Code Black — CBS

Season 2, Episode 13

10 medical diagnoses portrayed

Also known as: Heart attack

Aortic valve ruptureCardiogenic shockCardiac arrest

Emanuel, a pastor, suffers a left main coronary artery myocardial infarction after smoke inhalation from an apartment fire. He undergoes emergency bypass surgery but later develops a catastrophic aortic valve rupture and dies despite emergent repair attempts.

Code Black — S02E13Patient: Emanuel Johnson

Liver lacerationmajor

Also known as: Liver injury

Inferior vena cava injuryHemorrhagic shock

Lola, Emanuel's daughter, falls two stories while rescuing her father from the fire. She sustains a deep hepatic injury with IVC involvement that requires emergency surgery. She survives the surgery but her father dies before she can apologize to him.

Code Black — S02E13Patient: Lola

Carbon monoxide poisoningmajor

Also known as: Gas poisoning

Death

An infant twin is found unconscious in a smoke-filled bathroom with carbon monoxide poisoning, presenting with retinal hemorrhages and cherry-red skin. Despite intubation and hyperbaric chamber treatment, the baby dies after 32 minutes of resuscitation.

Code Black — S02E13Patient: Adira (infant twin)

Beta-blocker overdosesupporting

Severe bradycardiaHypotensionCardiac arrest

Tracy, a single mother, attempts suicide with atenolol overdose. The beta blocker causes severe bradycardia and cardiac arrest requiring glucagon. Ironically, the overdose slowed her breathing enough to reduce smoke inhalation, inadvertently saving her life.

Code Black — S02E13Patient: Tracy

Smoke inhalation injurysupporting

Also known as: Smoke inhalation

HypoxiaAltered mental statusRespiratory distress

Multiple apartment fire victims present with smoke inhalation injuries causing wheezing, hypoxia, and altered mental status requiring intubation and breathing treatments.

Code Black — S02E13Patient: Multiple patients including Adira (mother) and others

Thermal burnsupporting

Also known as: Third-degree burn

Multiple fire victims present with first and second-degree burns to various body areas requiring wound care with Silvadene and dressings.

Code Black — S02E13Patient: Multiple patients including Jared, Adira, Sami (infant)

Bilateral lower extremity fracturessupporting

Also known as: Broken legs

Vascular compromise

Lola sustains bilateral leg fractures from her two-story fall, requiring reduction to restore blood flow to the foot.

Code Black — S02E13Patient: Lola

Parkinson diseasemajor

Also known as: Parkinson's

Dr. Rollie Guthrie's worsening Parkinson's disease is no longer controlled by medication. He ultimately undergoes Deep Brain Stimulation surgery, which triggers vivid hallucinations blending his surgical experience with the episode's events and his suppressed trauma over his daughter's death.

Code Black — S02E13Patient: Rollie Guthrie

Recurring storyline

Self-inflicted wrist lacerationsupporting

Also known as: Slit wrists

Severe hemorrhageHemorrhagic shock

Tracy cuts her wrists in a second suicide attempt, causing severe arterial bleeding requiring emergency intervention. This occurs during Rollie's hallucination sequence.

Code Black — S02E13Patient: Tracy

Major depressive disordersupporting

Also known as: Depression

Multiple suicide attempts

Tracy suffers from recurrent depression with prior suicide attempts (scars on wrists) and current attempts via beta blocker overdose and wrist laceration, triggered by abandonment by her child's father.

Code Black — S02E13Patient: Tracy