Also known as: False aneurysm
Patient presents with a massive pseudoaneurysm at the suture line of her transplanted heart, requiring emergency explantation of the heart. Surgeons attach two ventricular assist devices directly to her blood vessels, leaving her literally heartless while awaiting a new donor heart.
Also known as: AVM
Six-year-old patient with a cerebral AVM causing severe recurrent nosebleeds. Initially deemed inoperable due to inability to access through the small nasal cavity, surgeons develop custom miniature instruments to perform transnasal resection.
Also known as: Dead bowel tissue
Same heartless patient develops bowel necrosis due to poor circulation from her mechanical circulatory support. Requires laparoscopic bowel repair under local anesthesia only, as she cannot tolerate general anesthesia without a heart.
Also known as: Kidney failure
The heartless patient's kidneys begin shutting down as she awaits a donor heart on New Year's Eve.
Also known as: Shock from blood loss
Young AVM patient goes into shock from severe blood loss due to uncontrolled epistaxis, requiring intubation before emergency surgery.
Also known as: Third-degree burn
Patient burned while attempting to deep-fry a turkey on Thanksgiving, treated by Dr. Sloan.
Also known as: Hernia in groin
Patient undergoes hernia repair performed by Bailey on Christmas Day, witnessed by her father in the gallery.
Also known as: Alcoholism
Chief Webber reveals to Meredith that he has relapsed after 20 years of sobriety, claiming his original alcoholism diagnosis was incorrect and attributing his past drinking to situational depression. He continues drinking throughout the episode, including publicly at Joe's bar on New Year's.
Also known as: Brain death
18-year-old female declared brain dead after head-on motor vehicle collision on New Year's Eve, becomes a heart donor for Kelsey.