Also known as: Cut temporal artery
Father from minivan accident with transected temporal artery requiring hemostats to clamp off bleeding. Sent to OR for surgical repair.
Also known as: Severe burns
Patient with 95% total body surface area full thickness burns. Initially awake and lucid but deteriorated into burn shock with organ failure. Placed on ventilator with goal of keeping alive until wife arrives, but died before she reached hospital.
Also known as: AFE
35-week pregnant woman who suffered trauma in pileup developed amniotic fluid embolism causing massive hemorrhage and cardiac arrest. Required emergency C-section and massive transfusion protocol, depleting hospital O-negative blood supply.
Also known as: Broken thighbones
9-year-old nephew with bilateral femoral fractures (one open) causing thigh hematomas and hemorrhagic shock. Fractures kinked femoral artery requiring emergent reduction. One of two boys in ethical dilemma regarding limited blood supply.
Also known as: Broken pelvis
10-year-old son with unstable pelvic fracture causing internal bleeding and hemorrhagic shock. Required pelvic binder and angioembolization. Central to ethical dilemma about allocating limited O-negative blood between him and his cousin.
Also known as: Torn aorta
63-year-old female thrown from vehicle with high deceleration injury causing presumed torn aorta. In asystole for 20 minutes. Declared non-survivable by Dr. Latham during triage.
Also known as: Blood in chest cavity
Trauma patient brought in requiring chest tube placement while Dr. Choi was managing burn patient.
Difficult patient seeking Xanax refill who became increasingly agitated waiting in ED. Initially stormed out, then faked suicide to manipulate getting attention. Dr. Charles diagnosed him with malignant narcissism with sadistic impulses and placed on 72-hour psychiatric hold.