Alligators vs Turtles: Do Turtles Stand a Chance? And the biggest question on everyones mind is why Dr. Death did it. [36][11][9] For the same reason, prosecutors opted to try Duntsch for Efurd's maiming first. Duntsch arrived in Texas with no shortage of confidence, often boasting to his colleagues that he would be the greatest minimally invasive spinalsurgeon in Dallas. He then prescribed Muse so much Percocet that a pharmacist refused to fill the prescription. Ignatova believes this to be deliberate. She had come to Duntsch for cervical spine surgery to ease her worsening neck and shoulder . But what do the actors who inhabited these roles think of the real Duntsch, who was accused of injuring 33 out of 38 patients in less than two years before his license was revoked by theTexas Medical Board,and his intentions? I think he believed, I think he still believes, that he is a brilliant surgeon and that everybody else is at fault. "Dr. Death" is about Christopher Duntsch, an accredited but incompetent Dallas neurosurgeon, whose wrongdoing was close to butchery. and a Ph.D. from a top-tier medical school, a decade of experience, and a central role in a pioneering stem-cell treatment. She said he was a very long talker and he would call his dad up and have these like two-hour conversations with him. To add to this, his so-called Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center may also be dubious. Where Is Christopher Duntsch Now After His Appearance on 'Dr. Phil'? Before his license was revoked by the Texas Medical Board, he was accused of injuring 33 out of 38 . [10][7], Duntsch completed his residency having participated in fewer than 100 surgeries. They listened, judged and found Duntsch guilty, and sentenced him to life in prison, reports USA Today. (But he was clearly poorly trained with an ego the size of Tennessee). A lot of people seem to think its a mix between narcissism and inadequacy. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. 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. Over this period, Duntsch performed back surgeries that left his patients in a worse condition, paralyzed, or deceased. This was the time when Dr. Christopher Duntsch started to turn intoDr. Death. Christopher Duntsch had two children: Preston and Aiden. Whats The Difference Between Dutch And French Braids? Death, was a neurosurgeon from Dallas, Texas who had a promising career in medicine until it took a disastrous turn. And not just Dallas County, I don't recall hearing about it anywhere." You can also watch all eight episodes of Dr. Death without ads through its third tier Premium Plus plan, which costs $9.99/month. The story of Duntsch is featured in a new Peacock show titled Dr. Death, unleashing the terrifying reality. How Do You Get Rid Of Hiccups In 5 Seconds. The Peacock TV series Dr. Across two years, Duntsch injured 32 of his 38 patients, maiming many and leaving them with life-changing injuries. Surprisingly, his superiors at The University of Tennessee also gave him glowing reviews. [8] Duntsch returned home to attend Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). The Right Way to Mix Acids and Water: Always Add Acid to Water! [4][5] In 2017, he was convicted of maiming one of his patients and sentenced to life imprisonment. [9] Texas Medical Board Revocation Order. But Robb thinks this unknown factor is what makes this story so interesting to Dr. The Incredible Genetic Trait Childbearing Hips. Duntsch stuffed a surgical sponge in Glidewell's throat to stanch the bleeding. According to ProPublica, Duntsch's residency and fellowship records show less than 100 surgeries. This suggests that Summers had come to terms with Duntsch and had moved past any ill feelings he may have held against him. [7] While operating on Jacqueline Troy, Duntsch cut one of her vocal cords and an artery and also damaged her trachea. For instance, he upbraided him for missing the signs that Martin was bleeding out, saying that, "You can't not know [that] and be a neurosurgeon. If that weren't enough, Page once happened across a drawer at Duntsch's house. [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. The Scariest Thing About "Dr. Death" | Incident Report 190 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. [7], Shughart argued that Duntsch should have known he was likely to hurt others unless he changed his approach, and that his failure to learn from his past mistakes demonstrated that his maiming of Efurd was intentional. There are some who believe that he never wanted to be in the ORat all. By this time, however, Brown was brain dead. Some of those who went under Duntschs knife were left paralyzed, two died from surgical complications and others were left in agonizing chronic pain. [7], When Duntsch applied for privileges at Methodist Hospital in Dallas, the hospital queried the NPDB. [38][39] On December 10, 2018, the Texas Court of Appeals affirmed Duntsch's conviction by a 21 split decision. He promises to take all pain and suffering away. Anatomy of a Tragedy - The Texas Observer Dr. Duntschs last patient was Jeff Glidewell, a patient at Baylor-Plano who had been treated by Duntsch in 2013. 38. You'd think that a surgeon who was this bad would have some mud spattered on him on the internet. Since no one else knew what was wrong, they couldn't save her. [46], Dr. Death, a TV mini-series based on the podcast, began streaming on Peacock on July 15, 2021. [14] He persuaded Young to come with him; Young agreed, since she had grown up in the Dallas area. My take on it is, for him, it was hubris, Jackson mused. [4], Longtime spine surgeon Robert Henderson performed the salvage surgery on Efurd. Unfortunately, it became the patients' burden to bear. Christopher Duntsch, who once claimed to be a mixture of "God, Einstein and the Antichrist," injured or killed 33 of his 38 patients in less than two years, according to prosecutors. During his residency program for neurosurgery, he completed fewer than 100 surgeries despite the expected 1,000 operations for a typical resident. Did Dr Duntsch have any successful surgeries? Dr. Henderson (Alec Baldwin), Dr. Kirby (Christian Slater) and the nurse Josh Baker, played by Hubert Point-Du Jour, these are the professionals who are speaking up. He proved to be Duntsch's last surgery; University General pushed him out soon afterward. Such behavior did not go unnoticed by the other doctors. Out of his 38 surgeries, only three had no complications. All Duntsch got was a slap on the wrist while his blood-soaked foray into the OR continued. 33 of his 37 surgeries were botched, with two dead and 31 injured for life. But that isn't the scariest part. He wrote grants and secured more than $3 million in funding. They go, We met the funniest, funniest doctor in Newport Beach,' the newlywed surgeon once shared. Now, we're learning more about the true story of this horrific tale with Peacock's Dr. Death: The Undoctored Story. William Armstrong is a senior editor with H-O-M-E.org, where he writes on a wide variety of topics. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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? The eight-episode series is anticipated to be a thrilling watch. [9] Duntsch completed his undergraduate degree in 1995, then continued on to an ambitious MDPhD program. Duntsch graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine and completed a residency program in neurosurgery. The board called in veteran neurosurgeon Martin Lazar to review the case. 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. 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.. What happened to Christopher Duntsch? While there, he damaged patient Jeff Cheney's spinal cord, leaving him without feeling on the right side of his body. Yet, instead of saving lives and using his knowledge for good, the opposite happened. His next patient, Floella Brown was 63. The good-looking but eerie Jamie Dornan. Did Christopher Duntsch Have Any Successful Surgeries? Not only was he not qualified for and held no privileges to perform brain surgery, but Dallas Medical did not have the proper equipment or personnel for such an operation. Death are streaming now. But with that terrifying track record, how was he able to continue to operate? Death limited series, neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Duntsch (played by Joshua Jackson), maimed and killed so many patients who came in for complex but routine procedures. The other survivors suffered damage, disability,and excruciating pain. There are a lot of explanations proposed for why the real-life subject of Peacocks Dr. Muse woke up in considerable pain, but Duntsch convinced him it was normal. He graduated from one of the top-tier medical schools and completed a residency program for neurosurgery. The fault also lies with the Texas law. 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. The majority of neurosurgery residents participate in over 1,000 surgeries throughout their residency period. In 2005, partway through the six-year program,he became the director of the tissue bank. When Mary Efurd could no longer walk, Dallas Medical Center called in Dr. Henderson to salvage the botched surgery. The attorneys claimed she knew about the drugs and his drug-addled OR trips but did nothing to stop them. What made this well-recommended neurosurgeon harm his patients and himself? Lazar was scathingly critical of Duntsch's work. Gena Lee Nolin: From Baywatchs Neely to Sheenas Queen! 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. 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. They argued that Duntsch was motivated to continue operating because the lucrative salary of a neurosurgeon would solve his mounting financial problems. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Duntsch's initial presentation bowled him over. A string of arrests for DWI, shoplifting, and more followed. And scary as it may seem, it's only when we listen to podcasts like these, do we realize the reality of medical horror stories. He then packed it with too much of a substance intended to stop the bleeding. It was as if he knew everything to do, Henderson, (played by Alec Baldwin in the Peacock series) toldProPublica, and then hed done virtually everything wrong.. St. Jude refuted this by saying there was no such program there at that time. But why did he do it? According to the Texas Observer, one of Duntsch's first botched surgeries took place in January 2012 and led to bone fragments from the patient's vertebrae getting lodged in the nerves of his back. 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. Ignorance? 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. 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. Meanwhile, Brown went brain dead and passed away. Dr. Death, a.k.a. 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. No, Dr. Duntsch did not know what he was doing. According to the prosecutors, TMB had many complaints on file. 'Dr. Death': Who Is Jerry Summers and What Happened to Him? - Newsweek And how many other doctors who arent as insane as Dr. Duntsch like, there are multiple seasons of Dr. 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. Who is Christopher Duntsch and what did he do? | The US Sun [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. He played football in high school, but teammates say he was so bad that, no matter how much he practiced, he could never make it. We are here to help you make your home a better place by providing you with the latest information and trends from around the world. Prior to his criminal charges, he was running research labs and was considered to be an up-and-coming neurosurgeon. [38], Duntsch is housed at the O. Death viewers. Attorney James Girards was representing Lee Passmore, one of Duntsch's victims and reached out to her. He wrote, "You will not find a harder working or more willing individual." 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. 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. [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. The very first complaint should have triggered an investigation. At The University of Tennessee, his supervisors were also investors in Duntsch's company, Discgenics. CHRISTOPER Duntsch, also known as Dr. Death, was a doctor who seriously harmed and killed patients during surgeries in hospitals across Texas. Once back in the operating room, his work resulted in the same deadly consequences, according to Texas Medical Board records. He later told Glidewell that it was clear Duntsch had tried to kill him. The hospital also instructed Duntsch to only perform minor procedures, but his next surgery had an even more catastrophic outcome. Henderson sent Duntsch's picture to the University of Tennessee to determine whether he actually had a degree from that institution and received confirmation that Duntsch, in fact, did. Dr. Death: The Shocking Story of Christopher Duntsch, a Madman with a He is absolutely a narcissistic sociopath. There is no face to the monster you are hearing about, the one destroying lives. 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. [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. William was born in Denton, TX and currently resides in Austin. He has also worked as a radio reporter and holds a degree from Moody College of Communication. The life in prison sentence was a deathblow to Duntsch, who, according to his father, was now a humbled man who had lost everything. Having exhausted his football eligibility, Duntsch decided to switch to a career in medicine. What is the difference between a sociopath and a psychopath? Brown was left in a coma for hours before Duntsch finally acquiesced to her transfer. According to Dallas Magazine, Dr. Christopher Duntsch talked a big game. Thats the question on everyones minds, including Beils, the reporter who initially broke the story on her Wondery podcast. 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. "Dr. Death," a new series streaming now on Peacock, peels back the facade Duntsch created and exposesthe mercurial and dangerous man beneath. In 2017, Duntsch was found guilty of gross negligence and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Malicious intent? Adams, Michael Kirk, Jack Kirk, and Michael Swan, as well as the press nickname Dr. Death, is an American physician and an admitted serial killer. 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. 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]. Duntsch ended up slicing her vertebral artery, stopping blood and oxygen flow to her brain. Duntsch never completed (and barely even started) the rigorous ABNS Certification process. 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.. 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. The Dallas County DA, along with fighting against these very laws, was also running out of time. 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. Dr. Christopher Duntsch came to Texas with an impressive resume. [6], Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana and spent most of his youth in Memphis, Tennessee. His childhood was seemingly great. That said; the 12 jurors did what the Texas Medical Board should have done.