Also known as: Broken thigh bone
Patient knocked off horse at polo ground sustained a femoral fracture with gross deformity. The fracture led to fat emboli that traveled to his brain due to a bifurcated vena cava, causing a stroke during treatment.
Also known as: Brain attack
Patient suffered an embolic stroke when fat emboli from his fractured femur bypassed his lungs through a bifurcated vena cava and went directly to his brain. Required emergency cardiac surgery using deep hypothermic circulatory arrest to repair the vascular anomaly.
Patient had a congenital vascular anomaly where the vena cava splits into two branches, allowing emboli to bypass the lungs and travel directly to the brain. Required surgical repair using deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.
Also known as: Vision loss from immune response
Maggie's sister experienced sudden transient blindness at a family gathering. Testing revealed retinal autoantibodies suggesting a paraneoplastic syndrome, where the body's immune response to an underlying tumor was attacking the optic nerves.
Also known as: Prostate cancer
Maggie's transgender sister (male-to-female transition 9 years prior) was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The enlarged prostate gland and elevated PSA levels led to a biopsy confirming malignancy. She decided to stay in Chicago for treatment.
Also known as: Measles
Indonesian immigrant presenting with fever (103-104°F), unable to communicate due to language barrier. Developed severe bronchospasm requiring intubation. Eventually diagnosed with measles contracted at a local amusement park during an outbreak, not an exotic disease as initially suspected.
Also known as: False pregnancy, hysterical pregnancy
Seven-months-apparently-pregnant woman with all physical signs of pregnancy (gravid belly, fetal movement sensation, Braxton Hicks) but no actual fetus on ultrasound or blood tests. A psychosomatic condition where anxiety and desire for pregnancy produced hormonal reactions mimicking real pregnancy. Former extreme skier who may have been replacing her lost identity.
Also known as: High blood pressure during pregnancy
Patient presented with elevated blood pressure (160/90) during what appeared to be pregnancy, leading to the workup that revealed her pseudocyesis.
Also known as: Superficial partial thickness burn
Patient sustained a second-degree burn on her hand from handling a hot pot roast, which brought her to the ED where her pseudocyesis was discovered during routine pregnancy assessment.