Also known as: Brain aneurysm
A romance novelist presents with multiple cerebral aneurysms, one of which has a warning leak. She refuses surgery initially to finish her book series. During dictation with Meredith, the aneurysm ruptures requiring emergency clipping.
Also known as: Bile duct stones
George O'Malley's mother returns to Seattle Grace with complications from a botched gallbladder removal at another hospital. She has retained stones blocking her cystic duct remnant causing pain, fever, and vomiting. Bailey and Meredith perform corrective surgery with T-tube placement.
Also known as: Heart transplant emergency
A patient at UCLA waiting for a heart transplant arrests and dies while the donor heart is being transported via ex vivo perfusion system (heart-in-a-box), leaving the viable heart without a recipient.
Also known as: Disconnected esophagus
A pediatric surgical case mentioned as part of demonstrating Seattle Grace's capabilities to a prospective pediatric fellow. Karev is scheduled to perform this surgery but it's reassigned for the fellow's observation.
Also known as: Stomach outlet blockage
Another pediatric case mentioned for the prospective fellow's tour, involving narrowing of the pylorus requiring surgical correction.
A patient requiring cross-facial nerve graft surgery performed by Mark Sloan and initially assigned to Jackson Avery, later reassigned to Alex Karev due to interpersonal conflicts.