Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Pitt season 2, episode 3.
The Pitt season 2 kicked off with an eventful first three hours as the team at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital welcomed no less than 31 patients to kick the season off. Dr. Robby and the team had an extremely challenging shift in season 1 that saw them handle dozens of patients, including victims from a festival mass shooting.
Thankfully, despite the fourth of July setting in The Pitt season 2, the shift seems to be starting at a much more manageable pace, but that isn't expected to continue for long. Regardless, it's worth checking in on who is currently occupying the beds in the ER.
Margaret Walker – Hypochondriac
- Status: Stable
The first patient that we meet after Dr. Robby gets on shift is Mrs. Margaret Walker. Dr. Robby and Dr. Shen, who is due to clock out after his night shift, briefly meet with Mrs. Walker and discuss her extensive concerns. However, despite her fear that she is in imminent danger of death, there are no clear signs that anything is actually wrong.
In order to give Mrs. Walker some peace of mind, Dr. Shen suggests they prescribe 500mg of cyanocobalamin. To which Dr. Robby insists they up it to a full 1000mg. Once outside the room, they confirm that the shot is actually just B12. It appears that, clearly, Mrs. Walker may have a case of hypochondria and finds solace in getting attention, which may also explain why she is wearing a waitress uniform for a long-gone diner. She is not seen again after the first episode, which is likely a sign that she was discharged.
Mr. Burgess – Leg Cramps
- Status: Stable
Next up, Dr. Robby and Dr. Shen are introduced to Mr. Burgess, who has arrived in the ER after complaining of leg cramps. While they meet with Mr. Burgess, the man is unable to say anything, while his wife takes control of the situation. When asked about the medication he currently takes, she then takes four large plastic bags from her handbag full of various pills and vitamins.
Mr. Burgess isn't seen again in the episode, and it seems that the large concoction of unprescribed medications may be creating some unfortunate side effects. Like Margaret Walker, Mr. Burgess does not return after episode 2, pointing to his condition being stable at this point in the series.
John Doe – Chest Puncture
- Status: Admitted
Next up, after Dr. Robby meets Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi, an urgent case is rushed in from the ambulance into one of the available trauma rooms. The man is referred to as a John Doe, and the ambulance team let the doctors know that he is a dishwasher who got a severe chest wound from a knife, though they don't know if it was accidental or an assault.
While the man initially had a pulse, two blocks before their arrival, his pulse stopped. Dr. Robby and several others jump into action, with Dr. Robby allowing the residents to take the lead while he gently guides them. Immediately, they make an incision into the left side of the chest, opposite the injured area, to examine the extent of the damage.
It becomes apparent before long that the visibility is poor, and they convert to a clamshell, which means cutting the sternum and fully opening the chest cavity. Once inside, Dr. Robby advises a risky move known as a Hilar flip, and with his calm, gentle coaching, the team manages to successfully get things under control.
However, there is still extensive bleeding, and once they do an internal defibrillation to restore the heart to a normal rhythm, they give the patient multiple blood transfusions to make up for all the lost blood. The patient is then sent upstairs for further treatment and care in episode 1, after the doctors in the ER literally brought him back from death.
Kylie Connors – Chin Laceration
- Status: Stable
Kylie Connors is a 9-year-old girl who was brought in by her father's girlfriend after falling down the stairs and getting a serious chin laceration. She also chipped one of her front incisors, though that appears to be a much less severe injury.
While in the care of Dr. Trinity Santos, large bruises are discovered on Kylie's back, along with several more injuries around her body. Checking her records, they learn that Kylie has repeatedly been seen in the West Pittsburgh hospital, and it raises some obvious red flags for Santos. Upon further examination, she also discovers that the girl's urine contains a lot of blood.
Santos checks in with Dr. Robby before getting social services involved, and her story is likely to continue into future episodes of The Pitt season 2.
In episode 2, Santos has social services check in with Kylie and her father's girlfriend, while Dr. Robby has a quick conversation with Kylie. Robby and Santos notice that the girl has a high pain tolerance, considering she doesn't flinch when poked with a needle. Santos commits to keeping a close eye on the patient and anxiously awaits her father's arrival.
In episode 3, Kylie's father finally arrives, and while Santos continues to suspect abuse on his end, she is soon silenced when a test returns a result confirming Kylie has immune thrombocytopenia, or ITP. This autoimmune disorder is responsible for Kylie being more susceptible to bruising and injury.
Liam Sanders – Severe Leg Abrasion
- Status: On The Run
Liam Sanders arrived in the ER after having a serious fall from his bicycle, which caused intense leg injuries. He is a 26-year-old who rode his bike through his neighborhood without a helmet, though that clearly wouldn't have saved his legs.
Initially, Sanders is assigned to Langdon, but when Dr. Robby sends Langdon back to triage, he passes Sanders on to Dr. Melissa King. Evidently, Sanders is pleased with this change, as he begins flirting with Dr. King, though she fails to pick up on his advances.
In episode 2, some uniformed police officers arrive in the ER looking for a man matching Sanders' description, and Sanders makes a quick getaway, knocking Dr. King to the ground in the process. It turns out that this young man recently robbed a liquor store and may have been hiding from police in the ER.
Candace O'Grady – Intractable Vomiting
- Status: Stable
Next up, the nurses inform the doctors that a patient named Candace O'Grady has been brought in by her restless and rather aggravated son, Richard. However, Candace and Richard don't appear on-screen until much later in the episode. Dr. Mohan visits with Candace, who sends her son out of the room after he responds harshly to questions.
Candace is 82 years old and informs Dr. Mohan that she has stopped taking her meds for an extended period of time as she found a new means of treating her issues: marijuana. Having experimented with the drug while with a friend, Candace has taken to regularly consuming 12 or more marijuana cookies every day. This is likely where her issue stems from.
Candace does not appear after episode 2, which suggests her condition is stable and treatment is swift and straightforward.
Michael Williams – Growth On The Brain
- Status: Awaiting Treatment
Dr. Cassie McKay has the good fortune to meet with Mr. Williams, a middle-aged man who fell and injured his nose, causing a fairly intense nosebleed. Cassie provides a thorough exam, where she finds that Mr. Williams also has intense pain in his right wrist.
However, Mr. Williams appears extremely aggressive and confrontational, saying he wants to leave and avoid any unnecessary additional charges. Despite this, Cassie persists in order to provide the best care possible. Upon repeat visits, she begins to see that Mr. Williams also appears to have symptoms of a possible concussion, or at least some short-term memory loss.
With Mr. Williams' mood swings, Cassie needs to approach carefully, but it appears that the patient is suffering from more than a bloody nose and an injured wrist. Mr. Williams has been sent for a CT scan, and he appears to have calmed down in episode 2.
In The Pitt season 2, episode 3, Dr. McKay gets the results back from the CT which confirm that Michael has a growth on the frontal lobe of his brain. In order to accurately determine what the growth is, he will need a brain biopsy, but Michael is considerably more amenable to taking the doctor's advice after learning about his condition. It is at this point that his ex-wife, Gretchen, arrives at the hospital.
Gretchen has since remarried, but she still cares about Michael, and when she learns that the growth may be responsible for his mood swings and general change in attitude, she is clearly shaken.
Mr. Ethan Bostick – Found Altered In Assisted Living Facility
- Status: Deceased
In the morning rush, as patients are brought in from the Assisted Living Facility, Dr. Whitaker is introduced to Ethan Bostick, a 79-year-old man who was found altered that morning. He is also informed that Mr. Bostick has a POLST, Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment. This directs that Mr. Bostick would not like to receive any CPR or intubation.
After a round of general exams, Mr. Bostick goes into a V-tach, an abnormal, fast-paced heart rhythm. Due to the POLST, they have no means of treating the condition, and so, Whitaker and the new student doctors, Joy Kwon and James Ogilvie, simply stand by as he passes.
Mr. Bostick is declared dead in episode 1, and Whitaker takes the time to offer up a moment of silence for the man, instructing Kwon and Ogilvie to do the same.
Digby – Cast Removal
- Status: Awaiting Further Treatment
Upon arriving in the ER, Dr. Robby noted that there was a particularly foul-smelling man in the waiting room, and throughout the day, the stench appeared to have worsened. This led some of the other people in the waiting room to beg for the man to be seen to, in order to get him out of the waiting room.
The staff of the ER oblige, and while Digby only needs a cast removed, he is escorted to an outdoor shower where he can wash the dirt and grime from his body.
In episode 2, with Digby now clean, Dr. Mohan steps in to help remove his cast. While Digby described his arm as itchy, the new nurse, Emma, was not prepared to see an infestation of maggots eating his flesh. Both Mohan and Dana take it in their stride and prepare to freeze off the offending maggots.
In episode 3, Digby is treated with antibiotics and IV to prevent infection and treat any general issues that may have come about due to the infestation on his arm. He is also given some food, and Dana encourages him to seek more regular care.
Sister Grace Matthews – Gonorrhea
- Status: Stable
Dr. Victoria Javadi picks up a patient with severe conjunctivitis. Sister Grace Matthews, a Nun, appears to be very happy to speak with Javadi and even feels comfortable inquiring about religious beliefs. However, Javadi is evidently more interested in looking to her medical needs.
As of episode 2, the results indicate that the infection in Sister Grace's eye was actually a bad case of gonorrhea. While Santos gets a kick out of the irony, Javadi and Mohan take the matter seriously and inform their patient of the issue. She lets them know that she often volunteers at a homeless shelter, cleaning dirty bedsheets, and usually, they don't have basic medical equipment like gloves.
With a round of medication issued to treat the illness, Mohan offers Sister Grace some boxes of gloves to take with her in order to avoid further infections while volunteering.
Debbie Cohen – Rash On Foot
- Status: Readmitted
Out in triage, Dr. Langdon marks an area on a woman's foot where a red rash has grown. He suggests she take antibiotics and plenty of rest in order to recover. However, the woman appears very concerned about returning to work. Langdon suggests she take Tylenol and Advil for the pain, and plenty of breaks, before sending her on her way, and suggesting that if it gets worse, she should come straight back.
Unfortunately, Debbie appears to have avoided that advice, because when she comes back to the emergency room a few hours later, the rash has grown to cover most of her leg. And while it just looks like an aggressive rash, the fact that it has been resistant to medication suggests to Langdon and Donnie that this could be MRSA, or something even worse.
Louie Cloverfield – Toothache
- Status: Stable
Louie Cloverfield is a regular at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital, who was also seen during the first season. Dr. Langdon examines Louie and finds his severe tooth pain is likely due to an infection at the root, along with a bloated and hard stomach due to his alcohol consumption.
Langdon sends him back to the ER, handing him over to Whitaker and the student doctors. It's also noted that Louie has been in the hospital to get his stomach drained due to similar alcohol abuse three times in the last six months.
Louie is all too comfortable being tapped, and he quickly fills several liter bottles with the alcohol in his stomach. However, the treatment does appear to be helping relieve his discomfort.
In episode 4, Louis finally has his tooth abscess drained, and Ogilvie identifies that it is an apical abscess. This appears to offer some immediate relief, but Whitaker clarifies that this is a temporary fix, and Louis needs to visit a dentist after being discharged.
Abandoned Baby
- Status: More Tests Requested By Pediatric Unit
One of the saddest cases explored in The Pitt episode 1 is that of an abandoned baby. A child was left in the restroom of the waiting area, and before long, she was brought back into the ER to be examined. Despite putting an announcement out on the intercom, no one has stepped forward to claim the child.
Dr. Robby and Dr. Al-Hashimi discuss the case with Dr. Mohan, trying to determine the age of the child, as there is a Safe Haven period for dropping off newborns before they reach 28 days of age. However, the baby appears to be between a month and a month and a half old, which flags this as a criminal case of child abandonment.
They conduct tests on the baby, and by the episode's end, Dr. Mohan believes the child to be a perfectly normal, healthy baby. However, in episode 1, Dr. Al-Hashimi stares distantly at the child, suggesting something else, either in the results or in Al-Hashimi's own past, has caught her attention.
In episode 2, Dr. Al appears to move on and focus on other issues around the ER. However, the baby is being refused a transfer to the pediatric unit without further testing, which Dr. Robby and his peers reluctantly agree to. There is no further development in episode 3.
Evelyn Bostick – Alzheimer's
- Status: Stable, Though Disoriented
Evelyn Bostick was brought in much later, after her husband, Ethan Bostick already passed away. Both were attendees of the Assisted Living Facility, but Evelyn's Alzheimer's appears to have left her stranded and confused, wandering the highway instead of riding to the hospital with her husband.
In episode 2, Evelyn is informed of her husband's passing by Dr. Whitaker. Due to her Alzheimer's, this news does need to be repeated a few times, until finally, she is brought in to see her husband. She is stable, but considering her disorientation, she will need to be transferred to an assisted living facility.
Alan Billings – Open Fracture
- Status: Discharged to Westbridge
At the end of The Pitt season 2, episode 1, Alan Billings arrives in an ambulance with an open fracture. The severity of the injury means he is rushed into a trauma room as soon as he arrives, with as many available doctors as possible jumping in to help.
In episode 2, it is revealed that he fell eight feet and landed in a way that resulted in this open dislocation. Dr. Al quizzes Dr. King about what type of dislocation it is, and Dr. McKay jumps in to help. It's a rare dislocation known as luxatio erecta. Essentially, the head of the bone moved out of place in such a way as to put the arm into a permanently raised position.
Together, with a great deal of force and careful maneuvering, the team is able to reset the bone back into place and clean the area. With a sterile dressing in place, they sent Mr. Billings for a CT to ensure no vascular injury occurred, and then on to the Orthopedic unit for care and further treatment. However, the team is informed that his insurance will not cover his care if he remains in their hospital. Instead, he is sent to Westbridge in a stable condition to receive the rest of his care.
Willow – Eye Glued Shut
- Status: Stable
In The Pitt, season 2, episode 2, Dr. Langdon meets a young woman who has superglued false eyelashes on, resulting in the eyelid being stuck. Langdon asks the basic questions to probe the situation, but she is evidently frustrated and uncomfortable.
She asks for a Dr. J, who she says is a doctor from TikTok who works at the hospital. However, Langdon has no idea who she is referring to due to his recent absence.
After waiting two hours for the glue to dissolve, Willow meets with Langdon again to seek further treatment. At this point, Langdon suggests cutting the eyelash halfway down to reduce the strength of the glue's hold. Unfortunately, this still doesn't resolve the issue. That is when Willow shows Langdon Dr. J, and he realizes that she has been asking for Javadi, who actually has a small following online.
Javadi suggests cutting the full eyelash, likely the same procedure that Langdon would have moved to do next. While this fixes the eyelid being glued shut, Willow is disappointed to see she now only has one set of eyelashes on her good eye.
Linda Stevens – Substernal Chest Pressure
- Status: Awaiting Test Results
Langdon brings Linda Stevens through triage due to her being at risk of STEMI. A STEMI is essentially a severe heart attack. Dr. Al takes Linda's case and uses the opportunity to introduce the rest of the team to an app that records conversations with patients in an effort to more quickly record the important details of that conversation and make charting quicker.
She also starts some blood work for Linda, which will inform the rest of her care.
Clint Hansen – Extensive Burns
- Status: Discharged
Clint Hansen was enjoying a large family reunion where he was tasked with preparing the breakfast buffet. While using the sink, it appears that one of his cousins poured hot bacon grease into the sink, burning Clint severely. The doctors opt to numb the arms and carefully cut away dead skin.
While the burns look severe, Clint appears to be more concerned about getting back to the reunion and finishing the buffet. However, his injuries are extensive. In episode 3, Clint is discharged from the hospital with some gauze and ointment, along with being advised to replace the bandage twice a day.
Orlando Diaz – Diabetic Reaction
- Status: Awaiting Further Treatment
Orlando Diaz was at work on a construction site when he either tripped or fainted. A colleague rushed him to the hospital, though before losing consciousness again in the car, Orlando was adamant that he didn't want an ambulance.
When he arrives in episode 2, he is still unconscious, but Dr. Robby smells ketones in his breath, indicating the fact that he is having a diabetic reaction. A round of medication is ordered, and his condition is likely to improve quickly. In episode 3, Mr. Diaz's condition and vitals begins to improve, but is still unconscious.
In episode 4, Orlando's wife arrives, and he wakes up. He is informed by Dr. Mohan of the treatment plan they need to move forward with, and he reveals to her privately that he has only been taking half of his required dose of medication to handle his diabetes as he is struggling to afford the medication.
Despite both Orlando and his wife, Lorrie, working multiple part time jobs to earn the money they need for their family, they do not have medical insurance. This is further complicated by the fact that their total earnings mean they can't access support at a discounted rate, resulting in their medical fees likely coming in at astronomical prices.
Ian Randall – Priapism
- Status: Discharged
Ian Randall arrives at the ER with Priapism, aka an erection that lasts more than four hours. Mr. Randall was celebrating his anniversary with his wife, and chose to use a double dose of medication to give him a prolonged erection, but when the resulting condition lasted for eight hours, it was time to get help.
The condition appears to be fairly easily managed with Dr.'s Santos, King, and Al all gathering to treat Mr. Randall. After putting him to sleep, they carefully remove the blood from his penis by manually draining it with a needle. In episode 3, Mr. Randall is also discharged, and advised to avoid sex or pills during his recovery.
Barry Mitchell – Laboured Breathing
- Status: Stable
While enjoying breakfast at a diner, Barry Mitchell began experiencing sudden onset of respiratory distress, aka, he struggled to breathe. Despite people trying to give him the Heimlich maneuver, Barry continued to gasp for air before being rushed to the hospital.
Barry was put to sleep, and a camera was inserted down the airway, which uncovered the root of the problem: a large piece of broccoli lodged in his throat. Once removed, Barry is back to his old self and fully recovered. He is not seen again in episode 3, which suggests he may have been discharged.
Jackson Davies – Distressed Young Man
- Status: Entering The ER
At the end of episode 2, a young college student arrives at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital in distress. He is tied down to a bed and reacting very intensely to the people who administered to him. It appears as though he began acting out in a college library, before being tased by security, and then sent to PTMH to get help.
The young man is identified by his student ID, and while he remains in an extremely distressed state, the doctors administer sedatives to begin treating him. Once he is unconscious, they begin to remove the metal barbs of the taser from his back.
This is around the time that Tony Chinchiolo arrives at the hospital. And while Tony is convinced that Jackson was under the influence of drugs, his tox screen comes back clean, confirming he was not on drugs when Tony confronted him.
In episode 4, Jada Davies arrives, Jackson's sister. She calls their parents to come to the hospital, and she is distressed to hear how her brother was treated by the library security guard. Jackson is a law student, and the family are very proud of him, so it appears highly unlike him to have such an intense episode as was described.
Javadi talks Jada through their plan, as they send Jackson for a CT scan on his brain, and also call in a psychiatric doctor to evaluate his mental state. However, by the end of the episode, Jackson is still unconscious from the sedatives.
Tony Chinchiolo – Small Head Laceration
- Status: Discharged
Tony Chinchiolo is the college security guard who tased Jackson Davies, and sustained a head injury while trying to control the situation when Jackson allegedly threw a chair at him. Tony was quick to speak disparagingly about Jackson, but when it was proven that Jackson was not on drugs, the police who he previously flaunted his success to now question him about his aggressive response to the student in the college library.
Ms. Heather Graham – Head & Stomach Pain
- Status: Triage With Donnie
Ms. Graham has been in the waiting room since The Pitt season 2, episode 1. However, at the start of episode 3, we see one of the nurses apologize that she hasn't been seen citing the reason as she only noticed that the patient requires communication through ASL now.
Evidently, being deaf in a busy waiting room has meant that Ms. Graham's care has been delayed due to the hospital failing to communicate effectively. Highlighting the challenges that those with disabilities may face in an emergency room setting.
In episode 4, Donnie, one of the nurses on triage, sees Heather with an interpreter to assess her needs. She describes that she has been experiencing stomach and head pain, but Donnie appears to be highly distracted and avoids eye contact as he looks to the interpreter for translation.
Mr. Hansen – Low Blood Pressure
- Status: Stable
While Clint Hansen may be free to go from the hospital, on his way out, he spots an elderly family member from the same reunion in the waiting room. Typically, Mr. Hansen suffers from high blood pressure, but after leaving his medication at home, he had a fall while attending the reunion.
As Langdon examines the patient, he learns that the Hansen's have a quirky habit of sharing medication at these events, placing all the pills on the table and taking pills as needed. The doctor's ask some of those attending to return to the house to get details of the medication that Mr. Hansen took, and through a FaceTime call, they find out that he took Propranolol, a medication which had the unfortunate effect of drastically lowering his blood pressure.
With treatment and a few hours of observation, Mr. Hansen should be able to return home later that day.
Mark Yee – Car Crash/Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis
- Status: Being Treated
Mark Yee was brought in after a collision with a motorcycle. After examining him and adminisitering care to get him to a stable condition, the team learned that Mark appeared to have lost all strength in his arms and legs, rendering him paralyzed. In order to further asssess the damage, he was sent for a full body scan, which did not highlight any apparent issues.
However, another test revealed that his potassium levels were extremely low, pointing to Mark suffering from a genetic condition known as hypokalemic periodic paralysis. Essentially, the potassium in his bodyguard was being transferred to cells, and failing to fuel his body as needed.
He then almost went into cardiac arrest, but was revived after one round of defibrillation.
Nancy Yee – Car Crash/Spleen Injury
- Status: In Surgery
Nancy arrived at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital along with her husband Mark, but she refused to be examined as she wanted her husband to be seen to. Unfortunately, just after her husband became stable again, she collapsed. It was at this point that the doctors were able to see the large bruising on her stomach.
Upon further examination, it became clear that she had a spleen injury, and this led to her bleeding internally and collapsing. She was rushed to surgery for further care, and remains there while her her husband recovers at the end of episode 3.
John Doe – Motorcycle Accident
- Status: Deceased
On the other end of that car accident, there was a man riding a motorcycle without a helmet. His license revealed that he passed an advanced safety course, but regardless, wearing a helmet would have been a wise choice given the circumstances.
Unfortunately, despite having a pulse in the ambulance, the man's pulse stopped closer to the hospital, and when he is examined by Dr. Robby and the team, the open skull fracture is extensive, with some of the brain exposed. Upon checking his pupils, it's clear that they are blown, and the man is now deceased.
Mr. Montrose – Fractured Coccyx
- Status: Stable
Mr. Montrose is an elderly gentleman who is extremely energetic and sociable. Despite Dr. McKay asking him to remain seated, he continues to walk around the room and engage with other patients. He seems friendly and kind, and is awaiting x-ray results to determine if his injuries from falling are extensive.
Dr. McKay tells Mr. Montrose that with some pain meds, his fractured coccyx should heal in six weeks, but Mr. Montrose pushes back due to the impact this will have on his social calender. He begs for some other treatment to hasten the healing, and McKay relents.
A short, but highly painful, and somewhat invasive procedure can help put the bone fragments back in place and speed up the healing. Mr. Montrose is elated and goes ahead with the treatment, which provides him with immediate relief.
Mrs. Yana Kovalenko – Severe Burn On Leg
- Status: Stable
Mrs. Kovalenko suffered a severe burn on her leg after dropping a samovar, a large metal urn for storing hot water. She attempted to treat the injury with honey and wrapping it in a portion of a curtain, but the severe nature of the burn required she seek further treatment at the ER.
Mrs. Kovalenko makes an instant connection with Dr. Robinavitch due to his also being Jewish, despite Dr. Robby's less active status. While treating the patient, Dr. Robby learns that she witnessed some of the horror of the October 27th Synagogue attack in Pittsburgh which left 11 people dead.
As a result, she struggles to hear frieworks without being brought back to that awful moment, which led to her dropping the samovar and sustaining her injury on this Fourth of July.
Duante – Beads In Nose
- Status: Discharged
In The Pitt season 2, episode 3, there is a small boy named Duante who inserted colorful beads in his nose while playing. Dr. Langdon treats Duante in triage, using a small tool to see where the beads are lodged, and another device with a small inflatable balloon to extract them.
Brian Hancock – Minor Foot Injury
- Status: Discharged
Brian Hancock first appears in episode 3, but he isn't treated until episode 4, when Dr. McKay reviews his x-ray and reveals he has no fractures or breaks in the bones. This means the injury will heal quickly on its own, with some rest and ibuprofen.
Brian is then free to go, but considering his numerous advances with Dr. Cassie McKay, she relents and tells him she will be attending an art gallery after work that evening. Brian excitedly accepts the invite, and a date is set.
Phylicia Ronson – Pneumonia Due To Eating Disorder
- Status: Stable
Phylicia first meets with Langdon before being sent back to the ER with a persistant aggressive cough that has tested negative for the most common causes. Dr. King and Dr. Santos take over her treatment, and after an initial exam and some tests which reveals she has developed pneumonia, King suggests they check the enamel on the back of her teeth.
They find that her teeth are wearing from the back, which is a sign of repeatedly inducing herself to vomit. In other words, Phylicia has bulimia, and it's gotten to a point where she is becoming increasingly ill and susceptible to other issues. King recommends she begin meeting with a specialized therapist in the hospital on a regular basis.
Jean Samba – Posterior STEMI
- Status: Stable
After Westbridge closes its ER to new patients in The Pitt episode 3, several ambulances are diverted to Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital, and they begin arriving at the start of episode 4. The first of which to arrive is Jean Samba. A 54-year-old man experiencing chest pain.
Initial tests appear to be in line with Samba's usual condition, as he already has a history of hypertension, but Whitaker suggests they also check him posteriorly for additional signs of distress. This is when he discovers Samba is experiencing a posterior STEMI, or intensive heart attack, which wasn't easily diagnosed by examining his chest.
Pamela Perry – Abdominal Pain & Vomiting
- Status: Awaiting Treatment
Pamela Perry, a 48-year-old woman, is next to arrive in an ambulance, and she is described as havin abdominal pain and vomiting. She is brought into the ED, and prescribed zofran, but she does not reappear again in episode 4.
Vince Cole – Fell Through A Skylight
- Status: In Surgery
The final new patient introduced in episode 4 is Vince Cole. Vince was recording content with a friend as they did parkour over some buildings. While climbing over a skylight on a florist shop, Vince fell through the glass onto a pile of ferns, suffering from numerous lacerations from the trees and glass thanks to the 10-foot fall.
While initial scans seemed promising, with Vince having no broken bones or obvious signs of internal damage, he began to have heavy bleeding from a shard of glass lodged in his back. Dr. Ogilvie naively takes the shard out, which reveals that it severed an artery, and Vince begins bleeding heavily.
Thanks to the quick thinking and actions of the senior attendings, they manage to get the bleeding under control before transferring the patient over to surgery for further treatment. Dr. Robby gently but firmly reprimands Ogilvie, making it clear that they do not remove foreign bodies from patients in the emergency room, that is for surgery to handle in controlled conditions.
This case and many of the above are sure to be explored further in The Pitt season 2 as the series progresses.
