Also known as: GSW to chest
A 25-year-old police officer shot in the line of duty develops life-threatening hemorrhage from an inferior vena cava injury. George and Alex must perform emergency open chest surgery in a stuck elevator, with George using his finger to plug the bleeding vessel until they can reach the OR.
Also known as: Spinal cord tumor
A young Hmong woman presents with back pain and leg numbness from an aggressive spinal tumor. Her father initially refuses surgery due to Hmong spiritual beliefs that she needs a shaman to retrieve her missing soul before surgery. Derek arranges for a shaman to perform a healing ritual in the hospital.
Also known as: Broken heart syndrome
A woman presents annually on the same date with cardiac symptoms that mimic a heart attack. Izzie discovers the pattern and diagnoses stress cardiomyopathy triggered by grief over her deceased soul mate, the neighbor Ted, who died on that date years ago.
Also known as: Slipped disk
A patient scheduled for spinal implant surgery uses pornography as pain management because he is allergic to all standard pain medications. The episode explores alternative pain management when the hospital loses power and his pain-relieving pornography stops working.
Also known as: Tubal pregnancy
Referenced in the 'Previously on' segment as part of Cristina's recent medical crisis from the previous episode where she had an extrauterine pregnancy with bleeding.
Also known as: Early-onset Alzheimer's
Meredith's mother Ellis is being discharged to a nursing home. She displays ongoing confusion and memory loss, reliving conversations from 21 years ago with Richard about leaving their spouses, and later has a moment of clarity where she recognizes her grown daughter.