Also known as: Ruptured appendix
Young man refuses treatment believing he's in a computer simulation, leading to delayed diagnosis and appendiceal perforation. Central ethical conflict of the episode regarding decisional capacity and forced treatment.
Also known as: Shared delusion
Patient has fixed delusion that reality is a computer simulation and refuses medical care, creating the central ethical and medical conflict regarding decisional capacity and treatment refusal.
Also known as: CHF
Maggie's mother experiences syncopal episodes due to improved heart function causing LVAD complications. Reveals that Natalie has been secretly dosing her with experimental trial medication, creating major ethical subplot.
Also known as: GSW
Seven-month-old infant struck by bullet in drive-by shooting, requiring emergency surgery to control bleeding. Bullet entered through wall undetected initially due to swaddling stopping blood flow.
Also known as: GSW
Through-and-through gunshot wound to thigh from drive-by shooting, presenting as the initial trauma case that leads to discovery of his infant daughter's more serious injury.
Also known as: High blood pressure emergency
Patient with diabetes presenting with severe hypertension (BP 226/115) and associated symptoms, used as teaching case for medical students.
Also known as: Collapsed lung
Iatrogenic pneumothorax caused when medical student punctures lung during central line placement, requiring chest tube insertion. Creates subplot about medical student error and supervision.
Also known as: PTSD
Dr. Archer's untreated PTSD from military service affects his judgment and emotional reactions throughout the episode, particularly when patient dismisses his combat experiences as simulation. Ongoing character arc.