Also known as: Facial paralysis syndrome
Gretchen, a teenage girl, has Moebius syndrome causing paralysis of the 6th and 7th cranial nerves, preventing her from smiling or expressing emotions facially. The episode centers on her elective surgery to transplant muscle from her thighs to her cheeks to restore her ability to smile, which becomes controversial due to cost and medical necessity.
Also known as: Pseudocholinesterase deficiency
After Gretchen's facial transplant surgery, she fails to wake from anesthesia and is initially believed to be brain dead. Dr. Murphy diagnoses her with plasma cholinesterase deficiency, meaning her body cannot break down succinylcholine (an anesthetic drug), explaining her prolonged sedation. She eventually recovers fully.
Also known as: Post-surgical infection
A woman using stolen medical insurance presents with a severe post-operative infection that was left untreated because she didn't fill her antibiotic prescription. Despite aggressive treatment with Sepsis Protocol, she progresses to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and dies.
Also known as: Heroin addiction
The real Lucy Callard is revealed to be an opioid addict who has been doctor-shopping and fabricating recurring shingles to obtain pain medication prescriptions. She eventually admits to her addiction and enters rehab.
Also known as: Nerve pain after shingles
Lucy claims to suffer from post-herpetic neuralgia requiring chronic pain medication, but this is revealed to be part of her pattern of fabricating illnesses to obtain opioid prescriptions.
Also known as: Scalding burn
Celez is a burn patient who has been treated with tilapia skin grafts for five months. She returns for removal of the grafts and has developed feelings for Dr. Kalu, which may represent transference.
Also known as: Brain attack
In the final scene, Dr. Glassman experiences sudden onset aphasia (inability to find words like 'doorstop' and 'ambulance'), indicating an acute stroke. This sets up a major character health arc.