The Surgeon's Studio c1-799
Page 21
The only people qualified for the usage of newly developed equipment or technology was a senior consultant or at least a deputy chief of the medical team.
Zheng Ren had come back with an endoclip after a few moments of absence, so logically speaking, he must have had a friend who was working as a medical sales representative in one of those international companies.
Chief Surgeon Shi's speculation was reasonable, but he would never have guessed the existence of a medical System in Zheng Ren's mind—a System that would become enraged easily at trivial matters and threatened to erase its host from the face of the earth when provoked.
"No. I went to a conference last time and was interested in it, so I bought it afterward," replied Zheng Ren perfunctorily.
Chief Surgeon Shi remained doubtful. Who would purchase a single piece of expensive instrument that was meant to be used in a surgical device? What was he going to do with it when it served no function in a surgery when used alone? Take it back home and enshrine it?
However, it was obvious that Zheng Ren had no d.e.s.i.r.e to tell the truth. Left with no choice, he gave the brand-new, polished and delicate endoclip an envious stare while slobbering in jealousy.
"Chief Physician Pan, all the equipment is ready. When can we start the surgery?" Zheng Ren dialed Old Chief Physician Pan's phone number and reported the situation.
"Okay, I'm on my way." Old Chief Physician Pan hung up immediately after Zheng Ren gave him the news.
Zheng Ren's cell phone rang a few minutes later. It was Old Chief Physician Pan, who instructed him to prepare for the surgery and informed him that the patient was already on her way to the endoscopy unit.
Chief Surgeon Shi of the endoscopy unit also received a call from the chief of the medical administration division, as the hospital management placed a high value on this patient and wanted the endoscopy unit to prepare everything in advance. The chief even informed Chief Surgeon Shi that Secretary-General Chen was currently on his way to Sea City General Hospital to observe the surgery along with the director of the hospital.
The endoscopy unit was turned upside-down instantly as everyone started making preoperative preparations as soon as they could.
Old Chief Physician Pan was the first to reach the scene. He merely stood beside Zheng Ren silently like a firm and steady anchor without asking Zheng Ren again if he was confident about the surgery.
After the chief of the medical administration division brought the chief anesthesiologist to the endoscopy unit, the atmosphere in the room started to turn gloomy.
The surgeons from the general surgery department arrived at the scene along with the female patient who was lying on the stretcher trolley with her feet hanging off it. The lady was just too tall.
Chief Surgeon Liu had a dark expression. He had a bad feeling about this—Zheng Ren knew how to perform the surgery proficiently.
Like an arrow on a tensed bowstring, it was too late for Chief Surgeon Liu to voice his objection.
The patient was lying on the endoscopy operating table, and preoperative informed consent doc.u.ments had to be signed by the director of the hospital and Secretary-General Chen, so anxiety was pointless at this moment.
Zheng Ren glanced at the countdown timer on the upper right corner of his vision—four hours and fifteen minutes left.
Ten minutes later, Director Xiao and Secretary General Chen arrived at the endoscopy unit.
Despite being the surgeon in the upcoming surgery, Zheng Ren was sitting at one corner of the office without any hint of presence.
On the left-hand side of the long table sat Xiao Keming, the director of the hospital, Fu Guangshi, deputy director in charge of clinical work, Old Chief Physician Pan, and various consultants from the general surgery, endoscopy, and anesthesiology departments. On the right-hand side of the long table sat Secretary-General Chen, the office director, and the patient's agent and assistant.
DIrector Xiao was the first to initiate the discussion
"The city places a high value on the patient, so Chief Surgeon Liu from the general surgery department will explain her condition."
A short sentence, but it was spoken powerfully.
"The patient is diagnosed with simple acute appendicitis. She has undergone three days of conservative treatment which has been ineffective. Tenderness noted on the right iliac fossa region and we've found rebound tenderness this morning, which is suggestive of an increased severity and a possibility of perforation." There were dark circles underneath Chief Surgeon Liu's bloodshot eyes, which made him appear low-spirited and disheartened.
Only a few of them knew his condition was a result of an overnight battle with Zheng Ren. Those unaware of it thought that he had actually worn himself out for the sake of the patient.
Chief Surgeon Liu hesitated for a while and said regretfully, as if possessed by a drama queen, "The general surgery department had discussed this case many times and we've come to the conclusion that conservative treatment isn't a viable option anymore. She has to undergo surgery as soon as possible."
"Chief Surgeon Liu, may I ask what is your plan for surgery?" asked a well-mannered middle-aged man with a pair of spectacles on the right.
"We can perform an open appendectomy or laparoscopic appendectomy." Chief Surgeon Liu made no attempt to mention Zheng Ren's surgical technique. "Judging by the patient's condition, I recommend an open appendectomy. Since her subcutaneous layer is thin, we can make an approximately three to four-centimeter incision and she'll be able to walk around after one day of rest. Recovery can be expected after five to six days."
"Er…" The expected time of recovery had exceeded the requirements given by the organizing committee of New Idea Model Contest, but this was an expert's medical opinion. They had to listen to him.
Most of them had a proper sense of priorities. An outburst of temper at this moment would do the patient no good.
The patient's agent and Secretary-General Chen had the same thought in mind—it would be a pity if the patient missed the final.
"We can do a woundless appendectomy without delaying the patient's recovery process. She can still participate in the final three days later." Old Chief Physician Pan interrupted Chief Surgeon Liu abruptly with a thunderous voice and an aura that overwhelmed everyone in the room, like a ferocious tiger descending from the mountaintop.
Chapter 34 - I’m Done Talking. Who Agrees And Who Doesn’t
Old Chief Physician Pan's words shocked everyone.
The agent and Secretary-General Chen's eyes shone brightly at his words. They had heard about this surgical technique on their way here, but the chief surgeon from the general surgery department, who was in charge of treating the patient, had not mentioned the woundless method at all. Before they could ask about it, this elderly man who appeared dignified and trustworthy had unexpectedly and directly announced it.
Old Chief Physician Pan looked like a righteous man especially with his square face, thick eyebrows and clear eyes. He might lose out to a young, handsome boy in a contest of attractiveness, but if it were in terms of the sense of security he gave off, he outdid everyone in the room including the hospital directors.
The awe-inspiring aura of those who had gone to war boosted Old Chief Physician Pan's trustworthiness.
"This elderly man is…" asked the surprised agent carefully.
"Instructor Pan has a very impressive background. He is a war veteran with a Class II Merit Citation. After returning from his military service, he became a chief physician in charge of a ward specifically for senior officials in the military hospital.
"After his retirement, he was re-employed to Sea City General Hospital and became a chief physician in the emergency department. He is now working on the development of the emergency department into Sea City Emergency Center," Secretary General Chen explained, being familiar with Old Chief Physician Pan and crossing his professional boundaries to introduce the man. Considering his remarks inadequate, he added, "Instructor Pan is a d
emon."
"Sea City General Hospital has never performed an appendectomy using an endoscope!" Chief Surgeon Liu stood up abruptly and began to feud.
He was aware that Zheng Ren was likely able to perform this surgery. In all honesty, he regretted his obsession with regaining his reputation by disputing with a junior chief resident. In the end, he had no way out of this embarrassing mess. Why did he even torture himself in the first place?
Chief Surgeon Liu's instinct was to prevent Zheng Ren from performing this surgery at all costs. Otherwise, he would lose the initiative and the consequences would be disastrous.
"You haven't done it, but it doesn't mean that the others haven't done it too." Old Chief Physician Pan could not back off as well. Since he had decided to give Zheng Ren his full support, nothing could be held back and there would be no retreat from this situation.
Trust—a basic lesson learned in the army.
"I can guarantee that Zheng Ren will finish this surgery successfully," Old Chief Physician Pan stood up and declared without giving Chief Surgeon Liu a chance to respond. "I've my own judgment as a senior military doctor. If the surgery ends up in failure, I'm prepared to accept the punishment as well."
Old Chief Physician Pan gave Chief Surgeon Liu a cold sneer during his speech.
"My soldier—Zheng Ren—is the best surgeon for appendectomy in Sea City General Hospital. Best in this city! Best in this province!" yelled Old Chief Physician Pan.
Oh, Old Chief Physician Pan actually valued this surgeon that much?
Curiosity gnawed at the hospital director, Secretary-General Chen and the agent, none of whom had heard of Zheng Ren before this. However, the expression of Fu Guangshi, deputy director in charge of clinical works, fell immediately upon hearing the name.
"Zheng Ren performed forty-nine appendectomies—various difficult surgical cases included—within sixteen hours yesterday. In addition, all of them were done perfectly without a single flaw at all." Old Chief Physician Pan paused momentarily before continuing. "Let Zheng Ren perform the surgery. We have a contingency plan even if the endoscopic appendectomy fails. This is the best solution we have right now."
Old Chief Physician Pan took in his surroundings with a high and mighty aura, just like a king of beasts.
"I'm done talking. Who agrees and who doesn't?"
Silence reigned in the room.
A few seconds later, Chief Surgeon Liu said, "I—"
"You're not qualified!" Old Chief Physician Pan interrupted Liu Tianxing immediately. "Your appendectomy skill isn't better than Zheng Ren, so shut up!"
Chief Surgeon Liu was enraged instantly. 'What do you mean by my skills aren't better than Zheng Ren? I'm a chief surgeon who has performed over a thousand appendectomies in my entire life. Are you humiliating me?' he thought.
"You're not convinced?" Old Chief Physician Pan looked askew at him disdainfully. "What about the forty-nine surgical video recordings, did you forget them?"
Even though the hospital director and everyone else had no idea what forty-nine surgical video recordings Old Pan was referring to, they noticed Chief Surgeon Liu, who claimed to be Sea City Supreme Scalpel, cowered instantly as he sat down red-faced and nearly buried his face under the table.
"It is settled. Doctor Zheng Ren will perform the appendectomy, is that okay?" Waving his hand and making the decision, Director Xiao turned around and asked for the agent's opinion.
The medical field was alien to the agent, but she knew how to read people. Even though the surgeon had been relegated to one corner of the room and she had no idea how good he was, Old Chief Physician Pan's retaliation against Chief Surgeon Liu had boosted her confidence.
The decision had been made. The most difficult step had been solved.
However, the agent refused to have the surgery broadcasted and even requested an arrangement of female surgical assistants to help Zheng Ren, who would be the only man in the surgery later. There was nothing that could be done about his gender, though.
The director of the hospital, the agent, and Old Chief Physician Pan would stay in the conference room and wait for the surgery to end. After assigning a highly-skilled anesthesiologist to assist with the surgery, the chief anesthesiologist returned to the room and joined the crowd as well.
After preoperative preparations were finished, Chief Surgeon Shi from the endoscopy unit was also pushed out of the operating theater by the patient's assistant, who had changed into a sterile surgical gown.
This was the most dramatic patient Zheng Ren had seen in his entire life, but her actions would not induce any antipathy in him.
There were only three people left in the operating theater—a female anesthesiologist, a female assistant, and Zheng Ren.
The assistant, who was wearing a sterile surgical cap and mask, bowed to Zheng Ren and apologized. "Doctor Zheng, I apologize."
"Huh?"
"Miss Zhou Jinxi is going to become a celebrity in the future, so we'd like to avoid gossip as much as possible. I hope you don't mind," explained the female assistant.
Now only did Zheng Ren realize the model's name was Zhou Jinxi, but her dream of being a celebrity in the future was none of his concern. Zheng Ren did not idolize any celebrity and this surgery's success was the only thing he cared about at this moment.
The surgical scrub was performed, the surgical site disinfected, the surgical dr.a.p.es applied, and the surgery officially begun.
Zheng Ren placed the surgical dr.a.p.e on the operating table and inserted the colonoscope into the patient's natural orifice. When Zhou Jinxi's fair-skinned, collagen-filled t.h.i.g.hs that were brimming with youthful vitality and The-Part-That-Must-Not-Be-Named were no longer visible through the scope, only then was the surgery broadcast live in Xinglin Garden.
The System was intelligent enough to avoid any situation that may cause trouble.
404 was indeed a powerful and ferocious God-Beast.
[The demon is live-streaming again? Doesn't he need rest?]
[Eh? This anatomical structure is wrong. Is he performing a laparoscopic appendectomy? Why does it look like a colonoscope? Let me read the case again.]
[F*ck! Using a colonoscope to perform an appendectomy? The demon is going to heaven!]
Ten seconds after the live broadcast started in Xinglin Garden, every viewer who had read the case clearly started bombarding the screen with comments.
Most doctors within the country had no idea what an ESD procedure was.
Even if a few doctors had some knowledge about it, they had never seen it before.
Even if they had seen it before, they had not done it personally.
Even if they had done it personally, they had not attempted it in an appendectomy.
There were only a handful of surgeons who had performed an appendectomy through ESD in this country.
The viewers started informing their friends and colleagues and asked them to quickly log into Xinglin Garden to watch the godlike surgery—the endoscopic transrectal appendectomy.
Xinglin Garden was merely a niche website for professionals without a large investment toward its development.
The live broadcast room was full in less than a minute after the livestream started as the technicians of Xinglin Garden had never expected one thousand viewers to watch a live broadcast at the same time.
[Is the surgeon wishing for a trip to heaven? How are you supposed to perform this surgery? Can anyone share a video of this surgical technique with me?]
[Don't bother with it. I've searched for it just now but there isn't any result at all. Barely anyone I know has knowledge about the ESD procedure.]
[Popular science, I'll explain it briefly. In 1994, a Japanese scholar invented the IT knife for the purpose of submucosal dissection, but it could only be used in the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract. In 1999, a Japanese expert performed an ESD procedure to remove gastrointestinal tumors that hadn't reached the muscle layer. In 2010, the endoscopy unit at Harbin Medical University A
ffiliated Second Hospital tried to perform an appendectomy with an ESD procedure, but so far, this surgical technique hasn't been introduced for large-scale usage in this country.]
[How are you supposed to do it then?]
[Just keep quiet and watch the video. He is indeed a demon. Not only can he perform surgery beautifully, he is even one of the top surgeons who can use a new surgical technique skillfully as well. God, please accept my worship.]
In the operating theater, the colonoscope had passed through the rectum and was currently sliding deeper into the colon in search of the inflamed appendix.
Chapter 35 - Website Crash
Zheng Ren raised his head and stared at the screen opposite him. The internal walls of the patient's intestines were pink, and intestinal motility was slow because of general anesthesia. The colonoscope quickly passed through the rectum and entered the colon.
[Why is he moving so fast? Isn't he worried about intestinal perforation?]
[There is no such thing as "slow" for a man who can complete a simple appendectomy within three minutes.]
[That's right. Stronger animals are usually faster in the animal kingdom. A tiger can actually shoot its load more than ten times in just a minute.]
The live broadcast room had a tendency to become a real-life operating theater when the viewers, who were actually "experienced" individuals, could make dirty jokes naturally and shamelessly.
The atmosphere suddenly became naughty, peaceful, and harmonious.
[He didn't stop or even probe when the colonoscope reached the splenic flexure. Oh my God, that was terrifying…]
[Didn't you notice that the lens moved a little just now? I assumed that there was a flick in the surgeon's wrist which caused the colonoscope to drift around the corner.]
[Is he really that good? Any anatomy gods here? Please come forward and explain. The colonoscope should reach the appendix soon, right?]