Also known as: Blood cancer
A college student initially presenting with flu-like symptoms is discovered to have acute leukemia with a white blood count of 85,000 and 60% blasts. The delayed diagnosis leads to sepsis, bleeding complications, and hypoxic brain injury from difficult intubation attempts.
Also known as: Liver injury
Med student Erin Harkins suffers a grade-three liver laceration in a motor vehicle accident while riding with Dr. Kovac. She presents with hypotension, abdominal free fluid, and requires emergency exploratory laparotomy.
Also known as: Collapsed lung
Harkins develops a tension pneumothorax in the ambulance following the MVA, requiring needle decompression by Kovac despite his own injuries.
Also known as: Broken collarbone
Young patient in the motor vehicle accident suffers a depressed clavicle fracture that compresses his windpipe, causing airway obstruction. Kovac performs an emergency procedure at the accident scene to elevate the fracture.
Also known as: Dislocated hip
Adult patient in the motor vehicle accident presents with posterior hip dislocation requiring reduction.
Also known as: Fluid in the lungs
Elderly patient presents with pulmonary edema requiring oxygen, diuretics, and nitrates. He is also the victim of an assault by another elderly patient seeking revenge for wartime atrocities.
Also known as: Mild traumatic brain injury
12-year-old hockey player presents with headache and ataxia after taking a hard check at practice. She initially conceals her injury from her protective father, requiring neurological monitoring and CT scan.
Also known as: Tube in the wrong place
Kovac accidentally intubates the esophagus instead of the trachea during emergency airway management of the leukemia patient, contributing to prolonged hypoxia and subsequent brain damage. This medical error is central to the episode's theme of Kovac's declining performance.
Also known as: Blood infection
The leukemia patient develops sepsis requiring blood cultures, antibiotics, and vasopressor support with dopamine.
Also known as: Low platelet count
Severely low platelet count of 12,000 in the leukemia patient causes excessive bleeding during intubation attempts, requiring platelet transfusions and FFP.