Medical Diagnoses in Grey's Anatomy: A Comprehensive Review of Medical Conditions in Season 17
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Season 17 of Grey’s Anatomy will forever be known as the COVID-19 season. The show tackled the pandemic head-on, dedicating the entire season to the brutal reality of the virus, from ventilator shortages to the devastating loneliness of isolation. Amidst the masks and PPE, the writers still delivered high-stakes surgical dramas, including a rare hepatic pregnancy and a groundbreaking double lung transplant. This season was a heavy, emotional tribute to frontline workers and the patients they fought to save.
Below is a comprehensive, episode-by-episode review of the medical cases, diagnoses, and treatments presented in Season 17.
Episode 1
Human Trafficking and Hernia Repair
Erin Banks (formerly Cindy Wright). Erin Banks, a victim of human trafficking previously discharged due to disbelief of her story, returned to the hospital after being dumped by her trafficker. She presented with a worsening abdominal hernia and severe inflammation. Treatment: Dr. Grey and Dr. DeLuca performed the hernia repair. Post-operatively, she required IV antibiotics and extensive psychological support. Her return vindicated Dr. DeLuca’s earlier manic diagnosis.
Cobalt Poisoning (Resolution)
Dr. Richard Webber. The season addresses the aftermath of Dr. Webber’s cobalt poisoning from a degrading hip replacement. He is now "cobalt-free" and recovering physically, though the mental toll of the hallucinations and tremors remains a significant plot point.
Bipolar Disorder (Depression)
Dr. Andrew DeLuca. Following his manic episode where he correctly identified the trafficking victim, DeLuca spiraled into a deep depression. This highlighted the cyclical nature of Bipolar Disorder. Dr. Bailey supported him by sharing her own struggles with OCD, encouraging him to seek help.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Anaphylactic Shock: A risk for a patient with a nut allergy.
Full Thickness Burns: Sustained by a teen in a car explosion, causing restrictive breathing.
Polycystic Kidney Disease: A genetic disorder requiring a kidney transplant for a teenage patient.
Episode 2
Penetrating Trauma to Transplanted Kidney
Frankie Morris. An 18-year-old with Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD) had received a kidney transplant just eight weeks prior. He suffered a penetrating abdominal injury from a tree shard during a wildfire. Treatment: Dr. Hayes performed surgery to save the transplanted kidney. Despite removing part of the organ, the remaining portion functioned well.
Full-Thickness Burns and Smoke Inhalation
Kayden. Another teen from the wildfire presented with full-thickness burns extending into the thoracic cavity and lungs. The severity of the burns required a thoracotomy. Tragically, the patient died from the extent of his injuries.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Stroke/Heart Attack: Discussed as conditions patients were ignoring due to fear of coming to the hospital during the pandemic.
Episode 3
COVID-19 Infection
Dr. Meredith Grey. Meredith was admitted with respiratory distress due to COVID-19. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, with oxygen saturation dropping to 88%. Diagnosis: Confirmed by a positive test and chest CT showing ground-glass opacities, a hallmark of severe COVID pneumonia. Treatment: She was placed on high-flow oxygen and monitored for clotting (D-dimers). The team debated experimental antivirals.
Hepatic Pregnancy (Abdominal Pregnancy)
Val Ashton. A patient presented with a positive beta-HCG but no intrauterine pregnancy. It was discovered to be an extremely rare hepatic pregnancy, where the fetus implanted on the liver. Treatment: Surgeons delivered the baby (Luna) but had to leave the placenta attached to the liver to prevent exsanguination. When the liver bled, a resection of the right lobe was performed to save the mother.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Hamate Fracture: A wrist injury from a sandblaster accident.
Tumors releasing Beta-HCG: Considered as a differential for the ectopic pregnancy.
Episode 4
COVID-19 and Monoclonal Antibodies
Dr. Meredith Grey. Meredith’s condition worsened as her lungs flooded. Faced with the choice of ventilation or experimental therapy, Dr. Webber enrolled her in a monoclonal antibody clinical trial.
Perforated Right-Sided Diverticulitis
Dave Oyadomari. A patient initially misdiagnosed with appendicitis returned with a paracolonic abscess and perforation. Diagnosis: An intern correctly identified right-sided diverticulitis, noting it is more common in patients of Asian descent. This highlighted racial disparities in diagnostic accuracy. Treatment: Emergency surgery with an ileostomy and ABTHERA device placement.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Clavicle Fracture: A non-displaced fracture from a fall.
Episode 5
COVID-19 Cytokine Storm and Multi-System Failure
Elena Rose Bailey. Miranda Bailey’s mother, who had Alzheimer's, was admitted with COVID-19. She developed a cytokine storm, evidenced by sky-high ferritin (2087) and CRP levels. She progressed to multi-system organ failure and passed away.
COVID-19 Encephalitis
Dr. Tom Koracick. Dr. Koracick presented with confusion and seizures. Scans ruled out a stroke but suggested COVID-19 encephalitis or early sepsis. He was managed with anti-seizure medication.
Hepatic Abscess and Pseudoaneurysm
Val Ashton. Following her liver resection (Ep 3), Val developed a hepatic abscess eroding into an artery, causing a pseudoaneurysm. Treatment: Immediate surgery to repair the vessel, involving further liver resection.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Atrial Fibrillation: Unresponsive to meds in a COVID patient.
Episode 6
COVID-19 Cytokine Storm (Continued)
Dr. Meredith Grey. Despite initial improvement, Meredith exerted herself to save a patient and suffered a massive setback. Her oxygen saturation plummeted due to a resurgence of the cytokine storm destroying her lung tissue. Outcome: Dr. Webber made the decision to intubate her and place her on a ventilator.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Ischemic Stroke: A patient developed a clot in the middle cerebral artery.
Second Degree Burns: Treated in victims of a house fire.
Episode 7
Penetrating Cardiac Trauma and DIC
Dr. Andrew DeLuca. Dr. DeLuca was stabbed while pursuing a sex trafficker. He presented with a hemothorax and cardiac tamponade. Treatment: An emergency sternotomy revealed a nicked ventricle, which was repaired. However, he later developed Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC), a condition where the blood loses its ability to clot. Despite massive transfusion protocols, he bled out and died.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Bronchogenic Cyst: A pediatric lung condition requiring surgery.
Liver Failure: A complication in a post-op patient.
Episode 8
Bacterial Endocarditis from Dental Infection
Byron Gibbis. A patient isolating at home developed bacterial endocarditis after using a paperclip to floss his teeth. The infection caused an aortic valve abscess. Treatment: Emergency surgery to replace the valve. This case illustrated the dangerous lengths people went to avoid medical care during lockdown.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Coagulopathy: Confirmed as DeLuca's cause of death.
Episode 9
Acute Psychological Crisis (Catatonia/PTSD)
Dr. Teddy Altman. Teddy entered a catatonic state following DeLuca’s death. She was unresponsive, not eating or speaking. Diagnosis: Dr. Hunt and Dr. Shepherd identified it as extreme PTSD, triggered by the current trauma reactivating the unresolved grief of losing her partner in 9/11. Treatment: IV hydration and intense psychiatric support/therapy.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Psittacosis: Mentioned as a potential infection from birds.
Episode 10
Ventilator Splitting
Marcella & Veronica Diaz. A mother and daughter were both admitted with severe COVID respiratory failure. With only one ventilator available, Dr. Pierce innovated by splitting the ventilator to support both patients simultaneously using a Y-connector.
Ureteral Avulsion during Lithotripsy
Irene Davis. A patient with MS and kidney stones underwent lithotripsy. Due to friable tissue (possibly from herbal teas), the ureter was avulsed (pulled out) completely. Treatment: Instead of removing the kidney, surgeons performed an auto-transplant, moving the kidney into the pelvis to reattach it directly to the bladder.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Nephrolithiasis: Kidney stones.
Fat Embolism: Suspected in a surgical patient.
Episode 11
Total Artificial Heart Implantation
Arthur Beaton. An infant with multiple VSDs and heart failure was too weak for a transplant. Treatment: Dr. Hayes performed a salvage procedure, excising the ventricles to create space for a Total Artificial Heart. This "bionic" solution kept the child alive until a donor organ could be found.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Open-Book Pelvic Fracture: A severe injury from a car accident.
Cerebral Contusion: A minor brain bleed in a trauma patient.
Episode 12
Commotio Cordis
Guy Houston. A protester shot with a rubber bullet developed Commotio Cordis, a disruption of heart rhythm caused by blunt impact at a precise moment in the cardiac cycle. Treatment: He entered a V-fib storm requiring repeated defibrillation and an emergency radiofrequency ablation.
COVID-19 Denial and Thrombosis
Chad Anderson. A patient denying the existence of COVID presented with hypoxia. He had "COVID toe" and a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). He refused treatment (AMA) and collapsed from a pulmonary embolism in the parking lot.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Abdominal Evisceration: A patient's intestines protruded during hyperbaric therapy.
Episode 13
Hepatic Vein Thrombosis (Post-COVID)
Dr. Meredith Grey. Meredith remained somnolent despite improved lung function. A CT scan revealed a clot in her hepatic vein, causing high ammonia levels (hepatic encephalopathy). Treatment: A TIPS procedure (shunt) cleared the clot, and she woke up shortly after.
Cervical Meningioma
Felix. A pitcher with shoulder stiffness was found to have a meningioma compressing his cervical spine. Dr. Shepherd performed a delicate resection to save his career and mobility.
Rectus Sheath Hematoma
Erika. A skater suffered a rectus sheath hematoma (bleeding into the abdominal wall muscle). Surgeons ligated the inferior epigastric artery to stop the hemorrhage.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Cardiac Arrest: A sudden fatal event in a recovering patient.
Episode 14
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Harriet Kepner-Avery. During a blackout, Jackson and April’s daughter developed a high fever. Fearing COVID, they treated her at home. The diagnosis was probable RSV, managed conservatively with antipyretics and monitoring.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Whooping Cough: Considered as a differential.
Episode 15
Ischemic Stroke (Internal Carotid Thrombus)
William Lawrence. A post-COVID patient suffered an ischemic stroke due to a large clot in the internal carotid artery. Treatment: Endovascular thrombectomy in the IR suite successfully removed the clot.
COVID-19 Recovery
Dr. Meredith Grey. Meredith was finally discharged. Her lung capacity tests showed significant recovery, allowing her to go home.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Pleural Effusion: Mentioned as a complication.
Episode 16
Cardiac Amyloidosis
Gwen Yates. A patient with heart failure due to cardiac amyloidosis (protein deposits in the heart) received a transplant. She later faked neurological symptoms to stay in the hospital due to loneliness.
Traumatic Brain Injury (Craniectomy)
Skyler Nichols. A car accident victim required a decompressive craniectomy (removing part of the skull) for brain swelling. Dr. Shepherd used fMRI to communicate with the patient, confirming she was conscious despite being unable to move.
Aspiration Pneumonia (Infant)
Luna Ashton. The baby born from the hepatic pregnancy (Ep 3) developed aspiration pneumonia due to severe reflux. She required a Nissen fundoplication surgery.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Necrotizing Enterocolitis: Ruled out in the infant.
Episode 17
Post-COVID Fibrosis and Double Lung Transplant
Gerlie Bernardo. A nurse with COVID-19 developed multifocal pneumonia and lung fibrosis. Despite weeks on ECMO, her lungs were destroyed. Treatment: Dr. Grey advocated for a double lung transplant. The risky procedure was successful, highlighting the long-term devastation of the virus on healthcare workers.
Other Medical Conditions Discussed
Pneumothorax: A complication of the fibrotic lungs.
Long COVID: Discussed as a syndrome of lingering symptoms.
🔖 Key Takeaways
🗝️ The Reality of COVID-19: The season served as a historical record of the pandemic, accurately depicting the progression from hypoxia to cytokine storms, the use of proning, and the desperation of ventilator splitting.
🗝️ Racial Disparities: The case of the misdiagnosed diverticulitis in an Asian patient highlighted how racial bias in medicine can lead to delayed care and severe complications.
🗝️ Mental Health Crisis: Through Dr. DeLuca’s bipolar disorder and Dr. Altman’s PTSD, the show explored the severe toll trauma and isolation take on mental health.
🗝️ Surgical Innovation: Despite the pandemic, the show featured cutting-edge cases like the hepatic pregnancy delivery, auto-transplant of a kidney, and the total artificial heart in an infant.
🗝️ Post-COVID Complications: The season didn't just focus on acute infection but also the aftermath, including strokes, liver clots, and the need for lung transplants in survivors.
Keywords: Grey's Anatomy Season 17
Grey's Anatomy Season 17
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