Set to premiere in October, Grey’s Anatomy season 22 will pick up where season 21 left off, with the characters dealing with a dramatic hostage situation leading to a chaotic explosion and an unpredictable cliffhanger. The upcoming season will also address long-awaited questions, particularly surrounding the fate of characters like Dr. Atticus “Link” Lincoln.
Of course, it’s not just the characters that keep viewers coming back season after season. Grey’s Anatomy, while not realistic, is incredibly entertaining, with many of its medical cases offering memorable episodes. Some, however, were incredibly dark and arguably went too far.
Man Swallowed Doll Heads
Season 2, Episode 2 – “Enough Is Enough (No More Tears)”
Grey’s Anatomy has featured some unusual medical cases over the last two decades. In season 2, episode 2, titled Enough Is Enough (No More Tears), the medical team had to treat a patient with a bowel obstruction. It was later discovered that the patient had ingested around ten Judy doll heads, causing a blockage in his digestive tract.
The episode showed the team removing each doll’s head from the man’s stomach, followed by a consultation with a psychiatrist. The disturbing nature of the case, involving children’s toys, made it unsettling to watch.
Girl with No Pain Sensation
Season 3, Episode 3 – “Sometimes a Fantasy”
In season 3, episode 3, a young girl named Megan arrived at the hospital with unexplained injuries. She claimed to have superpowers, saying she couldn’t feel the pain. Although it initially appeared that she was pretending to be a superhero, doctors later discovered that she truly couldn’t sense pain.
They also found that she had asked another child to hit her with a baseball bat. Ultimately, Megan was diagnosed with CIPA (congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis), a genetic condition that prevented her from feeling pain. The aspect of self-harm in this medical case involving a child was disturbing to witness.
Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP)
Season 3, Episode 19 – “My Favorite Mistake”
Episode 19 of season 3 featured another eerie case where a woman came to the hospital with a stiff and rigid body. The doctors eventually diagnosed her with FOP (Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva), an incurable condition that turned her muscle and connective tissue into bone. The team was unable to perform surgery on her, as it could have triggered more bone growth.
Hearing Internal Organs
Season 6, Episode 22 – “Shiny Happy People”
In season 6, episode 22, a teenage girl visited the hospital years after being treated for schizophrenia. She reported hearing voices and sounds inside her head, a common symptom of the brain disorder. However, it was later discovered that she had been misdiagnosed. Instead of hallucinations, she had a physical hole in her inner ear, allowing her to hear the unsettling sounds of her own organs.
The girl had mistakenly believed she had schizophrenia when, in reality, she had an ear defect. This case was shocking due to the misdiagnosis and the girl’s years of living with unexplained sounds.
Tree Growing in a Lung
Season 7, Episode 21 – “I Will Survive”
Upon further investigation, they found that the man had a tree growing inside his chest cavity. It was determined that a seed had become stuck in his lung and eventually germinated and sprouted. The case was bizarre and disturbing because of its unusual and shocking nature.
Toxic Blood in the OR
Season 3, Episode 14 – “Wishin’ and Hopin’”
In Grey’s Anatomy season 3, episode 14, a female patient with terminal cancer was hurried into the operating room. As the team performed surgery, they all began to feel nauseated, only to realize the patient’s blood had become chemically toxic from a reaction.
It was revealed that the woman had taken a seemingly harmless herbal supplement with chemotherapy drugs, resulting in her blood becoming so poisonous that it even affected the surgeons operating on her. The episode caused nausea among viewers due to the depiction of a woman suffering from an unpredictable and frightening condition.
Live Bomb in Chest
Season 2, Episode 17 – “As We Know It”
As it turns out, the man had been in a blast, and a piece of shrapnel containing an explosive charge had become embedded in his upper body. During the operation, Meredith did something remarkable by putting herself in danger by holding the bomb in place to prevent it from detonating.
This case was particularly high-stakes because Meredith was pregnant, and the bomb could go off at any moment, potentially killing everyone in the operating room.
Encased in Cement
Season 4, Episodes 16 & 17 – “Freedom: Parts 1 & 2”
Episode 16 of Grey’s Anatomy season 4 featured another mysterious case involving a teenage child who became trapped in cement as a result of a dare. The medical team had to rescue him as he struggled with intense trauma and heat from being stuck in the cement.
The surgeons carefully cut out portions to free him and worked to stabilize his body throughout the procedure. Although this medical case may have seemed less severe than others on this list, the claustrophobic nature of being trapped inside cement made it particularly difficult for many viewers to watch.
Auto-Brewery Syndrome
Season 15, Episode 3 – “Gut Feeling”
The condition effectively turned his stomach into a brewery that produced alcohol from the carbohydrates he consumed from his daily diet. The team of doctors had to think outside the box and develop a novel diet plan to help him manage his condition.
Spider in Wart Cluster
Season 7, Episode 3 – “Superfreak”
While the gut yeast case was difficult to watch, the case of the spider living in a wart cluster was even stranger. In episode 3 of Grey’s Anatomy season 7, a patient came to the hospital with what appeared to be clusters of warts on his body. During surgery, the medical team discovered that these were actually small hives with a spider dwelling inside them.
This rare case showcased a patient with an immune disorder, which led to uncontrollable wart growth, creating an ideal environment for the spider. It will be interesting to see how many more medical cases in the upcoming season of Grey’s Anatomy will shock viewers.
