The eight-part series tells the harrowing true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch who, across two years, injured 32 of his 38 patients. Duntsch says he was so distraught by Browns outcome that he placed a screw in Efurd 3 millimeters away from where it shouldve been, damaging a nerve root. In a long running series of complaints, a Texas doctor has been found guilty of a felony in one medical malpractice case. Duntsch in Dallas In 2010, he relocated to Dallas with his girlfriend Wendy Renee Young. Days after Duntsch returned, he was fired. Like Summers, Floella Browns vertebral artery was damaged, causing massive bleeding. [7] Duntsch had another surgery scheduled the day that Brown suffered her stroke. After five days in the ICU and hours of agonizing rehab, Mayfield requireda cane to walkand was unable to ride in vehicles for long periods. Dr. Duntsch eventually began a long-term romantic relationship with Wendy Renee Young while in Memphis. But patient advocates and the surgeons that mobilized to rid him of his license say that Duntsch was the perfect storm. You, my child, are the only one between me and the other side, he wrote. It was pouring out of the epidural blood vessels and pooling in the disc space. Passmore was allowed to resign and still access his long-term disability insurance, which he says hed paid into for more than 10 years. A grand jury returned five indictments of aggravated assault and one of harming an elderly person. Duntschcrammed a surgical sponge into the wound, then sewed it up. To add to this, his so-called Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center may also be dubious. What made this well-recommended neurosurgeon harm his patients and himself? At the time, Young was giving birth to their second boy. What isscarierare the 12 names that follow his. Around May 2013, Henderson got a call from Foley, the fellowship supervisor. While applying to Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano, TX, Duntsch also provided Dr. Jon Robertson as a reference. He was the eldest of four. His pain management specialist advised against an operation. One of the early investors in Duntsch's company Discgenics was Dr. Rand Page. Duntsch filed patents for each discovery, and two companies were soon created. There are some who believe that he never wanted to be in the ORat all. 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 . According to an article by WFAA, Christopher Duntsch's father Don stated his son had called him, completely beside himself, when he botched several surgeries. I knocked on my door. A string of arrests for DWI, shoplifting, and more followed. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. He secured investments in Discgenics from local spine surgeons, including Robertson and Dr. Kevin Foley, a prominent Memphis neurosurgeon under whom Duntsch would spend a year training as part of a minimally invasive spine surgery fellowship at the Semmes-Murphey Clinic, one of the largest neurosurgery practices in the United States. Christopher Duntsch - AKA Dr. Death - spent 18 months asa practicing surgeon atmultiple Texas hospitals until hehad his license revoked in 2013. Ignatova believes this to be deliberate. According to an arrest report obtained by the outlet, he had been driving on two flat fires and had two empty bottles of Mikes Hard Lemonade in the vehicle. Summers had come in for an elective spinal fusion to relieve the pain hed carried for years after a car accident. I dont have Facebook, I dont Myspace. Now keep in mind, Morgan herself was at the wrong end of some of these suits. Wendy Renee Young met Duntsch at a bar in Memphis. We need to talk about this, Hoyle said, locking eyes with him. Christopher Duntsch was born in Montana and spent most of his youth in Memphis, Tennessee. Duntsch filed for bankruptcy and was arrested in Denver for driving under the influence on Jan. 10, 2014, according to local station KCNC-TV. He thought surgery might give him some relief, eliminate the need for drugs, solve both problems at once. Sort of. And professional marketing videos got him ready and willing patients. He harmed the very people who trusted him. Portrayed in the Peacock miniseries, "Dr. Death," the Dallas spinal surgeon is responsible for helping stop Dr. Christopher Duntsch, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2017 after leaving . There is no way to communicate what happened there, without a 20-page document of disclosures and events and responsible parties, Duntsch once wrote of Brown and Efurd. There are 31 people left alive today, irreparably damaged by Dr. Death's grievous malpractices. As these cases became public record, rumors circulated of late-night partying leading into early-morning rounds, and whispers of drug and alcohol abuse became shouts. She was a stay-at-home mom to their two children, Preston and Aiden; her income was tied to Duntschs. He says Fennells surgery went so well that he agreed to be in a commercial for Baylor Plano. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Maybe thats how they do it in Tennessee, but according to my training, thats not how they do it here. He was taller than 6 feet, with a stubby nose and neatly cropped hair above bright blue eyes, and he had crafted a strategy that endeared him to patients and to referring physicians: Im the best, hed tell them. Nobody stopped him soon enough. He also needed his legs. He argues that the patients were just telling stories and that Passmore was fine after his operation. But Dr. William Rohr did editorialize in his conclusion: The collection of blood was most likely the result of a therapeutic misadventure. Duntsch blames the death on an allergy to fentanyl, a powerful narcotic often used in intubation. Somebody knocks back and I am like Who in the f---is in my house, Young recalled in the four-part Peacock docuseries, (And if you want to dive even deeper into the story, you can also watch the scripted drama, on Peacock, starring Joshua Jackson, Alec Baldwin, and Christian Slater. He was shocked at the CT scan: the spinal fusion hardware sat in her soft tissue. He always had a plan, always had a pitch, always had a way to fix you. Young was 27 when they met; Duntsch was 40. And not just Dallas CountyI dont recall hearing about it anywhere.. In April 2012, just over four months removed from that initial surgery, Passmore returned to work. Dr Death, un nuevo programa que llegar a Peacock el jueves (15 de julio), se basa en la historia de la vida real de Christopher Duntsch, un ex neurocirujano que era, como dijo un famoso titular de ProPublica, "tan malo que era criminal".. Joshua Jackson interpreta a Duntsch, que ahora tiene 50 aos y cumple cadena perpetua despus de ser condenado en 2017 por mutilar a uno de sus . But the same law also helps these very hospitals in keeping doctor credentials confidential. This posterior longitudinal ligament is one of the spines two major stabilizers. Jackson stars as Christopher Duntsch, the titular nicknamed neurosurgeon, in Peacock's limited series based on the Wondery podcast of the same name (and of course the real-life former doctor's . He said, "What I am being is what I am, one of kind, a mother f****r stone cold killer that can buy or own or steal or ruin or build whatever he wants.". He recorded a conversation with Dr. Frederick Boop, who followed Robertson as the chairman of the department of neurosurgery. How old was Millie Bobby Brown in Stranger Things season 1? But then he gave Passmore the card of a neurosurgeon named Christopher Duntsch. They lived in a future colleagues condo at the W Hotel while they looked for a home in Plano, close to where Duntsch would be practicing. Like Dr Henderson, Dr Kirby is still a practicing doctor in real life. After his arrest, he still had those loving parents. Duntschs legal woes were only just beginning. In addition, he began to experience random fainting episodes andcomplex regional pain syndrome, a rare nervous system disorder causing skin blistersthat then slough off, as well as chronic pain and skin sensitivity. Lee Passmore cant feel his feet. He wasnt paranoid. Slater is also known for his roles in Mr. In early 2014, he was arrested for DUI and sent to rehab, according to ProPublica. Morgan didnt follow Duntsch after Baylor Plano. Philip Mayfield experienced back pain and chronic conditions related to his longtime career driving tractor-trailers. While Ignatova and Kukekov say they were in the labs, Duntsch focused on raising money. Kane came into the picture as a deposition witness. The shocking story of a madman with a scalpel. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Was he was only in it for the research prestige and the money? Morgan was present in the operating room during Passmores surgery. He was friendly, and we had good conversation. Dr. Robert Henderson, a spine surgeon who has practiced in Dallas for more than 30 years, started digging after being assigned corrective surgery on two of Duntschs patients. In a statement, the hospital said it cooperated with the Texas Medical Board when asked, and did not file its own complaint because it was aware someone else already had. Mayfield also developed syringomyeliain 2014 - fluid-filled cysts that emerged within his spinal cord, which compressednerves to cause more pain and damage to the sensitive area. After graduating as a physician with above-average grades, he had his whole life ahead of him. His dad is a physical therapist. Around this time, Drs. It wasnt until lawsuits were filed that the alleged drug use became public. The damage is irreversible. And so shes here, in a Christian coffee shop tucked into a corner of the town square of Springtown, west of Fort Worth, where she lives with her new boyfriends parents. He was gone until Monday. This was the time when Dr. Christopher Duntsch started to turn intoDr. Death. Martin, it turned out, had bled to death in the intensive care unit while undergoing a relatively common procedure known as a laminectomy, which involves removing spongy tissue between the discs to relieve pressure. He wanted to ask them questions. We certainly would not knowingly allow one person to compromise the level of quality care that we have worked so hard and invested so much to achieve for our patients and our community.. A husband and wife pair of Russian stem cell scientists, Valery Kukekov and Tatyana Ignatova entered the picture. In November 2011, Passmore was hooked on prescription opiates. Duntsch allegedly arrivedat the hospital three hours after the surgery wasplanned to start and began the procedure. Duntsch contends the patient was just trying to get painkillers. 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. He says that surgery happened earlier in the week, and that it was he who called Rimlawi and asked him to check on the patient. Many shake and tremble, some have unimaginable pain. Neurosurgeon residents need to complete 1,000 surgeries as training requirements. Despite receiving complaints dating back to 2012, the Texas Medical Board didnt revoke Duntschs privileges until June 2013. Ultimately, Duntsch'shorrific mistakes made during surgeryand alleged drug use caught up with him. His license gone, Duntsch went off the rails. The full story of Duntsch's actions can be read in Matt Goodman's D Magazine feature from 2016, when the magazine first coined him "Dr. Death.". The intended 45-minute procedure stretched over an hour before Duntsch finally emerged and told Mayfield's wife the surgery was a success. Kirby reported having direct knowledge of seven patients that Dr. But as the ultimate betrayal, some doctors violate this code of conduct in the worst possible ways. A few months after the shoplifting arrest, Duntsch was charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault and injuring an elderly person for the damage he did on the operating table. Not a single doctor, surgeon, staff, or the pathologist of the autopsy every [sic] stated that I surgically caused vascular injury, he wrote. Unfortunately, Martin and Brown were not alive to tell their tale. A few weeks later I took my first son to visit him for Christmas and then I became pregnant, Young said. For years, hed focused on research. He recorded conversations with Foley, the head of the fellowship program, and Boop, the chairman. Britney Spears claims she was 'scared of drunk dad Jamie' & family 'abandoned her to stay in beach house SHE bought', RHOBH's Erika Jayne breaks down in tears & admits she's 'lonely' after friends 'turned on her' when she went 'broke', Kendall Jenner stuns in an all-black gothic look for glam new photoshoot, Russell Brand defends his dog after pooch mauled wallaby to death on walk, Why odd double act Kim Kardashian and Kate Moss are in fact a perfect match, Teen Mom Leah Messer shows stretch marks on tummy after giving birth to three kids & reveals if she'll get a tummy tuck, Duntsch, 50, was convicted of a first-degree felony. Don tried to convince the jury that his son cared for his patients. With such goings-on, Duntsch got himself kicked out of his own company. All Duntsch got was a slap on the wrist while his blood-soaked foray into the OR continued. With Ignatova and Kukekov in tow, he filed patents under a company he founded. It was sent on a Friday at 4 am. While staying with his parents outside Denver, he was stopped for driving under the influence. There was Kellie Martin, who died from massive blood loss after a surgery at Baylor Plano. ( Source : instagram ) Young is also the mother of another child with her new boyfriend. Was it you? Young said in the docuseries. Then it just started to all unravel.. Duntsch's license was finally revoked in June 2013, after he had killed two patients and maimed 31 others. 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. 53, and Andre Agassi, 52, are proud parents as they . Who else is left? During the 45-minute surgery, Duntsch cut through one of Martin's arteries. According to his lawyer, Duntsch was a scapegoat. Henderson actually checked if Duntsch was a real doctor with The University of Tennessee, appalled at the damage to Efurd's spine. At The University of Tennessee, his supervisors were also investors in Duntsch's company, Discgenics. Young says hed been breaking into her apartment, and one day she came home to find him inside, covered in blood. The other survivors suffered damage, disability,and excruciating pain. At first, Passmore didnt think much about the way Duntsch and his assistant, Kimberly Morgan, interacted. Some never went to trial and had out-of-court settlements. I dont want my name out there. I cant write on this form, Oh, by the way, I heard from Dr. Henderson about what sounds like major patient issues that you ought to look into, Foley said in the call. July 19, 2021 The former neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch was finally brought to justice after injuring and maiming over 30 of his patients during surgery and allegedly causing the deaths of two more. The 78-year-old Denton County man was then Dr. Christopher Duntsch's first patient when the surgeon started performing spinal fusions in 2011. During this time, out of three procedures, one patient died and another was partially paralyzed. They numbed the pain radiating from his lower back, down each of his legs. The door opened and Young found Duntsch, who had earned the moniker Dr. I thought he was either really, really good, or hes just really, really arrogant and thought he was good, Hoyle says now. I dont want to be on Channel 8, I dont want to be on Inside Edition. Duntsch declined a jailhouse interview, but he has called the allegations preposterous. But the unexpected reunion wasnt a happy one. 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. Ghostbar, Dragonfly at Hotel Zaza. But upon seeing that name, he took it to his boss, Dr. William Rohr. He says he showed the postoperative imaging to 16 radiologists over six months, all of whom said Morguloff was normal. I dont know what it is, she said. He said somebody had been there and they had hit him on the head, she said. Don tried to convince the jury that his son cared for his patients. Ultimately, on that case, he ended up getting 12 months (of) probation and a small fine, Michelle Shughart, assistant district attorney in Dallas County, told Dr Death: The Undoctored Story.. The Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education has strict rules about residency programs. AnnaSophia Robb, 27, portrays Michelle Shughart, the assistant district attorney on Dr. Death's case. No such thing. There was Duntschs childhood friend, Jerry Summers, who woke up from a procedure unable to move his arms and legs. Most of the time, she said, their relationship was confined to his office. 1. She passedfromblood loss in the ICU. In February 2017, Duntsch, 50, was convicted of a first-degree felony for intentionally injuring an elderly victim. They listened, judged and found Duntsch guilty, and sentenced him to life in prison, reports USA Today. I think he built up this idea in his head of who he was and what he was going to do with his life and now all of that has disappeared and wasnt coming back, I think he finds himself in a state where hes struggling to figure out, who am I now? Shughart said in the series. She had family in Dallas and decided shed go with him if he chose that city. Where Is Dr. Christopher Duntsch aka . Governor Greg Abbott, then the attorney general, even waded into the whole mess, filing a brief in Passmores suit in support of the law. The 51-year-old recently starred in the USA true crime series, Dirty John, opposite Connie Britton. And, seeing as how the hospital was asking specifically about that training, Foley said he didnt feel comfortable expressing concern about what hed heard was happening in Dallas. Sadly, being moral and good aren't therequisites schools need to let someone become a doctor. I am beginning to think the police are the only ones intellectually and physically capable of getting to the bottom of this matter, he wrote.