Code Black — CBS

Season 3, Episode 12

16 medical diagnoses portrayed

Also known as: Blood collection behind breastbone compressing the heart

Cardiac tamponadeHemodynamic instability

Patient from stage collapse with sternal fracture and fluid collection compressing the heart, requiring emergency needle decompression to relieve tamponade physiology before surgery.

Code Black — S03E12

Pleural effusionsupporting

Also known as: Fluid around the lungs

Respiratory distressHypoxemia

College football player who developed progressive pleural effusion after stage collapse, worsening from small to large requiring chest tube placement.

Code Black — S03E12Patient: Logan

Pulmonary hemorrhagemajor

Also known as: Lung bleeding

Hemorrhagic shockRespiratory failure

Patient developed life-threatening arterial bleeding from lung hilum requiring emergency thoracotomy and innovative lung torsion technique to control hemorrhage.

Code Black — S03E12Patient: Logan

Lower extremity ischemiasupporting

Also known as: Loss of blood flow to leg

Limb ischemia

Pregnant patient with leg injury from stage collapse showing no distal pulses, requiring emergency leg reduction to restore blood flow.

Code Black — S03E12Patient: Keri

Premature rupture of membranessupporting

Also known as: Water breaking early

Infection riskPreterm labor

Pregnant patient at 32 weeks developed fever and water broke early, requiring antibiotics and expedited delivery to prevent infection.

Code Black — S03E12Patient: Keri

Amniotic fluid embolismmajor

Also known as: AFE

Acute heart failureCardiac arrestMaternal death

Pregnant patient suddenly developed respiratory distress and acute heart failure consistent with amniotic fluid embolism, leading to cardiac arrest during emergency C-section and maternal death.

Code Black — S03E12Patient: Keri

Brain tumormajor

Also known as: Brain cancer

Motor dysfunctionReceptive aphasia

Concert pianist with brain tumor affecting motor function who underwent awake craniotomy while playing piano, but developed receptive aphasia post-operatively affecting speech production.

Code Black — S03E12Patient: Vicky Markwith

Receptive aphasiasupporting

Also known as: Language comprehension disorder

Speech impairmentCommunication difficulties

Post-operative complication in brain tumor patient who developed language impairment affecting speech production after awake craniotomy, requiring speech therapy.

Code Black — S03E12Patient: Vicky Markwith

Flexor tendon lacerationsupporting

Also known as: Cut tendons in hand

Hand dysfunction

Military veteran with self-inflicted hand injury from punching window, cutting through three flexor tendons requiring hand surgery referral.

Code Black — S03E12

Septal hematomasupporting

Also known as: Blood collection in nose

Nasal obstruction

Stage collapse patient with blood mass in nasal septum requiring drainage with scalpel.

Code Black — S03E12

Panic disordersupporting

Also known as: Panic attacks

TachycardiaHyperventilation

College athlete experienced severe panic attack triggered by guilt over pushing someone during stage collapse evacuation, requiring sedation with Ativan.

Code Black — S03E12Patient: Logan

Pneumothoraxsupporting

Also known as: Collapsed lung

Respiratory failure

Comatose patient developed iatrogenic pneumothorax while being weaned from ventilator, requiring emergency chest tube placement.

Code Black — S03E12Patient: Rox

Recurring storyline

Pneumoniasupporting

Also known as: Lung infection

Respiratory failureVentilator-associated complications

Patient in medically-induced coma developed ventilator-associated pneumonia with elevated CK levels and worsening respiratory status.

Code Black — S03E12Patient: Rox

Recurring storyline

Acute kidney injurysupporting

Also known as: Kidney failure

Renal failure

Critically ill comatose patient developed kidney failure as complication of prolonged critical illness and rhabdomyolysis.

Code Black — S03E12Patient: Rox

Recurring storyline

Rhabdomyolysissupporting

Also known as: Rhabdo

Elevated CK levelsAcute kidney injury

Hit and run victim with severely elevated CK levels indicating muscle breakdown, contributing to kidney failure.

Code Black — S03E12Patient: Rox

Recurring storyline

Psychotic disordermajor

Also known as: Psychosis

DelusionsAgitation

Military physician exhibited increasingly erratic behavior, paranoid delusions about others' identities, and aggression, culminating in 72-hour psychiatric hold.

Code Black — S03E12Patient: Willis