Grey's Anatomy: 10 Of Derek's Scariest Surgeries | ScreenRant
Dr. Derek Shepherd, played by Patrick Dempsey, or "McDreamy" as Meredith and her fellow interns deem him, is the new Head of Neurosurgery at Seattle Grace Hospital when we first meet him in the pilot episode of the hit primetime medical drama, Grey's Anatomy.
He is also the love interest of our female protagonist, Dr. Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo. As the head of his department, Derek is constantly in the operating room dealing with difficult and/or high profile cases and they don't always have a happy ending.
10 Webber
At the end of season one, Derek discovers a tumor on Dr. Richard Webber's optic nerve and needs to operate. The surgery itself is risky, but the fact that Derek is operating on his boss makes an already stressful situation even that much more anxiety-inducing.
Dr. Webber is not only an experienced surgeon, but he's also the Chief of Surgery and Derek knows that if this surgery doesn't go well, he would never be able to live it down.
9 Bonnie
After a massive train accident, the hospital is inundated with injuries. The most extreme injury being two people, Bonnie and Tom, who have both been impaled through their midsections by the same metal rod.
After careful research and consideration, the doctors decide to remove Bonnie from the pole because her injuries are more severe and she is less likely to survive no matter what they do. Derek has a particularly hard time with this surgery, breaking down in the elevator once Bonnie is gone and he saves Tom's life.
8 Hayley May
Derek faces a very difficult case when a young girl is admitted into the hospital showing signs of a mental breakdown or even schizophrenia. At one point, the patient, Hayley May, played by Demi Lovato, becomes very inculpable and tries to stab herself in the heart with a syringe because what she is experiencing is too much for her to handle.
The difficulty of this case comes from having to diagnose it. Derek can't figure out what's wrong, but once he does, he's able to operate with ease knowing that the patient's life will be so much better post-operation.
7 Burke
After his colleague, Head of Cardiothoracic, Dr. Burke is shot in the parking lot of Seattle Grace, Derek has to make a tough call on the best way to proceed. The bullet is lodged in Burke's shoulder, in what Derek deems "dangerous territory."
If they operate, they risk nerve damage in Burke's arm and hand, which would make it impossible for him to perform surgeries, but if they don't operate, he could lose all function in his hand. Derek makes the call to operate.
6 Isaac
A lab technician approaches Derek with some x-rays of what has been deemed an inoperable tumor. Derek takes one look at the scans and agrees with the diagnosis. The lab tech, Isaac, informs Derek that it's his tumor and he wants Derek to try to remove it because he knows if anyone is cut out for the job, it's Dr. Shepherd.
Derek agrees to the surgery and later to a second surgery against Chief Webber's orders because of how risky the procedure is. Derek ends up using "eenie, meenie, miney, mo" to decide which nerve to cut in the OR and he guesses correctly, making the surgery a success.
5 Henry Lamont
Henry is at the hospital for a spinal implant. During rounds, the interns brief Miranda and Derek on Henry's condition as Henry and his wife turn on the television in his room, which is playing porn.
Henry explains that he's allergic to pain medication, so his previous doctor recommended that he watch porn as part of his pain management, since his brain releases endorphins while he's watching it. Having to do such an intense surgery on a patient, who, Derek knows won't be able to manage his post-surgery pain creates a pretty stressful situation for the doctor.
4 Heather Douglas
Heather was born with VATER syndrome, which gave her severe scoliosis. Her spine is so curved, she can't stand up straight. She's initially admitted to the hospital for kidney stones and to have a few ribs removed to remove pressure on her lungs from being hunched over.
Derek is called in for a consult and figures out a way to fix Heather's spine. Heather wants the surgery, despite the risk of paralysis and with a little help from Izzie's inheritance, Derek is able to operate on Heather successfully.
3 Addison's Brother
In season five, Addison returns to Seattle Grace hospital with her brother, Archer, and her friends from her new practice in Los Angeles. Her brother has been having seizures and with Addison's help and instant nature, he is diagnosed with neurocysticercosis, meaning he has larva in his brain.
Addison asks Derek to operate on her brother to remove the large from his brain and Derek agrees. It's a difficult procedure and the fact that it is Derek's ex-brother-in-law on the table, makes it even more stressful, but Derek is successful.
2 Jen Harmon
Jen Harmon, a pregnant patient played by Jennifer Westfeldt, is pregnant and admitted into the hospital after she accidentally hits her husband with her car. After a lot of tests, Derek finds an aneurysm in Jen's brain. In the surgery to remove the aneurysm, Derek clips it, causing a hemorrhage.
Jen recovers from her first surgery, but can't speak and is having small strokes. Derek takes Jen back into surgery, but this time, it doesn't go well and a desperate Derek loses his patient on the table.
1 Izzie
When Izzie is diagnosed with a brain tumor, Derek has to operate. Derek is extremely nervous on the day of the surgery. He knows how much Izzie means to her co-workers and friends, especially Meredith, and if he's the one responsible for Izzie not making it, he knows he would never be able to forgive himself.
After a successful surgery, Derek is feeling so good, he asks Meredith to marry him, with the help of some of the other doctors.