The Surgeon’s Studio

Chapter 280: Two Heroes of Interventional Surgery (Part 4 of 4)

“Boss Zheng, is the surgery done?” Su Yun asked casually, trying to be affable.

Hopefully, he could make it less awkward.

“Yes, the four arterial branches have been embolized,” Zheng Ren said. “Do you need help on that end?”

“No. I’m closing the abdomen up now. I thought you would get the uterine artery as well, you know, to cure the adenomyosis.”

“No, this is an emergency surgery. The patient’s injuries are severe and her body might not be able to handle another embolization. We don’t want the uterine artery to be the last straw on the camel’s back. She can come to us after she’s recovered and we’ll try it then.”

“Understood.” Su Yun found his explanation long-winded.

“You can be my scrub nurse. Yiren doesn’t need to come in,” Zheng Ren said.

“Chief Kong is here. Don’t you wanna go greet him?” Through the leaded glass, Su Yun could see Department Chief Kong with a Caucasian man by his side.

Already? Su Yun smirked. He wondered how long he would take to reach, let alone surpass, or even conquer, Zheng Ren.

Even after moving the goalposts repeatedly, he still could not find a credible answer.

Zheng Ren turned to the control room and saw Department Chief Kong waving at him. He mumbled something to Su Yun and went to remove his surgical gown.

“Boss Zheng, I see your hands have gotten faster,” Department Chief Kong said as a greeting when Zheng Ren entered the control room.

“Chief Kong, please don’t exaggerate; also, just call me Little Zheng,” Zheng Ren said with a smile. “What brings you here?”

“I heard that Professor Rudolph wanted to meet you, so I decided to tag along. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you in person,” Department Chief Kong said.

Professor Rudolph? Why did the name sound so familiar?

Zheng Ren was bad at facial recognition, but his memory was solid.

“Professor Rudolph Wagner?”

“Yes.” Department Chief Kong stepped aside to let Professor Rudolph introduce himself. The professor offered his hand and spoke in heavily-accented Mandarin: “Nice to meet you, Zheng. My name is Rudolph Wagner from Heidelberg University in Germany.”

Zheng Ren shook the hand obliviously.

“Chief Zheng, it’s the second general surgery department. They’re waiting on you,” Chu Yanran reminded him.

“Oh? They’re just starting now?” Zheng Ren asked.

“I’m not sure.” His words worried Chu Yanran and she pursed her lips.

“We should hurry, then.” Zheng Ren turned serious. “Chief Kong, my apologies, but I need to assist with a floating gallbladder case. I worry that too much time has been wasted.”

“Go on. We’ll talk once you’re done.” Department Chief Kong did not mind one bit. Zheng Ren’s total disregard for the German professor as he excused himself was admirable. Before leaving to change, Zheng Ren exchanged a few words with Old Chief Physician Pan.

Most young doctors would fawn over a foreign professor. China’s recent growth and development did not lessen the youths’ worship of the West.

However, Zheng Ren did not pay much attention to Professor Rudolph, which pleased Department Chief Kong.

Su Yun was almost done with the stitching despite operating without any assistance.

“Send the patient to the ICU once it’s done. Inform Chief Qian that the patient needs a ventilator,” Zheng Ren instructed Chu Yanran.

“Yes, my lord,” Chu Yanran whispered in a high-pitched voice.

Were it not for the presence of the hospital director, department chief and professor, Zheng Ren knew she would have shouted the words.

They filed out of the room and hurried to the operating room of the general surgery department.

The office director contacted the second general surgery department as they walked. The surgery had already begun.

As soon as the final stitch was done, the livestream on Xinglin Garden ended.

[These live surgeries are very enjoyable.]

[One must be incredibly skilled to be willing to do a live recording. I doubt even our department chiefs would ever reach this level of mastery. They probably wouldn’t even match the surgeon’s assistant.]

[The assistant did pretty well. Did anyone notice that the surgeon’s embolization technique is similar to the one in the prostate interventional embolization video released a few days ago?]

[I did not catch it live but I saw the recording. Personally, I couldn’t really understand the procedure.]

[The surgeon in that prostate procedure video is likely world-class.]

[I feel the surgeon today is comparable to that one.]

[I disagree. This Canadian surgeon’s techniques are well-documented, while the other surgeon used a never-seen-before method in the recording. I don’t think they’re comparable.]

[Two world-class surgeons on the same platform. Amazing! The whole community is filled with talent, whether in interventional or general surgery.]

Although the livestream had been over for a while, the doctors still chatted away.

The emergency hybrid surgery had featured the surgeon’s extraordinary skill and techniques, earning much praise and admiration from the viewers.

If they ever encountered similar cases, they could replicate the surgeon’s methods and save precious time.

Every additional minute in emergency rescue increased the patient’s chances of survival.

…

…

A row of men in surgical gowns walked into the No. 2 operating room in the general surgery department.

An emergency surgery was ongoing.

Department Chief Sun’s surgical cap was soaked through with sweat. He occasionally turned his head to the side so a nurse could wipe his forehead and prevent excess sweat from contaminating the surgical site.

In the operative view, the gallbladder was contorted like a fried dough twist.

As blood circulation had been cut off for some time, the gallbladder was showing initial signs of necrosis. Based on standard protocol, the deteriorating gallbladder had to be excised. Why else would they open up the abdomen?

The unfamiliar sight before him baffled Department Chief Sun.

His anxiety and nervousness drove his blood pressure over the edge as sweat seeped through his outfit.

Zheng Ren was the first to enter the operating room. “Chief Sun, allow me.”

“Little Zheng, you’re finally here. Have a look at this.” Department Chief Sun welcomed Zheng Ren warmly, pride no longer of any concern.

Gallbladder torsion was difficult to diagnose but cholecystectomy was a straightforward procedure. Why had Department Chief Sun asked for him?

He gazed at the surgical site. The gallbladder was twisted to the point where the cystic duct, blood vessels and hepatic duct were all tangled in a mess.

A floating gallbladder? This one looked like it came from Tianjin 18th Street[1].

[1] Tianjin 18th Street is famous for their fried dough twists.