The Pitt Season 2, Episode 3 Recap: Code Black Explained

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for The Pitt season 2, episode 3.The Pitt season 2, episode 3 introduced the season's newest crisis to replace the PittFest mass shooting, but the reasoning behind it could use an explanation. After several revelations about new relationships in the premiere and The Pitt season 2, episode 2, this week's episode of The Pitt shifted its focus back onto the patients of Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. Luckily, that didn't mean the show slowed down or missed a single step.

The Pitt season 2, episode 3 had quite a few big moments, from reveals about patients like Kylie and Michael to an emotional poem from Dr. Langdon and a difficult patient tied to the college student. In typical fashion, however, The Pitt season 2, episode 3 ended on a massive cliffhanger, and one that could decide the fate of the rest of the season: a code black from another hospital.

What A Code Black Is & What It Means For PTMC In The Pitt Season 2

The end of The Pitt season 2, episode 3 ended with Dana Evans getting a worrying phone call. After some disbelief, Dana explained that a neighboring hospital, Westbridge, was on code black, and Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center is getting their patients as a result. PTMC was already busy due to injuries related to the Fourth of July, but this new influx of patients from Westbridge is sure to make them even more overwhelmed.

Within hospitals in the United States, a code black generally means that a given hospital is turning away most of their patients for a variety of reasons (via Nursing CE Central). There are plenty of reasons a code black could be issued. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitals issued code blacks because they didn't have enough beds to accept any more patients, for example.

The doctors and nurses of PTMC came up with their own theories about why Westbridge issued a code black. Robby suggested it could be as simple as an infrastructure problem like a leaking pipe that's causing Westbridge to shut down wings of the hospital. Dr. Al-Hashimi suggested that Westbridge's doctors had the "holiday flu" and called out sick to enjoy the Fourth of July, leaving the hospital understaffed. Whatever the cause, the code black is a huge problem for PTMC as they take in the excess patients.

Dr. McKay’s Head Trauma Patient May Have A Behavior-Altering Tumor

The Pitt season 2, episode 3 didn't have many updates for its doctors and nurses, but it had quite a few big bombshells to drop on their patients. One of the more notable patients in The Pitt season 2 is Michael Williams, a man being treated by Dr. McKay for a head trauma, and he also had one of the biggest revelations of the episode. A head CT scan revealed that Michael has a large mass in the frontal lobe of his brain.

The obvious assumption is that Michael has brain cancer, but McKay can't diagnose him yet. It's safe to assume that the mass is causing his wild mood shifts and changes in demeanor, however. McKay's plan is to admit him for a small procedure to biopsy the mass and determine if it is indeed cancer or not. Michael's ex-wife also came to PTMC during the episode as she was still listed as his emergency contact.

Michael's ex-wife also revealed another fascinating part of his diagnosis: they got divorced because his demeanor changed so much. According to her, Michael was once very sweet, but he gradually got meaner until the two separated. With the news of the mass in his frontal lobe, she now believes that it is responsible for his mood swings. How that plays out should add quite a bit of tragedy to The Pitt season 2.

Dr. Santos’ Patient Wasn’t Being Abused, She Had ITP

Another prominent patient, Kylie Connors, also had a big revelation this week. Kylie was being treated by Dr. Santos, who was extremely suspicious that she was being abused by her father. Kylie had severe bruises all over her body, and her father was said to roughhouse with her. The Pitt season 2, episode 3, however, revealed that Kylie's severe bruising is due to an immune system illness called ITP, not abuse.

ITP is an acronym for immune thrombocytopenia, a condition where the immune system destroys platelets in the body's red blood cells, leading to bruising and bleeding. Kylie's ITP caused the large bruises on her body and the urine in her blood from normal kid things, such as injuries during soccer. Luckily, the blood test came back before anyone got accused of child abuse, but not before there were any consequences.

When he arrived at the hospital, Kylie's father immediately flew off the handle at his girlfriend for revealing that they like to wrestle together. After Santos explained Kylie's ITP and the treatment, the father tried to reconcile with the girlfriend. That didn't go well, however, as the girlfriend was offended by being accused of being a child abuser, and she stormed away leaving both of them in the hospital in a somewhat anti-climactic ending.

Dr. Robby Treated A Survivor Of The 2018 Tree Of Life Synagogue Shooting

The Pitt season 2, episode 3 also introduced a new patient who has already delivered some emotional moments for the show. Dr. Robby treated Yana Kovalenko, a woman who came in with a massive burn on her thigh after spilling boiling water while making tea. After talking with her, Robby discovered that Yana was a survivor of the Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh in 2018.

The Tree of Life shooting was a real event where a lone gunman entered the synagogue and opened fire on the Jewish worshippers there. Eleven people were killed during the shooting, and it rocked the Jewish community in Pittsburgh (via ABC). In The Pitt, the fictional character Yana survived the shooting, but she still has PTSD from the event. That PTSD caused her to spill her water after hearing firecrackers due to the Fourth of July.

Yana also helped reveal some information about the tragedy that seems to be brewing around Robby. Some viewers have hypothesized that Robby will get in a motorcycle crash due to the fact that he doesn't wear his helmet. Yana heard of his plans for his upcoming sabbatical and called it a "mid-life crisis." Earlier in the episode, Robby also lied about not wearing his helmet. The Pitt season 2, then, seems to be heavily foreshadowing some misfortune with Robby's motorcycle.

Robby, Al-Hashimi & Mohan Missed A Woman’s Internal Bleeding While Treating Her Husband

Two new patients also entered PTMC during this week's episode, and they introduced novel medical cases and tragedy in equal measure. Dr. Robby, Dr. Al-Hashimi, and Dr. Mohan treated Mark Yee, a man who was involved in a car crash and ended up seemingly paralyzed after the fact. They eventually deduced via Mark's potassium levels that he was suffering from hypokalemic periodic paralysis, which was causing his paralysis.

As they explained, hypokalemic periodic paralysis is exceedingly rare and often caused by stress, but it is treatable (via NIH). Robby, Al-Hashimi, and Mohan were able to get him stabilized. Unfortunately, while they were treating Mark, his wife Nancy fainted in the trauma room. After a quick exam, they realized that she was also injured in the crash and had internal bleeding, but they hadn't caught it as she declined a medical exam.

Later, when Mark woke up, he asked Dana to record a video of him apologizing to his wife for not valuing her attempt to help him de-stress with a vacation so he could send it to her after her surgery. It was one of the most emotionally poignant moments yet in The Pitt season 2, and it could get even more tragic if Nancy doesn't survive her surgery. She could also be an opportunity for the doctors of The Pitt to face a malpractice lawsuit.