Season 6
Episode 9 - Ignorance is Bliss
Brief Plot Summary
James Sidas is admitted when he is can't hold a pen and begins to get dizzy. He is a brilliant physicist who is leading a weirdly ordinary life. He tests positive for TTP but a splenectomy doesn't help. He then strokes and they find alcohol in his house, suggesting his liver is dysfunctional. He kidneys begin failing. House then realizes he's a DXM abuser and used one shot of alcohol every day to prevent brain damage. They clear the drugs out of his system and he returns to his IQ of 178. He then suffers from complete numbness in his legs. House then realizes that his spleen split into pieces when he broke his ribs as a kid. The condition was TTP but they didn't remove all of his spleens. He chooses to continue his DXM abuse.
James Sidas is admitted when he is can't hold a pen and begins to get dizzy. He is a brilliant physicist who is leading a weirdly ordinary life. He tests positive for TTP but a splenectomy doesn't help. He then strokes and they find alcohol in his house, suggesting his liver is dysfunctional. He kidneys begin failing. House then realizes he's a DXM abuser and used one shot of alcohol every day to prevent brain damage. They clear the drugs out of his system and he returns to his IQ of 178. He then suffers from complete numbness in his legs. House then realizes that his spleen split into pieces when he broke his ribs as a kid. The condition was TTP but they didn't remove all of his spleens. He chooses to continue his DXM abuse.
Diagnosed Disease: Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura - Rare disorder of the blood-coagulation system causing micro clots to form in the small blood vessels throughout the body damaging many organs.
SymptomsThrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, neurologic symptoms, kidney failure, and fever.
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CausesCaused by spontaneous platelet aggregation creating microthrombi that lyse nearby RBCs.
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TestsMust present with thrombotic microangiopathy, neurological symptoms and decreased kidney function.
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Treatment/CureTreatment of choice is plasmapheresis and blood transfusions.
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Source Links: Wiki
Episode 10 - Wilson
Brief Plot Summary
Wilson brings in his friend Tucker after he has an arm spasm. He believes it's transverse myelitis after seeing his girlfriend's cold sore. House bets him that it's a recurrence of leukemia. Wilson and the team believe it's a fungal infection and needs surgery. Tucker is found to have acute lymphoblastic leukemia isolated in his brain. The first round of treatment doesn't have a response so Wilson decides to double the dose of chemotherapy. Tucker becomes cancer free, but his liver starts failing. Wilson decides to donate a portion of his liver to save Tucker. No disease diagnosed; an episode giving insight into Wilson's life.
Wilson brings in his friend Tucker after he has an arm spasm. He believes it's transverse myelitis after seeing his girlfriend's cold sore. House bets him that it's a recurrence of leukemia. Wilson and the team believe it's a fungal infection and needs surgery. Tucker is found to have acute lymphoblastic leukemia isolated in his brain. The first round of treatment doesn't have a response so Wilson decides to double the dose of chemotherapy. Tucker becomes cancer free, but his liver starts failing. Wilson decides to donate a portion of his liver to save Tucker. No disease diagnosed; an episode giving insight into Wilson's life.
Episode 11 - The Down Low
Brief Plot Summary
Mickey is admitted after having loud noise-induced vertigo. CT is clean for head trauma. During a test to test his hearing, he has a seizure. He is readmitted after being discharged when he has a high fever and delirium. After doing a lumbar puncture, his heart rate remains the same, House realizes he's taking beta blockers. An MRI reveals no pheochromocytoma or other adrenal problems. He has a GI tract infarction and Chase has to remove a foot of bowel. They go to check the warehouse for drugs but it reveals nothing. He develops aneurysms in his lungs. House realizes he has Hughes-Stovin syndrome, an untreatable autoimmune disease.
Mickey is admitted after having loud noise-induced vertigo. CT is clean for head trauma. During a test to test his hearing, he has a seizure. He is readmitted after being discharged when he has a high fever and delirium. After doing a lumbar puncture, his heart rate remains the same, House realizes he's taking beta blockers. An MRI reveals no pheochromocytoma or other adrenal problems. He has a GI tract infarction and Chase has to remove a foot of bowel. They go to check the warehouse for drugs but it reveals nothing. He develops aneurysms in his lungs. House realizes he has Hughes-Stovin syndrome, an untreatable autoimmune disease.
Diagnosed Disease: Hughes-Stovin Syndrome - Untreatable autoimmune disease in which the patient develops multiple aneurysms. (orphan disease)
SymptomsDyspnea, fever, chest pain, coughing blood, development of aneurysms, hypertension
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CausesSeems to be a combination of a genetic disorder and environmental infectious agent that causes the disease; however, because of it rarity (only about 30 cases since 1959) very little research has been done on it.
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TestsMRI and CT scans are useful for finding aneurysm development, but no other specific tests.
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Treatment/CureUntreatable and incurable disease. Very high mortality rate.
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Source Links: Orphan Diseases, NIH
Episode 12 - Remorse
Brief Plot Summary
Valerie is admitting after experiencing intermittent excruciating ear pain. House believes it could be super ventricular tachycardia that's presenting as ear pain. Thirteen discovers during an fMRI that she is a psychopath. She admits to drugging her co-worker and sleeping with him every Thursday to get credit for his best work. She develops brittle bones from kidney failure and they start radiation treatment for possible lymphoma. She then starts bleeding from her liver into her esophagus. Thirteen learns from Valerie's sister that her psychopathy developed after puberty. House then realizes she has Wilson's disease, which would lead to copper buildup in her brain, liver, heart, and kidney's. They start her on chelation therapy to remove the excess copper.
Valerie is admitting after experiencing intermittent excruciating ear pain. House believes it could be super ventricular tachycardia that's presenting as ear pain. Thirteen discovers during an fMRI that she is a psychopath. She admits to drugging her co-worker and sleeping with him every Thursday to get credit for his best work. She develops brittle bones from kidney failure and they start radiation treatment for possible lymphoma. She then starts bleeding from her liver into her esophagus. Thirteen learns from Valerie's sister that her psychopathy developed after puberty. House then realizes she has Wilson's disease, which would lead to copper buildup in her brain, liver, heart, and kidney's. They start her on chelation therapy to remove the excess copper.
Diagnosed Disease: Wilson's Disease - See Season 1 Episode 6; extra symptom is blue fingernails, another sign of Wilson's
