Also known as: Broken neck with paralysis
Jason suffers a C3-C4 spinal cord injury from a car accident, resulting in complete paralysis from the neck down and inability to breathe independently. His wife initially asks to remove the ventilator, but he ultimately chooses to live. This drives the episode's central ethical and emotional conflict.
Also known as: Hole in heart sac
Jason has a hole in his pericardium from the car accident that Cristina repairs. The pericardial defect is initially keeping him alive by allowing blood to drain, and Cristina successfully repairs his heart before discovering the devastating spinal injury.
Also known as: Torn major vein
Jason's inferior vena cava is damaged in the accident. Cristina refers to this vessel as 'the black mamba' and successfully repairs it during surgery, demonstrating the complexity of his injuries.
Also known as: Rhabdo
Jason develops rhabdomyolysis leading to renal failure during his participation in the brain-computer interface trial, causing him to collapse while using the robotic exoskeleton. Meredith places a shunt and he requires dialysis.
Also known as: Tetralogy of Fallot
Jasper is a 1-year-old patient who was born without a pulmonary artery. He undergoes unifocalization surgery with a 3D-printed conduit as part of Cristina's research trial. He returns for annual checkups and is doing well enough to play hockey.
Also known as: Head laceration
Bailey's son Tuck sustains a head injury with a laceration at the park after falling and hitting concrete steps. April sutures the wound. This incident causes Bailey anxiety about childcare and work-life balance.
Also known as: Severe allergic reaction
A 10-year-old girl experiences severe anaphylaxis with seizures after receiving iodine contrast dye despite having a documented allergy. Owen Hunt treats her emergently with epinephrine, Benadryl, and steroids. This case contributes to concerns about Owen's reliability.
Also known as: Alcohol poisoning
Owen shows up to work intoxicated, attempting to start a shift in the ER. His behavior and odor are noticed by colleagues, leading to breathalyzer testing and an emergency board meeting that results in his termination. This stems from his emotional breakdown over his failed relationship with Cristina.
Also known as: Hand injury
Jackson is struggling with a hand injury from two years prior that has not healed sufficiently for him to return to operating. He is formally barred from the OR by Derek and the board, limited to administrative duties only, causing him significant frustration.