Also known as: Head injury
A 17-year-old deaf patient involved in a high-speed car accident while trying to get an unconscious girl to the hospital. Initially suspected of carjacking and treated for head injury with combative behavior that was misinterpreted as drug-related.
Also known as: Broken jaw
Non-displaced jaw fracture sustained during the car accident or altercation with police, complicating communication with the deaf patient.
Also known as: Boxer's fracture
Hand fracture sustained during the incident, further complicating the patient's ability to communicate through sign language.
Also known as: Stopped breathing
A teenage girl found unresponsive in a car accident who stopped breathing. Her respiratory arrest was complicated by severe masseter muscle spasm from succinylcholine administration, requiring alternative paralytic and ultimately treated with Pavulon.
Also known as: Seizure
Patient experienced continuous seizure activity masked by paralytic medications, presenting as elevated intracranial pressure and severe hypertension. Successfully treated with Ativan and Dilantin once recognized.
Also known as: Overdose
Teenager who took ecstasy and GHB at a party, leading to respiratory arrest and seizures. The diagnosis was critical to proper treatment but delayed due to communication barriers with the deaf companion.
Also known as: Blood cancer
Sam's employer with ongoing MDS requiring regular chelation therapy and blood transfusions. He becomes acutely anemic during a dinner party but initially refuses treatment.
Also known as: Leaky heart valve
82-year-old man with porcine heart valve who was assaulted by his girlfriend. The stress-induced hypertension caused acute rupture of his prosthetic valve requiring emergency cardiothoracic surgery.
Also known as: High blood pressure emergency
Severe hypertension from the stress of being assaulted led to rupture of his prosthetic heart valve, requiring afterload reduction and emergency surgery.
Also known as: Cut
80-year-old woman who lacerated her hand when the urn she used to assault her boyfriend broke.