime series Dr. Death, looked good on paper.When he arrived in Dallas in late 2010, Duntsch's resume spoke of a skilled neurosurgeon: An M.D. The Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education has strict rules about residency programs. [7], Henderson later recalled wondering if Duntsch was an impostor; he could not believe that a real surgeon would botch Efurd's surgery so badly. When he finally came to the hospital, he busied himself with another patient, also on the DA's list, Mary Efurd. 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. Joshua Jackson On Role Of Surgeon, Christopher Duntsch, In Peacocks Dr. He declared bankruptcy after listing debts of over $1 million. Did Dr Duntsch have any successful surgeries? At Baylor Regional Medical Center, during a simple laminectomy, Duntsch slashed one of Martin's major arteries butrefused to admit his mistake. The Dr. Death true story reveals that neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Duntsch injured 33 out of 38 patients that he saw over a span of less than two years. In the shows finale, it falls to assistant district attorney Michelle Shughart (AnnaSophia Robb) to convince a jury that it wasnt primarily Duntschs poor training, but his own nature that made him harm these people just as the real Shughart did when she got Duntsch sentenced to life in prison in 2017 on an elder abuse charge against one of his patients. But little did his patients know, 33 of his 37 prior patients suffered almost unheard-of complications from his surgeries (think permanent nerve damage, paralysis, and DEATH). The Wondery podcast Dr. Death broke down Duntsch's career and his various crimes. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. His name appeared on several papers and patents, and he took part in a number of biotech startups. With Ignatova and Kukekov in tow, he filed patents under a company he founded. He will not be eligible for parole until 2045, when he will be 74-years-old. Such behavior did not go unnoticed by the other doctors. By this time, Duntsch was almost penniless, and the judge had to appoint a lawyer for him. All Duntsch got was a slap on the wrist while his blood-soaked foray into the OR continued. Chris Duntsch left DiscGenics after being sued by the companys former Chief Operating Officer in 2011. Baylor didn't terminate Duntsch instead they allowedhim to resign his privileges. As a result of the 2017 trial, Duntsch was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The original patent still holds, and hopefully, Discgenics would be able to break out of the Dr. Death shadow todo some real anti-cancer work instead. And not just any doctor a neurosurgeon, operating on injured backs and necks. SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER, FIRST TAKE, How Dr Death Star Joshua Jackson Learned to Perform Spectacularly Bad Surgery, Why Dr Death Showrunner Used Dual Timelines to Unravel Duntschs Occams Razor Email. Distractify is a registered trademark. I agree with TheWrap's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and provide my consent to receive marketing communications from them. Philip Mayfield, one of Christopher Duntsch's patients, who was paralyzed after his surgery.

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