Instant Karma (House)
Encyclopedia
"Instant Karma" is the fifth episode of the sixth season of House
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...

. It aired on October 12, 2009. The title is a reference to the 1970
1970 in music
- Events :*January 3**Davy Jones announces he is leaving the Monkees**Former Pink Floyd frontman Syd Barrett releases his first solo album The Madcap Laughs....

 John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...

 song Instant Karma!
Instant Karma!
"Instant Karma!" is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1970 on Apple Records, catalogue Apple 1003 in the United Kingdom, Apple 1818 in the United States. It is the third solo single issued by Lennon, and it peaked at #3 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 singles...


Plot

A man, Roy Randall, ends his business meeting partway through, and heads upstairs to his son Jack's room. Jack's doctor says the diagnosis is not what he thought, and recommends the father get him to the hospital. Roy wants House to work on the case, and despite explaining that House is currently unavailable, she eventually agrees to get House on the case. The patient will officially belong to Foreman but House will lead the team. House decides to start off by completely re-analyzing Jack's history and symptoms. Cameron does a physical on Jack. She notices that Jack feels no pain when she presses his belly. Cameron shows the team Jack's x-rays. She says he's constipated. Foreman diagnoses Hirschsprung's disease
Hirschsprung's disease
Hirschsprung's disease , or congenital aganglionic megacolon is a serious medical problem where the enteric nervous system is missing from the end of the bowel. The enteric nervous system is a complex network of neurons and glia that controls most aspects of intestinal function...

. They do a barium enema and a biopsy to confirm.

Cameron reviews the x-rays they've done on Jack over the course of over a week which show his colon is clear. Cameron checks Jack's belly and says while it feels better, it appears larger. Just then, Jack's right eye fixes (lateral rectus palsy
Sixth nerve palsy
Sixth nerve palsy, or abducens nerve palsy, is a disorder associated with dysfunction of cranial nerve VI , which is responsible for contracting the lateral rectus muscle to abduct the eye...

) and he seizes. They give him diazepam
Diazepam
Diazepam , first marketed as Valium by Hoffmann-La Roche is a benzodiazepine drug. Diazepam is also marketed in Australia as Antenex. It is commonly used for treating anxiety, insomnia, seizures including status epilepticus, muscle spasms , restless legs syndrome, alcohol withdrawal,...

 for the seizure. Foreman sees Jack's optic disc
Optic disc
The optic disc or optic nerve head is the location where ganglion cell axons exit the eye to form the optic nerve. There are no light sensitive rods or cones to respond to a light stimulus at this point. This causes a break in the visual field called "the blind spot" or the "physiological blind spot"...

 is swollen, indicating intracranial hypertension
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension , sometimes called by the older names benign intracranial hypertension or pseudotumor cerebri , is a neurological disorder that is characterized by increased intracranial pressure in the absence of a tumor or other diseases...

. They give him furosemide
Furosemide
Furosemide or frusemide is a loop diuretic used in the treatment of congestive heart failure and edema. It is most commonly marketed by Sanofi-Aventis under the brand name Lasix...

 and phenytoin
Phenytoin
Phenytoin sodium is a commonly used antiepileptic. Phenytoin acts to suppress the abnormal brain activity seen in seizure by reducing electrical conductance among brain cells by stabilizing the inactive state of voltage-gated sodium channels...

 to relieve the pressure but it does nothing so they rush him to the O.R to relieve the pressure before Jack's brain herniates
Hernia
A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or the fascia of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach protrudes into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm....

 and he has irreversible brain damage. They paralyze him for the procedure with pancuronium. They manage to relieve the pressure and Jack doesn't have any more seizures, but he continues to build up fluid in his abdominal
Abdominal cavity
The abdominal cavity is the body cavity of the human body that holds the bulk of the viscera. It is located below the thoracic cavity, and above the pelvic cavity. Its dome-shaped roof is the thoracic diaphragm , and its oblique floor is the pelvic inlet...

 and dural cavities. Foreman notices the shape of the fluid collection is odd, House recommends they do a dural biopsy to confirm brain cancer
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...

.

Meanwhile Cuddy also says that he and Chase must present the Dibala case
The Tyrant (House)
"The Tyrant" is the fourth episode of the sixth season of House. It first aired October 5, 2009.- Plot :The team treats a brutal African dictator named Dibala who has fallen ill;...

, which unsettles Chase. Foreman and Chase go over the Dibala presentation, making sure they're covering all the evidence. Foreman is extremely apprehensive about the situation. It will get a lot of attention since it was House's case. House overhears Foreman saying, 'I just need to know you've got everything covered,' and asks them what they're talking about. Later, Foreman tells Chase that when Cameron ran Dibala's blood, the printout he got was only what tests Cameron ordered, but the lab did a full work up and Chase did not check the man's cholesterol. Foreman informs a speechless Chase he was off by 20%. Cameron asks Chase what's wrong. Chase denies anything is wrong, but finally tells her there's a problem with the figures on Dibala's blood panels.

A sub-plot also revolves around Thirteen. House finds Thirteen at a cafe. She tells him she's making travel plans and doesn't intend to return to the hospital. They discuss her relationship with Foreman. They say good-bye to each other and Thirteen watches House leave with a smile. Thirteen is shown going to her flight, but it turns out her reservation got cancelled. She goes to Wilson and House's apartment and tells House to stay out of her life. She accuses him of spying on her and then cancelling her reservations to get her back on the team. House claims Foreman is working much better without her, so he doesn't want her back. House accuses Foreman of canceling Thirteen's reservations. Foreman denies this, saying he intends to move on. House tells him he'll be a good boss.

Chase and Cameron tell Roy Jack might have brain cancer, adding that there's no visible signs of a mass so if it is cancer they've caught it early. Cameron wants to help with the biopsy but Chase tells her to stay home and rest, and that he'll wake her up when he gets back. Cameron wakes up, but Chase is not there. Chase and Foreman are at the hospital going over the Dibala case, not knowing what to make about the new cholesterol problem. Cameron arrives and tells them Jack's biopsy results came back negative. House suggests adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma is a cancer of an epithelium that originates in glandular tissue. Epithelial tissue includes, but is not limited to, the surface layer of skin, glands and a variety of other tissue that lines the cavities and organs of the body. Epithelium can be derived embryologically from...

 of the stomach, which would cause all Jack's symptoms and not show up on the CT. Chase and Cameron scope Jack and get another set of biopsies.

Roy tells Cameron he inherited a business when he was 24 and made major deals until he was very rich. He says everything he touches turns to gold except his family. First he lost his wife, now his son. He thinks it's karma
Karma
Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....

. Just then, Jack starts to seize again, but the readouts show it's not intracranial pressure. There are no signs of masses in Jack's stomach or esophageal lining
Esophagus
The esophagus is an organ in vertebrates which consists of a muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. During swallowing, food passes from the mouth through the pharynx into the esophagus and travels via peristalsis to the stomach...

 and he's still accumulating subdural and peritoneal fluid
Peritoneal fluid
Peritoneal fluid is a liquid that is made in the abdominal cavity to lubricate the surface of the tissue that lines the abdominal wall and pelvic cavity and covers most of the organs in the abdomen.- External links :...

. House notes that Jack seizes every time they try to look at something. It can't be cancer. Chase suggests a drug-resistant strain of an infection, but all the tests have been negative. Cameron suggests abdominal epilepsy
Abdominal epilepsy
Abdominal epilepsy is a rare condition consisting of gastrointestinal disturbances caused by epileptiform seizure activity. While a causal relationship between seizure activity and the GI symptoms has not been proven, the GI symptoms cannot be explained by other pathophysiological mechanisms, and...

. The seizures would look like pain and protein malnutrition
Protein-energy malnutrition
Protein-energy malnutrition refers to a form of malnutrition where there is inadequate protein intake.Types include:* Kwashiorkor...

 would cause fevers. It's their best theory so they start him on gabapentin
Gabapentin
Gabapentin is a pharmaceutical drug, specifically a GABA analogue. It was originally developed for the treatment of epilepsy, and currently is also used to relieve neuropathic pain...

. However, Jack's EEG shows no interictal spikes so Jack can't have abdominal epilepsy, but he has a rash on his chest.

Chase talks with Foreman about Dibala's case. He says he could have 'prescribed' statins
Statin
Statins are a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which plays a central role in the production of cholesterol in the liver. Increased cholesterol levels have been associated with cardiovascular diseases, and statins are therefore used in the...

 and simply forgot to chart it. Foreman figures Chase is going to accuse the pharmacy of bad bookkeeping but Chase suggests they say he just went up and took it out. Foreman walks away and says he'll handle it. He tells Cuddy that he can't do the Dibala presentation as he's very busy with Jack's case and that House is pawning his responsibilities onto Foreman. Cuddy reminds him they're Foreman responsibilities, not House's. Cuddy is firm that Foreman present the case.

The team reviews the symptoms: fever, stomach pain, seizures, peritoneal and subdural fluid collection and a rash. Cameron notes that if it's not cancer or infection it has to be autoimmune. Chase says polyarteritis nodosa
Polyarteritis nodosa
Polyarteritis nodosa is a vasculitis of medium & small-sized arteries, which become swollen and damaged from attack by rogue immune cells. Polyarteritis nodosa is also called Kussmaul disease or Kussmaul-Maier disease...

. House tells them to start Jack on prednisone
Prednisone
Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid drug that is particularly effective as an immunosuppressant drug. It is used to treat certain inflammatory diseases and some types of cancer, but has significant adverse effects...

 and get a testicular biopsy - if Jack has any real inflammation, it will be down there. Foreman says he'll do it with Cameron. Cameron asks what's going on. Foreman claims the father won't be happy with a fourth set of biopsies and Cameron has a better rapport. He says he also wants Chase to over-prep for Dibala's M and M. House asks if the rash is on Jack's penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...

. It is, meaning it's most likely affecting the small blood vessels
Blood vessel
The blood vessels are the part of the circulatory system that transports blood throughout the body. There are three major types of blood vessels: the arteries, which carry the blood away from the heart; the capillaries, which enable the actual exchange of water and chemicals between the blood and...

 which explains why they didn't see any inflammation on the biopsies. He says it's Degos disease
Degos disease
Degos disease is an extremely rare vasculopathy that affects the lining of the medium and small veins and arteries, resulting in occlusion and tissue infarction....

. House tells Roy Jack has Degos disease, which is incurable. Roy insists House is wrong, but House rechecked all the biopsies. Jack has a day at most.

House sees Chase agitated in the differential room. Chase goes to Cuddy's office and tells her Foreman can't present the Dibala case, but not because of time. He starts to tell Cuddy the truth when they get interrupted. Cuddy is called to pediatric ICU by a bunch of lawyers. Before she goes she tells Chase to come clean if they screwed up as it won't be that bad. In Jack's room, Roy's lawyers are calling him insane, but House says he's merely irrational. Roy believes it's karma and that if he gets rid of everything he has, it'll help his son. The lawyers tell him that thousands of lives will be affected if he goes bankrupt. Roy signs the paperwork to divest himself of his business. As Roy's lawyers exit the room Jack flatlines.

Cuddy tells House Thirteen called to say someone hacked her email and cancelled her reservations. She suspects Foreman. House is surprised she's not accusing him. Cuddy wants to know if he still believes Foreman should be in charge. He tells her that Foreman loves power, he loves puzzles. Cuddy says House loves both. House says, "But when I had both..... It wasn't Foreman because he said he'd moved on." Thirteen later shows up at Wilson's office. She thanks him for thinking it was worth breaking the law to keep her around. Cuddy had the techs chase IP addresses
IP address
An Internet Protocol address is a numerical label assigned to each device participating in a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two principal functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing...

 to find out who accessed her email; only her's and Wilson's IP addresses showed up. He tries to say it was House but eventually admits he did it. He says House needs someone that does not need him. She's the only one who does not feed into his crazy vortex, she keeps his ego in check. Wilson tells her it's a great job, maybe even better now that House is at least trying to have real relationships with people. He tells Thirteen to not throw it all away due to a bad breakup. Thirteen bids Wilson farewells and leaves.

Wilson goes to House and says he confessed to cancelling Thirteen's reservation. House says he knows it wasn't Wilson and asks why he confessed to it. Wilson asks House why he did it, and he responds that Thirteen is making a mistake as she's a good doctor. House starts to tell Wilson he was born with a heart three sizes too small, then has an epiphany. He goes to Jack's room. He tells Foreman that the cardiac arrest was a coronary event, meaning Jack's coronary vessels
Coronary circulation
Coronary circulation is the circulation of blood in the blood vessels of the heart muscle . The vessels that deliver oxygen-rich blood to the myocardium are known as coronary arteries...

 were obstructed, which can't be from Degos. He says it's primary antiphospholipid syndrome
Antiphospholipid syndrome
Antiphospholipid syndrome or antiphospholipid antibody syndrome , often also Hughes syndrome, is an autoimmune, hypercoagulable state caused by antibodies against cell-membrane phospholipids that provokes blood clots in both arteries and veins as well as pregnancy-related complications such as...

 and tells him to start Jack on heparin
Heparin
Heparin , also known as unfractionated heparin, a highly sulfated glycosaminoglycan, is widely used as an injectable anticoagulant, and has the highest negative charge density of any known biological molecule...

 and IV immunoglobulin
Intravenous immunoglobulin
Intravenous immunoglobulin is a blood product administered intravenously. It contains the pooled IgG extracted from the plasma of over one thousand blood donors. IVIG's effects last between 2 weeks and 3 months...

. House also says that when Thirteen got 'screwed over' she went to him, Cuddy and Wilson - everyone but Foreman. He says she's not over him. Foreman replies, 'Or she is.'

Chase finds some test results sitting on Dibala's file. He goes to Foreman and brings the document. It shows that one of Dibala's doctors prescribed niacin-bound chromium
Chromium
Chromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable...

 supplements to increase the HDLs. Neither Foreman nor Chase requested the information, which means someone else knows. The next day, House sees in the papers that Roy declared bankruptcy. He stops by Jack's room. He finds Jack sitting up in bed. Roy tells House, "It worked." House says the medicine worked. When Roy insists it was karma, House shakes his head and leaves. House enters the office and Chase is sitting at his desk, playing with his ball. Chase wants to know how House knew. House explains that Dibala was a "fat, old, black guy" so he had to be taking something for his cholesterol. Chase tells House that he'll always be in charge whether he wants to be or not.

Cameron wakes up alone in her bedroom, and is upset that Chase is gone again without telling her. Foreman presents the Dibala case with Chase in the audience. Meanwhile, Thirteen arrives at the airport and boards the plane to Thailand. Roy and Jack share a pizza. House sits in his office lounge chair.

Music

  • "Fire Escape" by Fanfarlo
    Fanfarlo
    Fanfarlo are a London-based indie pop band formed in 2006 by Swedish musician Simon Balthazar, and Giles J Davis...

     - Plays in the cafe where House meets Thirteen
  • "Sarah" by Ray LaMontagne
    Ray LaMontagne
    Raymond "Ray" Charles Jack LaMontagne is a Grammy-award winning American singer-songwriter. LaMontagne has released four studio albums, Trouble, Till the Sun Turns Black, Gossip in the Grain and God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise. He was born in New Hampshire and was inspired to create music after...

    - Plays at the end of the episode.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK