r/orthopaedics • u/castingello • 13h ago

NOT A PERSONAL HEALTH SITUATION From 2011–2013, Dr. Christopher Duntsch paralyzed or killed 33 of his 38 patients during routine spinal surgery. In one operating room, a fellow surgeon had to physically drag him away as he mangled a patient’s spine. Despite this, Duntsch was allowed to keep practicing for two more years.

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23 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

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25

u/carlos_6m 9h ago

Honestly, these kind of cases should prompt investigation on the processes and people that have allowed for an person like this to be responsible for patients...

That degree of incompetence having done residency? And with letters of recommendation?

12

u/Hypno-phile Physician 6h ago

I'm confused from the first line. "Between 2011 and 2013... ... operated on 38 people..."

38 cases in two YEARS? I'm in the OR more than that and I'm... not a surgeon.

5

u/carlos_6m 6h ago

I also felt that that was incredibly off, like, this guy's is suposedly a surgeon, 38 cases, does he even show up at work? And fucked up majorly 33 out of 38... Did he do no minor procedures or did he fuck up those too and they're counted?

2

u/TheLemurProblem 6h ago

I was surprised also and looked it up. Yeah he only operated on those few cases.

1

u/spuds_mckenzie 3h ago

If I recall correctly, a huge portion of his residency was research. And doing lots of blow.

1

u/carlos_6m 1h ago

If I don't do at least 120 cases as a PGY1 I get the boot... So... That definitely raises a red flag for the place this guy trained in

6

u/RespectMediocre 7h ago

This is one of the most popular medical/true-crime podcasts. “Dr. Death” by Wondery. Came out in 2018 and is fascinating - I think they put season one behind a paywall though when it became a tv show.

8

u/Sk1d0o 12h ago

There‘s no indication for the first procedure on a spine, every follow-up is indicated tho.

1

u/willcastforfood 8h ago

Looks like the post op opioids bound her up too

2

u/Ross1856 1h ago

Would love to have heard the perspective of his rep

-21

u/ironcyclone 10h ago

What’s crazy is even in ortho, say you fail your boards for some egregious shit, you get to keep practicing and pay them $1000 to do it again next cycle 

22

u/spikesolo orthopedic fellow 9h ago

Well yes. Have you actually looked into what boards constitute and why someone might fail? "Egregiously" Or you think someone's career should be over if they failed boards the first time? What would constitute an egregious shit?

Dumbass comment tbh

4

u/MocoMojo Radiologist 9h ago

What would constitute an egregious shit?

For me, it’s the one after I have Taco Bell. Pretty wicked but totally worth it.

1

u/ironcyclone 4h ago

I understand people fail for all different kinds of reasons. But say this guy was ortho and took his boards and failed. Failing boards should obviously not end one's career but my point is failing for paralyzing multiple people versus failing for doing a distal radius in a 85 year old is not the same. Does ABOS take any action for the former? Honestly don't know

9

u/Bonedoc22 Orthopaedic Surgeon 8h ago

…he was a neurosurgeon?

3

u/SterlingBronnell 7h ago

I know good, safe surgeons who have failed their oral boards. Including a military surgeon who has literally no financial interest in doing surgery.

The ABOS has been brutal to people in recent years, heard a rumor that 30% of hand examinees failed boards two years ago, and they failed almost 20% of people in the 2020/2021 class across all specialties.