Megan Hunt: open abdomen, fistula, adhesions, hernia, and failed closure
Megan returns with an open abdomen, fistula, hernia, and adhesions; Meredith attempts tissue expansion and closure, but there is not enough tissue.
In Plain English
Megan's abdomen cannot simply be stitched closed because her organs, skin, fistula, hernia, and prior wounds create a complex reconstruction problem.
What Happened in the Episode
Meredith stops during closure when she sees there is not enough tissue to cover the abdominal defect.
Clinical Concept
Complex open-abdomen reconstruction with fistula and loss of domain.
What ER Teams Would Evaluate
A real team would map the fistula and abdomen, assess nutrition and infection risk, plan reconstruction stages, discuss stoma goals, and prepare backup options if closure fails.
Treatment and Management Overview
Episode-supported management includes fistulagram, Botox injection, saline tissue expansion, surgery, implant removal, and attempted closure.
What TV Gets Right
The episode recognizes that closure can fail even after an elaborate reconstructive plan.
What TV Compresses
The episode compresses nutritional optimization, staged reconstruction, fistula-output management, infection control, wound care, and consent around alternatives.
Sources and Further Reading
- iDRief catalog page
- Grey's Anatomy Universe Wiki - Break Down the House
- Break Down the House transcript
- Grey's Anatomy Universe Wiki - Break Down the HouseEPISODE
Supports: Supports Megan's open abdomen, hernia, fistula, adhesions, colostomy-reversal goal, Botox, saline implants, surgery, and failed closure.
- Break Down the House transcriptEPISODE
Supports: Supports scene context for Megan's reconstruction plan and operation.
- NCBI Bookshelf - Traumatic Open AbdomenTIER 2
Supports: Supports general open-abdomen complication context.
- World Society of Emergency Surgery Guidelines - Open AbdomenTIER 3
Supports: Supports general open-abdomen, fistula, and frozen-abdomen management context.
- iDRief catalog pageEPISODE
Supports: Supports episode-level evidence for this curated case.