Also known as: Ruptured spleen
Tom Callahan presents with intraperitoneal bleeding following a motor vehicle accident. The trauma team identifies the splenic rupture requiring emergency surgical intervention, though his surgery is delayed while he stays with his dying wife.
Also known as: Collapsed lung
Jessie Callahan, involved in a high-speed motor vehicle collision with her husband, develops a tension pneumothorax that causes her to crash in the CT scanner. Despite emergency thoracostomy, she suffers irreversible brain damage and is pronounced dead, though she later shows cardiac activity creating an ethical dilemma.
Also known as: Shock from blood loss
Jessie develops severe hypovolemic shock from internal bleeding following her motor vehicle accident, requiring rapid transfusion and leading to cardiac arrest and eventual brain death.
Also known as: Brain damage from lack of oxygen
Following prolonged cardiac arrest and resuscitation attempts, Jessie suffers irreversible anoxic brain injury with dilated pupils, leading to the emotional decision about end-of-life care while her husband watches.
Also known as: Lung infection
Mrs. Hawkes presents with severe pneumonia with complete consolidation of her right lobe, elevated white count, and gram-negative rods in sputum. Her condition rapidly deteriorates requiring intubation, creating a crisis as she is a single mother whose estranged drug-using son must decide whether to care for her other children.
Also known as: Sexually transmitted infection
During examination of the alderman's injuries from a fall, Dr. Lewis discovers a penile lesion consistent with syphilis. This creates an ethical dilemma when the alderman requests his medical records be altered to protect his political career, and Dr. Weaver ultimately complies by mislabeling the specimen.
Also known as: Bleeding in the knee joint
The alderman's fall from a stage results in hemarthrosis of his knee requiring drainage, part of his overall trauma evaluation as a VIP patient in the ER.
Also known as: Broken wrist
A 9-year-old boy presents with a wrist fracture after allegedly falling from a bunk bed. X-rays reveal multiple old fractures, initially raising suspicion for child abuse, though it is ultimately revealed the child has been intentionally injuring himself to spend time with his father.
Also known as: Head laceration
David presents with altered mental status after his fall, requiring head CT to rule out intracranial bleeding as part of his trauma workup.
Also known as: Type 2 diabetes
Dr. McNulty's poorly controlled diabetes is revealed with a blood sugar of 435, prompting Carter to bring him medication. This subplot highlights McNulty's dedication to his clinic patients at the expense of his own health.