Also known as: Tear in heart artery
Elizabeth Archer, a faith healer, presents with dissection of the proximal two-thirds of the LAD (left anterior descending coronary artery). She refuses surgery initially, wanting to attempt self-healing, but eventually requires surgical repair as the dissection extends.
Also known as: Kidney injury from bus accident
Dr. Bailey's young son Tuck is crushed under a falling bookshelf at home, sustaining multiple severe injuries requiring emergency surgery. This drives the emotional core of the episode as Bailey struggles with guilt and fear.
Also known as: Ruptured diaphragm
Tuck's ruptured diaphragm allows his stomach and colon to herniate into his chest cavity, compressing his heart and requiring surgical repair.
Also known as: Perforated stomach
Tuck's stomach ruptures from the blunt trauma, initially feared to be colon rupture which would have caused fecal contamination and infection risk to the aortic repair.
Also known as: Gunshot wound to aorta
The trauma from the bookshelf causes injury to Tuck's thoracic aorta, which must be carefully repaired during surgery.
Also known as: V-tach
Mr. Greenwald experiences recurrent episodes of ventricular tachycardia throughout the day, which mysteriously stabilizes after Elizabeth Archer lays hands on him (though medically explained by delayed amiodarone effect).
Also known as: Staph infection
Dr. Sloan's patient has a staph infection that unexpectedly resolves after Elizabeth Archer touches her, though a medical explanation is implied.
Also known as: Severe allergic reaction
Lexie experiences an allergic reaction with rash and throat closing after eating eggs prepared by Meredith, requiring epinephrine treatment.