Also known as: Blood clot in lung
A patient develops a pulmonary embolism, potentially related to insertion of a Vas-COM cardiac output monitor, raising concerns about the device's safety and its overuse in the hospital.
Also known as: Rattlesnake bite
A teenage boy presents with rattlesnake bite and open radial fracture after a gang initiation ritual where he stuck his hand in a box containing a rattlesnake.
Also known as: CHF
Lois Durant, a former clinical trial patient, presents with severe heart failure and mitral valve regurgitation. Initially thought to need valve replacement, she is ultimately diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy requiring a myectomy instead.
Also known as: Thickened heart muscle
The underlying diagnosis for Lois Durant's heart failure, discovered intraoperatively when the surgical team finds sub-aortic outflow obstruction instead of primary valve disease, leading to a change in surgical approach to myectomy.
Also known as: Burst ovarian cyst
One of a pair of identical twins presents with abdominal pain from a ruptured ovarian cyst with bleeding. The case is complicated by extreme psychological codependency where her twin sister demands identical surgery or refuses consent, and they ultimately switch places.
Also known as: Brain attack
A 10-year-old girl with sickle cell disease presents with lethargy and is diagnosed with stroke. The case highlights healthcare disparities as she never received proper screening or preventive treatment that could have prevented the stroke.
Also known as: Sickle cell
Jasmine has sickle cell disease that was inadequately managed, lacking proper screening and preventive medication (Hydroxyurea), leading to her stroke. The episode highlights racial disparities in pediatric care compared to conditions like cystic fibrosis.
Also known as: Arthritis
Jasmine's mother Aleesha has severe arthritis in her knees and hips, revealed to be caused by sleeping sitting up in her car as she is homeless. The diagnosis leads to discovery of their housing insecurity.
Also known as: Brain attack
A 60-year-old woman presents with ataxic gait and garbled speech, loses consciousness in the ambulance, and is pronounced dead after a massive stroke proves unsurvivable.
Also known as: Lack of individuation
Identical twins exhibit extreme psychological codependency with complete lack of individual identity formation. They do everything together, dress identically, and cannot conceive of being different from one another, leading to refusal of life-saving surgery unless both undergo it.