Also known as: Flesh-eating bacteria
A 35-year-old male patient presents with necrotizing fasciitis that began as a seemingly minor pimple. Despite emergency debridement surgery, the infection spreads rapidly and the patient dies, leading to a medical misconduct investigation of his primary care physician Dr. Unger who initially missed the diagnosis.
Also known as: HIB infection
A pediatric patient presents with fever, headache, and neck stiffness. She is diagnosed with HIB, a vaccine-preventable disease, because her parents chose not to vaccinate their children. The infection spreads to her teacher at school, causing epiglottitis and requiring emergency cricothyroidotomy, highlighting the consequences of vaccine refusal.
Shiloh's teacher develops acute epiglottitis from HIB exposure, leading to complete airway obstruction during a school vaccination clinic. Dr. Manning performs mouth-to-mouth (exposing herself to infection) before an emergency cricothyroidotomy saves the teacher's life.
Also known as: CHF
A 57-year-old male with end-stage heart failure supported by an LVAD experiences severe complications including unremitting GI bleeding from ulcers. After attempting suicide by removing his LVAD battery, he requests permanent removal of the device. Dr. Rhodes complies with the patient's wishes to remove the LVAD, resulting in the patient's death in an assisted suicide debate.
Also known as: Stomach ulcer
The patient with LVAD develops severe recurrent peptic ulcers (a known complication of LVAD therapy) causing chronic pain and repeated bleeding episodes despite being on multiple ulcer medications and undergoing multiple endoscopies.
Also known as: Life-threatening infection
The necrotizing fasciitis patient presents initially with septic shock, hypotension, and respiratory compromise requiring intubation and vasopressor support before emergency surgical debridement.