Chapter 169: A Risky Alliance in the Operating Room

Doctors in training always strive to make extra connections during their rotations.

It’s not that they enjoy being suck-ups.

They do it so they can consult with doctors in other departments on difficult cases whenever needed.

If a doctor from another department holds a high enough rank, they might even call him over for a joint consultation.

Plus, when it comes to hospital elections, having more friends is always an advantage.

However, most trainee doctors only manage to befriend peers—or at best, someone just one rank above them.

They can’t compare to Zhou Can at all.

Zhou Can has forged connections with top figures in multiple departments, weaving an invaluable network of relationships.

Perhaps he isn’t even aware of just how beneficial these networks can be.

Right now, the patient in Bed 6 urgently needs surgery.

Craniotomies are usually handled by the General Surgery Department.

Even if Deputy Director Yu pushes for an emergency operation tonight, it would be riddled with challenges—nearly impossible to pull off.

After all, the head of General Surgery isn’t going to fall for his excuses.

So he has no choice but to follow protocol.

First, he must discuss the case in detail with the patient’s attending physician to submit a surgical request; then that doctor negotiates with the head surgeon of General Surgery to finalize the plan, and finally, the department schedules the surgery.

By the time these steps are completed, it will already be too late.

Under such circumstances, Zhou Can’s close relationship with the head surgeon of General Surgery proves invaluable.

A quick private call can settle the surgery case.

There’s no need for all the usual red tape.

“Deputy Director Yu, if I can persuade the head surgeon of General Surgery to approve the procedure, can the Critical Care Department start immediately?”

Zhou Can certainly made a bold remark.

The surrounding doctors were taken aback by his audacity.

A trainee talking with more authority than a head surgeon!

Who does he think he is, demanding that the head of General Surgery mobilize an operation right away?

Frankly, even several vice presidents wouldn’t be guaranteed an immediate arrangement; at best, they could only try negotiating with the head surgeon.

General Surgery is the pinnacle of all surgical departments.

Its head surgeons are as prideful and set in their ways as they come—none will easily give in.

“So, you’re going to try persuading the head surgeon of General Surgery?”

Deputy Director Yu’s eyes flashed with surprise, but as a seasoned professional, he quickly regained his composure.

“Even if you manage to convince him, I can’t take responsibility. The patient in Bed 6 falls under your team; you’ll need to coordinate with Director Liu.”

In emergencies, teams merge without regard to divisions.

But when it comes to scheduling a surgery, each team leader must handle their own business.

No one should overstep their authority.

Zhou Can exchanged a glance with Dr. Hu.

After all, Dr. Hu is still his superior.

“I’ll report the patient’s condition to Director Liu immediately.”

Dr. Hu no longer dared to dismiss Zhou Can’s suggestions.

Especially with even Deputy Director Yu backing an emergency procedure.

Besides, the patient’s condition was truly dire.

It was likely he wouldn’t make it through the night.

“Zhou, come with me to the duty room to report this matter,” Dr. Hu instructed.

Dr. Hu led him to the duty room outside and immediately dialed Director Liu’s cell phone.

After briefly summarizing the situation for the patient in Bed 6, Dr. Hu got straight to the point.

“Just now, Dr. Zhou proposed an emergency endoscopic craniotomy to Deputy Director Yu, who was quite supportive. We’re seeking your approval.”

Dr. Hu even pushed Zhou Can forward as a spokesperson.

“Based on the patient’s condition, he might not last through tonight. An emergency surgery is truly the only chance, yet General Surgery is unlikely to agree given the high risks.”

Director Liu was well aware of the gravity of the situation.

No head surgeon would dare wade into such murky waters.

It wasn’t that these surgeons were unfeeling—it was just the nature of the domestic medical system and its regulations.

“Dr. Zhou says he has a solution!”

Dr. Hu once again pushed Zhou Can to speak.

He was rather helpless, after all.

Though Zhou Can was officially an attending physician, his influence sometimes seemed to exceed that of his seniors.

Of course, this was partly due to their conservative and cautious nature.

If a significant risk was involved, they would never volunteer.

Zhou Can did the exact opposite—bold, decisive, rarely considering his own safety.

Calling him a ‘reckless rookie’ was perhaps the most apt description.

“Dr. Zhou, please convey our message to Director Liu,” Dr. Hu instructed.

Dr. Hu handed the phone to Zhou Can.

Taking the phone, Zhou Can couldn’t help but feel a trace of disdain toward Dr. Hu.

“Hello Director Liu, this is Dr. Zhou.”

“Zhou, I heard you have a way to convince the head surgeon of General Surgery to approve the operation?”

“I’ll do my best, though I can’t guarantee success. But first, I need your approval for the surgical request.”

Zhou Can carefully chose his words.

For the sake of saving the patient, he was willing to shamelessly seek Director Wen’s approval.

“A trainee willing to fight tooth and nail to save a life earns my respect. I approve the surgical plan and will come to the hospital immediately to oversee the procedure. You may now contact the head surgeon of General Surgery—I await your update.”

Director Liu was far more decisive than Dr. Hu, lacking any hesitation or fuss.

“Alright, I’ll reach out to him right away,” Zhou Can replied.

After hanging up, he returned the phone to Dr. Hu.

Then, without a trace of urgency, he pulled out his own phone, scrolled to Director Wen’s number, and dialed.

Dr. Hu watched him with a mixture of skepticism and curiosity.

Let’s see what level of General Surgery doctor Zhou Can can contact.

“Zhou, did you miss me already?” came the warm and familiar voice of Director Wen on the line.

Dr. Hu could immediately tell from the tone that Zhou and Director Wen were as close as old friends.

They spoke with relaxed familiarity.

Judging by his voice, Director Wen was no spring chicken—likely at the attending level.

Typically, doctors in their fifties, at the very least, achieve the attending rank; otherwise, their prospects would be grim.

They would either have to change careers, move into administration, or be relegated to a subsidiary hospital.

Usually, those who aren’t promoted by 40 often jump ship to a lower-tier hospital in search of advancement.

Doctors from Tuyu still enjoy high regard in other provincial hospitals.

For instance, a highly experienced resident from Tuyu might have been at the bottom there, but after moving and passing the attending exam, they’d immediately receive an appointment letter.

Even if they haven’t passed, the new hospital would help pave a way.

Need a research project? They’d assist with that. Need to boost surgery numbers? They’d help stack them up. They might even aid in publishing papers.

In short, they go to great lengths to help you secure that attending title.

Dr. Hu felt a renewed sense of assurance seeing that Zhou Can had reached an attending-level contact in General Surgery.

“Haha, I did miss you. I was planning to visit later, but now a patient’s condition demands my presence tonight,” Zhou Can joked.

Zhou Can laughed warmly.

“You always seem to appear out of nowhere. So, what’s the situation with the patient?” Director Wen teased.

Director Wen chuckled.

“There’s a car accident victim in Bed 6 of Critical Care—with extensive intracranial bleeding and the patient in a deep coma…”

Zhou Can briefly explained the situation.

“Could you possibly perform an emergency endoscopic craniotomy? I’ll assist you.”

After detailing the patient’s status, Zhou Can made his final request.

He was well aware that Director Wen’s skills in endoscopic surgery were only average. By offering to help, he hoped to boost Director Wen’s confidence in a successful outcome.

Dr. Hu’s eyes widened at that.

He had thought Zhou Can would only reach an attending-level contact; now he realized Zhou had connected with the head surgeon of General Surgery.

This guy was truly impressive.

Back when Dr. Hu was a trainee, merely chatting with the Chief Resident would have been exhilarating. He could only dream of casually conversing with a department head.

“Given the patient’s condition, we generally advise against surgery because the risks are too high. However, your determined effort to save the patient has truly moved me. Here’s what we’ll do: I’ll consult with Director Wu, then speak with the patient’s family. If they’re willing to accept even the worst outcome, we can team up and give it a try.”

After a brief pause, Director Wen agreed.

“What?”

A head surgeon teaming up with Zhou Can? Was this Director Wen elevating Zhou to his level?

Dr. Hu was utterly taken aback.

He slowly realized that Zhou Can’s high standing had been earned solely through his own talent.

If he knew that Director Wen was merely backing Zhou Can as an assistant, he’d be even more shocked.

…

In less than half an hour, Director Wen’s call came through.

Zhou Can and Dr. Hu waited anxiously in the duty room.

During this time, Director Liu had rushed back to the hospital to prepare for the surgery.

Now, they were only waiting for word from General Surgery.

If the head surgeon of General Surgery wasn’t willing to take the risk, the matter would end here.

“Zhou, I have good news for you.”

“General Surgery has agreed to perform the surgery?!”

Zhou Can asked, his voice filled with anticipation.

“Yes. After discussing with Director Wu, we decided that saving a life is worth the risk. We also urgently communicated with the family—once they understood the situation, they gratefully agreed. The consent form is signed and the surgery fees have been prepaid.”

Director Wen’s news was indeed welcome.

The family, being the most anxious party, were extremely proactive once they learned there was a chance to save the patient.

In such critical cases, the family’s attitude is crucial.

Some families can be overly cautious, unwilling to take any risks.

After all, doctors are salaried employees.

Saving one more patient or one less doesn’t really affect a doctor’s status.

“Excellent! So, should we immediately move the patient to the Operating Room? The patient’s condition is dire—the sooner we operate, the better.”

Zhou Can was ecstatic.

Dr. Hu and Director Liu shared his excitement.

They had never expected Zhou Can to pull this off.

Both of them now had a newfound respect for Zhou Can’s influence in General Surgery.

“Don’t celebrate yet. You know the patient’s condition. During the surgery, General Surgery will require at least one deputy director-level doctor from the Critical Care Department to assist the anesthesiologist with life support. And you must come over to help me.”

Director Wen set forth two requirements.

“That voice on the phone is Director Wen, isn’t it?” asked Director Liu, glancing at Zhou Can.

“Yes, that’s Director Wen,” Zhou Can confirmed with a nod.

Director Liu promptly snatched the phone.

“Hello Director Wen, this is Liu Xiangqing from the Critical Care Department. Thank you to the General Surgery team for daring to take on this risky surgery. I will stay by the patient’s side the entire time to provide life support and ensure a smooth procedure.”

“Haha! With Director Liu personally on board, there’s nothing to worry about. Hurry and bring the patient to Operating Room 1. The room has been prepared, the surgical team is on standby, and we’re ready to start. By the way, get a brain CT before transferring the patient.”

These department heads all knew one another well, though that didn’t necessarily mean they were close friends.

When they met, a warm greeting was inevitable.

Earning a head surgeon’s position means you truly have the skills.

Even if it’s just to be recognized, it makes future collaborations easier.

A discreet operation to save the patient in Bed 6 was quietly unfolding within the hospital.

The patient was escorted to the General Surgery Operating Room, with Director Liu personally ensuring his safety. Zhou Can, as the designated assistant from General Surgery, accompanied him.

Dr. Hu also went along.

This surgical observation was a rare learning opportunity for Dr. Hu—an extra shift during off-hours that also allowed him to impress Director Liu.

Don’t think that doctors are without ambitions. Beyond mastering medical skills and pursuing academics, they all crave higher titles and positions.

Building good relationships with department heads brings countless benefits.

After all, they are essentially your direct superiors.

In the Operating Room, Director Wen had arranged a formidable team including Dr. Zou, Tang Li, two nurses, two residents, and three graduate students.

The anesthesiologist was already in place.

After exchanging pleasantries with Director Liu, Director Wen examined the new CT scan to assess the intracranial hemorrhage.

The results were grim: widespread bleeding and severe brain swelling.

“Zhou, come take a look at this scan.”

Over the past two months, Director Wen and Zhou Can had built a trust akin to that of comrades.

For high-risk surgeries like this, Director Wen was accustomed to relying on Zhou Can’s advice.

The expressions on Director Liu and Dr. Hu’s faces showed their surprise.

Even from the phone call, it was clear that Director Wen and Zhou Can shared an extraordinary bond.

It was evident that Director Wen had nurtured Zhou Can far beyond expectations.

Meanwhile, Dr. Zou, Tang Li, and the rest of Director Wen’s team had long since accepted Zhou Can’s abilities as a matter of course.

Zhou Can then stepped forward to review the scan.

He had already studied the initial admission scan.

This pre-operative CT was meant to capture the latest status of the intracranial bleeding.

Many details cannot be discerned by the naked eye.

Experience alone isn’t enough to interpret them.

“With such severe swelling, it appears the bleeding has never ceased. Would you say the main bleeding point is here?”

After comparing the previous angiography with the new CT scan, Zhou Can reached his conclusion.

It should be noted that while angiography is a type of CT, it differs from conventional scans.

In angiography, a contrast agent is injected into the veins; images are then processed by computer to create a three-dimensional display of the intracranial vessels. This provides a clearer view of blood flow.

Angiography is an excellent tool for pinpointing bleeding points, clots, aneurysms, and more.

The choice of contrast agent varies by region; for the digestive tract, barium is common, whereas in the brain, iodinated contrast agents prevail.

“There are likely two major bleeding points. Besides the one you mentioned, there’s another. The bleeding point that poses the greatest threat to the patient’s life is probably the one you indicated. If we operate, that point should be addressed first, but the other must also be managed.”

Director Wen’s surgical experience far surpassed Zhou Can’s.

During their discussion, he meticulously outlined the surgical plan.

Dr. Zou and Tang Li mostly listened silently while the residents and graduate students observed intently.

Once the discussion ended, the surgery began.

A traditional craniotomy was simply not an option.

Given the patient’s condition, a full craniotomy might fail midway.

A small keyhole approach for an endoscopic procedure was ideal.

It minimized trauma and reduced the overall impact on the patient.

Director Wen performed the drilling himself, but the crucial tasks—endoscopic hemostasis and hematoma evacuation—fell to Zhou Can.

A clear division of labor in the operation underscored each doctor’s importance.

Nowadays, surgeries are rarely solo efforts.

They are team endeavors from start to finish.

After marking the incision point, they cut through the scalp and drilled a hole.

The hard skull necessitated the use of an electric drill or saw.

In amputations and similar procedures, doctors occasionally use electric saws, though these are nothing like the oversized chainsaws seen in movies.