Also known as: Prolactinoma
Amber Young was diagnosed with a pituitary adenoma one month prior that is pushing against her brain. The tumor is being treated with bromocriptine medication. The adenoma is deemed inoperable by her primary surgeons due to its location invading the cavernous sinus, making surgical intervention extremely high-risk.
Also known as: Imposter syndrome
Amber develops Capgras delusion as a side effect of bromocriptine, causing her to believe her husband James has been replaced by an imposter. This delusion leads her to stab him when she encounters him in their home. The delusion temporarily resolves with antipsychotic medication but returns when she has an adverse reaction to the treatment.
Also known as: Adverse drug reaction
Amber develops a severe adverse reaction to the antipsychotic medication given to treat her Capgras delusion, presenting with high fever (102°F), labile blood pressure, tachycardia, and altered mental status. She is treated with dantrolene, indicating suspected neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
Also known as: Rebar impalement
James Young presents with a knife wound to the upper chest after being stabbed by his wife during her delusion. He has minimal blood loss, decreased breath sounds on the right side, and requires chest tube placement.
Also known as: Brain bleed
Ray Burke has old subdural hematomas that worsen during the episode, causing headaches, slurred speech, balance problems, and pronator drift. He eventually collapses and requires emergency burr hole drainage performed in a non-hospital setting due to extenuating circumstances.
Also known as: GSW
John Doe (later identified as Shawn Corcoran) presents with three gunshot wounds - one tangential head wound and two torso wounds. He requires emergency surgery in the hybrid OR for cardiac injury repair and kidney damage. He ultimately dies when his cardiac repair fails and he develops asystole.
Also known as: Breech birth
Lisa Jensen goes into preterm labor at 37 weeks with her baby in breech position. The baby is fully dilated and must be delivered emergently in the ED in footling breech presentation with significant difficulty delivering the entrapped head.
Also known as: VOGM
Newborn Baby Esther is diagnosed with a Vein of Galen malformation, a rare congenital misconnection between arteries and veins in the brain. The condition causes intracranial hemorrhage leading to seizures shortly after birth. The specific anatomy makes the condition inoperable, and the baby is given less than a day to survive.