Meanwhile, his patients kept suffering, and dying, in his OR. Gena Lee Nolin: From Baywatchs Neely to Sheenas Queen! [7], When Duntsch applied for privileges at Methodist Hospital in Dallas, the hospital queried the NPDB. Death,' Dallas neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch", "Texas neurosurgeon nicknamed 'Dr. This was the time when Dr. Christopher Duntsch started to turn intoDr. Death. Distractify is a registered trademark. His name appeared on several papers and patents, and he took part in a number of biotech startups. He will not be eligible for parole until 2045, when he will be 74-years-old. [38] Shughart countered that the 2011 email, sent after his first surgeries went wrong, proved that Duntsch knew his actions were intentional. Duntsch could have turned it into something good and meaningful. [15], Duntsch joined Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano (now Baylor Scott & White Medical Center Plano) as a minimally invasive spine surgeon with a salary of $600,000 per year, plus bonuses. Duntsch did his surgical residency at The University of Tennessee. I'm the only clean minimally invasive guy in the whole state." They argued that Duntsch was motivated to continue operating because the lucrative salary of a neurosurgeon would solve his mounting financial problems. In 2017, Duntsch was found guilty of gross negligence and sentenced to life in prison without parole. The docuseries aims to show the real people who were harmed by Dr. Death, some of whom are still alive today to share their stories. Beil's somber reporting on the Wondery podcast titled Dr. Death will send chills down your spine. Death showrunner] says this all the time, if he had taken a right instead of a left, if he had done strictly research and not gone into surgery, would any of this have happened? He decided to turn to neurosurgery, which can be a lucrative field. Where Is Christopher Duntsch Now After His Appearance on 'Dr. Phil'? Christopher Duntsch, also known as "Dr. Death," was a neurosurgeon from Dallas, Texas who had a promising career in medicine until it took a disastrous turn. Where Is Christopher Duntsch AKA Dr. Death Now? He Got A - Bustle [9] He was suspected of being under the influence of cocaine while operating during his fourth year of residency training, and was sent to a program for impaired physicians. This way hisrecordin the national data bank remained spotless and he quickly moved on to Dallas Medical Center, where he was recruited to work just three months after leaving Baylor-Plano. In the case of Dr. 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 nearly 40 patients he operated on between 2011 and 2013. 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. The charges brought against Dr. Duntsch stemmed from a series of botched spinal surgeries that he performed between 2012 and 2013. [9] Duntsch completed his undergraduate degree in 1995, then continued on to an ambitious MDPhD program. Brown was left in a coma for hours before Duntsch finally acquiesced to her transfer. She suffered a stroke as a result. The Real Story Behind the Dr. Death Podcast - Christopher Duntsch What turned Dr. Christopher Duntsch into Dr. Death? By this time, however, Brown was brain dead. If you want to unlock all of the content Peacock has to offer, you can upgrade your account to Peacock Premium at $4.99 a month or $49.99 per year. [16] In 2021, he was profiled on CNBC's American Greed.[4][49]. Part of the problem was being able to prove that Duntsch's actions were willful as defined by Texas law. 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. The statute of limitations made them base their case on only six victims. I dont think that he was damaging these people with intent. 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. He proved to be Duntsch's last surgery; University General pushed him out soon afterward. Christopher Duntsch - Wikipedia During his trial, it was revealed that Dr. Duntsch had disregarded safety protocols and deviated from accepted surgical practices when operating on Summers, leading to his tragic outcome. By this time, Duntsch was almost penniless, and the judge had to appoint a lawyer for him. This May Be the Most Horrifying Surgery Story You've Ever Heard No, Jerry Summers, who was Christophers childhood friend, is no longer alive. The Untold Truth Of Dr. Death - Grunge Due to the debilitating pain, Fennell later had a second operation by Duntsch to relieve it, and was left significantly paralyzed in his legs. As a result of the 2017 trial, Duntsch was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. ", "Assault trial begins for Dallas surgeon who once wrote of becoming 'cold blooded killer', "The State of Texas vs. Christopher Daniel Dunstch", "Life Sentence Upheld on Appeal For Christopher Duntsch, aka Dr. Death", "What you need to know about 'Dr. The Scariest Thing About "Dr. Death" | Incident Report 190 Meanwhile, Brown went brain dead and passed away. Between 2011 and 2013, Christopher Duntsch operated on 37 patients in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. [7] He likened what he found when he opened Efurd up to the results of a child playing with Tinkertoys or an erector set. Prior to his criminal charges, he was running research labs and was considered to be an up-and-coming neurosurgeon. 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. On July 24, 2012, Duntsch operated on Floella Brown, 64, a banker about to retire after a long career. "Dr. Death"and the companion docuseries "Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story" are both available to stream on Peacock now. That seems like something that goes far beyond. "[45], Wondery Media launched a ten-episode podcast series named Dr. Death, focusing on Duntsch. The board called in veteran neurosurgeon Martin Lazar to review the case. He performed operations on 38 patients in total, leaving 35 of them with severe injuries or complications. Since receiving his life sentence, Dr Death is currently housed in the O.B. In 2017, he was convicted on five counts of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and sentenced to life in prison. He grew up in a middle-class suburb with a teacher mom and a missionary/physical therapist dad. The world at large may have never heard of Dr. Death but for Laura Beil. Duntsch was told to take a drug test but disappeared instead. How much money did Christopher Duntsch make? He was even more certain of his brilliance at the end than he was at the beginning, Joshua Jackson tells TheWrap, (Warning: This post contains spoilers through the finale of Peacocks Dr. His resume included a combined MD/PhD program and neurosurgical residency at The University of Tennessee at Memphis College of Medicine and was bolstered by a prestigious spine surgery fellowship in the city, a research patent under his name and published academic papers. [33][34] The indictments were made four months before the statute of limitations were to run out. It's thrilling if uncomfortable to listen. [4] Mayfield died of COVID-19 in February 2021; according to his wife, he had been vulnerable to the virus due to complications caused by Duntsch's botched surgeries. 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. Dr. Death and Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story are now available to stream on Peacock. Their suffering becomes yours. Dr. Death (2021 TV series) Dr. Death is an American crime drama miniseries created by Patrick Macmanus, based on the podcast of the same name, focusing on the titular Christopher Duntsch, a neurosurgeon who became infamous for permanently mutilating his patients, killing two of them. So the procedure, revisional surgery of the type we do, would vary between $30,000 to probably $90,000 or $100,000, he advised. Or at least a morally upright one. [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. 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. Base compensation was $600,000 a year for two years, beginning on June 14, 2011. 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 . 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. A bold pronouncement, yet after just one sloppy, dangerous surgery, Hoyle vowednever to work with Duntsch again. [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. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Duntsch graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine and completed a residency program in neurosurgery. Yes, Dr. Christopher Duntsch made his friend, Jerry Summers, a quadriplegic. While applying to Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano, TX, Duntsch also provided Dr. Jon Robertson as a reference. However, he closed Glidewell with the sponge in place despite others in the operating room warning him about it. Or was Duntsch just good at hiding his true self? She was deposed over Skype since, at the time, she was stationed with the Air Force in the Middle East. Peacock has released 'Dr. But was he just an inadequate addict? I mean, from talking with Michelle, she listened to all of his prison conversations with his dad for research. Victim of Real-Life 'Dr. Death' Believes There Are Others Like Him Out Why did Dr. Death do it? In one, Duntsch tells the story, over stock footage of an operation, of a taxing back surgery he performed on an older woman. However, the procedure resulted in catastrophic consequences; Summers suffered a vertebral artery dissection that caused paralysis from the neck down and left him a quadriplegic. 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. After his arrest, he still had those loving parents. 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.". [44] The Dallas County district attorney's office called it "a historic case with respect to prosecuting a doctor who had done wrong during surgery. Why Did Dr. Death Do It? 'Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story' Explains 33 of his 37 surgeries were botched, with two dead and 31 injured for life. One of the early investors in Duntsch's company Discgenics was Dr. Rand Page. Dr. Death: The Shocking Story of Christopher Duntsch, a Madman with a However, by the time he met Young, Duntsch was over $500,000 in debt. The University of Tennessee refused to comment on grounds of confidentiality, but neurosurgeon Dr. Frederick Boop, under whom Duntsch completed his residency, knew. How many people did Christopher Duntsch kill? Then, we were reminded once again of the deadly doctor's acts in the Peacock miniseries, Dr. Death, starring Joshua Jackson as the title character. Van Wey also told American Greed that in the state of Texas, hospitals face greater risks of receiving a lawsuit from someone unfairly reported to the physicians data bank than they do from a patient themselves, making officials leerier of reporting claims. 33 of his surgeries went horribly wrong. Did Dr Duntsch have any successful surgeries? - IronSet Peacocks Free tier includes 7,500 hours of ad-supported programming, including next-day access to episodes of first-year NBC shows, as well as a rotating lineup of classic films and television series. 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.. There's so much news out there, headlines can slip through the cracks. [9][10], Duntsch had severed Brown's vertebral artery, and refused to abort despite the massive blood loss. Attorney James Girards was representing Lee Passmore, one of Duntsch's victims and reached out to her. All Rights Reserved. I think it was a mixture of both intent and ineptitude, Robb explained. After a lengthy investigation by the Texas Medical Board and the Dallas County District Attorneys Office, Dr. Duntsch was arrested on August 19th, 2015 and charged with five counts of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury. 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. He also reported shooting pains throughout his body. 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.". 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. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Duntsch never completed (and barely even started) the rigorous ABNS Certification process. She said he was a very long talker and he would call his dad up and have these like two-hour conversations with him. Ellis Unit outside of Huntsville, Texas. Duntsch continued operating despite clear signs that Martin was losing massive amounts of blood. When he finally came to the hospital, he busied himself with another patient, also on the DA's list, Mary Efurd. Required fields are marked *. But even that database is limited. Jodi Smith. And how many other doctors who arent as insane as Dr. Duntsch like, there are multiple seasons of Dr. And you are one of the lucky ones." Two of his patients died as the direct result of his actions in the operating room. [8] Duntsch returned home to attend Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). You can also watchAmerican Greedon CNBC, and Oxygen's own "License to Kill," which profiled Duntsch's deadly malpractice. Lopez answers Henderson's frustrationin a somber tone, sayingthat while you may know a doctor is bad, gathering evidence takes time. You can also watch all eight episodes of Dr. Death without ads through its third tier Premium Plus plan, which costs $9.99/month. Duntsch had completed a combined MD/PhD program and neurosurgical residency at The University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis, finished a prestigious spinalsurgery fellowship in the city, and even had patents and academic papers in his name. "[38], 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. He was held in the Dallas County jail for almost two years until the case went to trial in 2017. He is a graduate of Evangelical Christian School in the Cordova suburb of Memphis, where he starred in football.[7]. Death'? The COO had accused Duntsch of violating his fiduciary duty to the company and of misappropriating funds. With such goings-on, Duntsch got himself kicked out of his own company. IMDb Feb. 7, 2017. 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. [18] Despite this, Duntsch was retained by South Hampton when new owners bought it and renamed it University General Hospital. His negligence resulted in many serious and life-altering injuries to his patients, including one of his best friends Jerry Summers who was left quadriplegic after surgery. Duntsch left Dallas Medical Center, but once again was not reported to the national data bankbecause he was not a full staff member and only worked there using temporary privileges. The True Story Behind Peacock's 'Dr. Death' | Time And so I think, backed into the corner of his whole life falling apart, he was even more certain of his brilliance at the end than he was at the beginning., I think it was a mixture of both intent and ineptitude, the actress told TheWrap. He has also worked as a radio reporter and holds a degree from Moody College of Communication. Yet, instead of saving lives and using his knowledge for good, the opposite happened. During his second surgery at the new hospital, Duntsch lacerated a blood vessel supplying blood to his patient Floella Browns brain and she died after Duntschs efforts to repair the laceration failed. From the top of his class to life in prison: things did not go as he planned. And she saw how he was manipulative and sort of narcissistic. 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. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The Texas DA chose six patients to make their case to the jury: Lee Passmore, Barry Morguloff, Jerry Summers, Kellie Martin, Floella Brown, and Mary Efurd. and a Ph.D. from a top-tier medical school, a decade of experience, and a central role in a pioneering stem-cell treatment. Duntsch suggested drilling a hole in Brown's head to relieve the pressure, but was refused permission. Christopher Duntsch, also known as Dr. The other survivors suffered damage, disability,and excruciating pain. 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. [48], In 2019, Duntsch was the focus of the premiere episode of License to Kill, Oxygen's series on criminal medical professionals. Such behavior did not go unnoticed by the other doctors. Duntsch landed in jail on a $600,000 bond and waited for the trial to begin. William was born in Denton, TX and currently resides in Austin. Is it Safe To Jump On A Trampoline While Pregnant? At Baylor Regional Medical Center,after botched surgeries and complaints from fellow doctors, Duntsch resigned. While well never know exactly why Dr. Death did it until he speaks publicly on it, which he has continued to refuse to do, we can continue to theorize. Not long after he arrived at the job, Duntsch operated on his childhood best friend Jerry Summers. CHRISTOPER Duntsch, also known as Dr. Death, was a doctor who seriously harmed and killed patients during surgeries in hospitals across Texas. Seven more doctors voiced complaints before TMB finally canceled Dr. Death's license. Jerrys death is particularly tragic as it is linked to the surgeon from the podcast series Dr Death. [9] Texas Medical Board Revocation Order. When he finally turned up again, he was made to attended a program for impaired physicians. Your email address will not be published. [7], While in Memphis, Duntsch began a long-term relationship with Wendy Renee Young. He attempted to fuse together vertebrae in his neck, but the surgery went drastically wrong and left Summers a quadriplegic. He graduated from one of the top-tier medical schools and completed a residency program for neurosurgery. Premise: Based on the podcast of the same name, the limited series tells the true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch (Joshua Jackson), a Dallas surgeon who left more than 30 patients dead or permanently injured until two doctors (Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater) and an Assistant District Attorney (AnnaSophia Robb) work to stop him. When Henderson saw the imaging from Duntsch's surgery, he was certain that there would be legal action, and had the salvage surgery recorded. 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. 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. Christopher Duntsch had two children: Preston and Aiden. Death: The Undoctored Story launches July 29. Prosecutors also faulted Duntsch's employers for not reporting him. Ignorance? The monster in the white coat is all too real. So I feel like it was like a mixture of drugs, I think hubris, I think narcissism I dont think he was a good doctor. Death showrunner Patrick McManus told, It was as if he knew everything to do, Henderson, (played by Alec Baldwin in the Peacock series) told. The financial incentives are a huge part of what was driving him and what was driving the people all around to continue to believe in him in and invest in him despite the fact that there were all these red flags, Shugart said of Duntsch'sability to continue to gain employment. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2012-2023 On Secret Hunt - All Rights Reserved Did Christopher Duntsch Have Any Successful Surgeries? 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. His negligence resulted in two patients becoming paralyzed, leaving them unable to move any part of their body below the injury site due to a loss of sensation and motor control. The Dallas County DA, along with fighting against these very laws, was also running out of time. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! [3] Veteran vascular surgeon Randall Kirby recalled that Duntsch frequently boasted about his abilities despite being so new to the area. The real question is:Why couldn't anyone stop him in time? Joshua Jackson On Role Of Surgeon, Christopher Duntsch, In Peacocks Dr. After learning thatDuntsch had continued to botch procedures at other facilities, Kirby packaged up a review of five of his cases and sent a desperate plea to the medical board.
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