Chapter 1475: A Surge of Helplessness

Chapter 1475: Chapter 1475: A Surge of Helplessness

"Teacher Liu, should we call the neurosurgery doctors over?"

Xu Yino, who rushed back, asked.

"We need to call them. Let them come over to evaluate first, and I’ll talk to the patient. It seems she’s quite resistant to surgery, and her family isn’t here." Liu Banxia said.

Xu Yino nodded and hurried over to neurosurgery.

Liu Banxia felt slightly troubled; explaining the condition to the patient is never easy. Normally, the process should involve discussing with the patient’s family, not directly with the patient.

However, this patient’s situation is unique. If the potential issues weren’t explained earlier, the patient might have refused the CT scan.

Now the CT results are in, and the diagnosis is confirmed. How should he communicate with the patient? Will she be able to handle the truth?

This is also a critical question.

He’s dealt with so many patients, and each one reacts differently to their condition.

"Doctor, how are my results?"

When Liu Banxia reached the bedside, the patient asked.

"The results aren’t out yet. Didn’t we inform you to contact your family? Have you called them?" Liu Banxia asked.

"I did. They’re on their way." The patient replied.

"Doctor, do I have a tumor? Otherwise, you’d have told me there’s no problem. How much will the surgery cost? Is ten thousand enough?"

"Don’t rush. The films aren’t out yet, and developing them takes time. Just stay calm for now, although judging by your situation, you’ll need to stay in the hospital for a while." Liu Banxia said with a smile.

"With your condition, moving home won’t be easy. Excessive jostling could worsen your fracture, and it might become dangerous."

"We’ll wait until your family arrives, and I’ll explain everything to them. Then, we’ll proceed with the admission procedures, and the fracture needs to heal properly. Let’s take care of the wound on your head for now, as Doctor Xu is here."

The patient said nothing.

She’s young, and even though Liu Banxia didn’t reveal the full details, she senses trouble.

It’s a logical thought: if there were no problems, they’d assure her of that. It’s more than just a fracture injury.

"Director Liu, is the examination complete?"

Xu Qixin, who walked over, asked.

"It’s all done, but the films aren’t out yet. You’re the expert; let’s see how to suture this wound so it won’t leave a scar. We’re counting on you." Liu Banxia said.

"Sure, I don’t think it’s a big issue. And is there a fracture too? No need for moving her around; just push the bed to the procedure room and I’ll take care of it." Xu Qixin said.

Liu Banxia nodded and arranged for someone to push the bed, then he met Zhang Xiao coming over.

"I took a glance at the films; the issue seems quite serious." Zhang Xiao said.

"This surgery can only be done by Director Xiao, and from the film imaging, it seems there’s an infection in the cavernous sinus, delaying it has caused complications."

"Can it be removed cleanly?" Liu Banxia asked.

"Let’s do another MRI scan and send it to Director Xiao for review." Zhang Xiao said.

"Oh dear... I haven’t told the patient yet; her family hasn’t arrived. Can the surgery be done via the transsphenoidal approach?" Liu Banxia continued to ask.

"Truthfully, the tumor is quite large and might have infected the cavernous sinus. If we go through the transsphenoidal approach, it could impact the surgical field, making it difficult to remove everything cleanly." Zhang Xiao said.

"Ultimately, it depends on Director Xiao’s decision; if he believes it’s feasible, then it can be done. Given the patient’s unique situation, the tumor is large, but her cranial bones are also sizeable."

"Let’s wait until the MRI scan is done. Personally, I feel it shouldn’t be delayed further. The sooner the better; otherwise, it will have more impact on her health."

"Especially since she also has a fracture. We need to keep a close watch on her. Another fall could lead to a spinal injury, and that would be too late."

Liu Banxia nodded, "We are just waiting for the family now; if they arrive before off work hours, I can help explain. Otherwise, you’ll have to handle it yourselves. The patient seems really worried about the surgery costs."

"Ah... Pituitary tumor surgeries not only carry high risks but also have a high recurrence rate. That’s the current situation, so call me when the patient’s family arrives." Zhang Xiao said.

"Alright, you go ahead and get busy. Xu Yino is following us, so she can assist with the conversation." Liu Banxia said.

"Ah... This patient’s lifestyle has been too careless. If they’d checked earlier, it wouldn’t have been so dangerous now." Xu Yino said.

"There’s nothing we can do. Normally, people often overlook their own health." Liu Banxia said.

"In our country, there are quite a few unique body types. We can’t say every unique body type should undergo comprehensive checks for hormone tumors."

"Ah... I understand that’s the situation. Sometimes, I just wish patients could discover issues earlier." Xu Yino sighed.

"This situation isn’t exclusive to our country; many developed countries face the same." Liu Banxia said.

"Once the patient’s family arrives, you’ll be responsible for communicating with them. Try to encourage them, even though surgery costs are high; we’re talking about a life here."

"By the way, what did orthopedics say about the fracture? Although it doesn’t seem severe, her physical condition is unique."

"I asked Teacher Wu, and he said that considering the current situation, conservative treatment seems appropriate. However, extra caution is needed; surgery intervention isn’t necessary for now." Xu Yino said.

Liu Banxia nodded, feeling that this was relatively good news. Despite his instinct aligning with this judgment, consulting orthopedics for a more specialized opinion is essential.

After pondering briefly, he headed to Chen Xuehai’s office.

"Looks like it’s almost off work. Are you here for something urgent or planning to help me?"

Chen Xuehai, who was researching the surgical plan, asked.

"It’s nothing major, just a patient who might face issues with paying the full surgery costs. You’ve seen a lot. Can you think of a good solution in this area?" Liu Banxia asked.

"Don’t ask me; this has nothing to do with insight." Chen Xuehai said.

"I faced similar issues abroad frequently, more often than here actually."

"Their insurance situations are quite different, with significant coverage disparities. Many can’t afford treatment; it’s far more common there, and medical costs are astronomical for many middle-class families too."

"They have some attempts at solutions, mostly seeking help from charitable foundations publicly. Doctors can think about strategies related to surgical costs."

"However, these surgery costs are just related to the main surgeon’s fees. The costs of related consumables need to be calculated separately. Their main surgical fees are quite high, and sometimes even if you can pay, you may not get a slot."

"This issue is one that all countries face, universally. I don’t have a solution; if you have a good idea, you could reference it here."

"If I had a solution, I wouldn’t be here to see you." Liu Banxia said with a bitter smile.

"There’s truly no solution. Just hope that public insurance procurement widens its scope, lowering some prices. Pharmaceutical companies and suppliers should aim to minimize costs; they shouldn’t halt production because profits are too low."

"Actually, this is a highly complex area." Chen Xuehai said.

"Now, many drug companies produce drugs of varying quality. Even with consistent evaluations, the standards have a range."

"Factors like impurities, sustained-release processes, and purity are as important as active components. Nowadays, I’m increasingly cautious when prescribing medications."

"There’s a surplus of drug companies, especially new ones focusing only on profits, leading to lax control in this regard."

Liu Banxia nodded, acknowledging this as a pressing issue.

Selling drugs, especially antibiotics, is lucrative due to their broad usage and high demand.

The same antibiotic has multiple brands on the market, with slight price variations. You think you’ve chosen a reputed brand? How do you know you’re not buying a relabeled product?

This isn’t a joke; it actually happens.

Securing truly safe and affordable medication is a long-term endeavor.

Liu Banxia isn’t even sure if he’ll witness such a day.

But there’s no choice; pharmaceutical companies pursue profits.

They dislike producing unprofitable drugs. Shifting production to high-margin drugs is much more appealing.

Exiting Chen Xuehai’s office, he noticed Xu Yino communicating with a few people. Presumably, they are the patient’s family. He didn’t approach them.

Even if he did, it wouldn’t change anything. Given Xu Yino’s experience now, she’s adept at handling such communications. He can’t offer assistance, so why approach?

Helping the patient mainly involves selecting affordable and trustworthy medication.

But for him, it’s challenging. Patients need to provide long-term feedback for data collection.

Reflecting on all this, a sense of helplessness washed over him.

He might be very skilled, capable of many surgeries, but numerous factors influence a patient’s recovery.