Also known as: Head trauma
A 36-year-old woman who fell off a ladder with severe head trauma, showing signs of increased intracranial pressure with papilledema and decorticate posturing. She requires emergency neurosurgery. The episode later reveals this was actually domestic violence - her daughter hit her with a bat.
Also known as: Internal bleeding
Patient presented with rigid abdomen and hematomas to left lower quadrant, requiring emergency surgical lavage and OR intervention as part of her traumatic injuries.
Also known as: Broken thigh bone
A 10-year-old boy with a broken femur from a wrestling move at school. The fracture occurred too easily, leading to discovery of an underlying bone tumor (osteosarcoma). The case explores how to tell a child about a cancer diagnosis.
Also known as: Bone cancer
Mass around the bone discovered on x-ray after pathologic fracture. Requires biopsy and will need chemotherapy treatment. The episode focuses on the ethical challenge of informing a young child about cancer when his father previously died of the disease.
Also known as: TCA poisoning
A 32-year-old woman who overdosed on imipramine (tricyclic antidepressant) in a suicide attempt. Despite aggressive resuscitation including gastric lavage, bicarbonate, and magnesium for arrhythmias, she suffers seizures and ultimately dies from cardiac arrest.
Also known as: Smoke inhalation
A man with cystic fibrosis who entered a burning building to rescue a child. He inhaled toxic chemicals causing severe lung damage and pulmonary edema. His pre-existing CF complicates his condition and he ultimately requires mechanical ventilation.
Also known as: CF
Pre-existing chronic lung disease in the fire rescue patient that significantly worsens his prognosis following smoke inhalation. He was told he had 5-6 years to live before this incident.
Also known as: Scalding burn
A 14-year-old girl rescued from a fire with burns on her legs and chest trauma from a falling beam. She is stabilized and taken to the burn unit, and later comes to thank her rescuer.
Also known as: Compound leg fracture
Open fracture of lower leg bones with absent distal pulses and bone fragments visible, requiring emergency vascular and orthopedic surgery.
Patient with acute stomach pain, leukocytosis, and high BUN whose diet history of seeds and nuts suggests diverticulitis. Used as a teaching case for medical students to demonstrate diagnostic reasoning.
Also known as: Heart attack
Dr. Kayson, an attending cardiologist, presents with chest pain and vomiting. EKG shows ST elevation in inferior leads indicating acute MI. He goes into cardiogenic shock requiring resuscitation. Dr. Lewis advocates for his preferred treatment (TPA) against another doctor's recommendation for angioplasty.
Also known as: PCP
A 15-year-old homeless boy presenting with fever and cough, diagnosed with PCP pneumonia - an opportunistic infection indicating likely AIDS. He is a sex worker on the streets, highlighting social issues around pediatric HIV/AIDS and homelessness.
Also known as: AIDS
Presumptive AIDS diagnosis in a homeless teenage sex worker based on PCP pneumonia. The case explores the social challenges of treating homeless youth with HIV who have no support system and continue high-risk behaviors.