Chapter 28: A Surgeon’s First Trial
by xennovel“Alright! The suturing is neat, the spacing perfect, the knots secure, and the skin edges closed flawlessly – excellent work!” Dr. Xu examined the wound and nodded in satisfaction.
“Was the tetanus vaccine administered?”
“It has been given!”
“Alright then. Make sure the patient gets to the vaccination station for a rabies shot immediately. Change the medication every day. You can send the patient out now.”
Dr. Xu issued the medical orders.
Being bitten by a dog carries the greatest risk of rabies.
This disease has a 100% mortality rate.
Vaccination is the only effective protection.
“Doctor Zhou managed to suture so well as soon as he entered the operating room – truly impressive!”
Dr. Lu complimented him with a smile.
“You’re too kind!”
Zhou Can replied cautiously.
From Dr. Lu’s rather careless treatment of the patient, it was clear his character was average at best.
The secondary debridement he performed earlier likely stirred some resentment in Dr. Lu.
One must always be on guard.
“Really, don’t be modest! Earning praise from Dr. Xu proves your exceptional talent. With skills like these, you’ll be sharing many Emergency Department surgeries in the future!”
Dr. Lu continued his cheerful compliments.
But no matter how Zhou listened, he felt that Dr. Lu had ulterior motives.
Being new, Zhou Can naturally kept a low profile.
He even put on a ‘novice’ act.
“No problem at all. I’m young, and working hard is simply expected.”
That response was flawless.
Dr. Lu had nothing further to add.
The atmosphere between them remained friendly.
The operating room in the Emergency Department was busy indeed.
Just as one dog bite patient was sent out, another patient was wheeled in.
“This patient accidentally fell and sustained a 4cm laceration on the left temple. After examination, there’s no sign of intracranial bleeding. Dr. Luo Yong reviewed the X-ray and said that a suture in the operating room would suffice.”
Dr. Xu carefully examined the X-ray and found nothing amiss.
“Alright, get on with your work!” Dr. Xu told the nurse before turning to the patient. “Are you able to walk?”
“Yes.”
“From the X-ray, it looks like just a soft tissue injury. We’ll do a debridement and suture the wound. You mentioned you hit your head on the edge of a coffee table when you fell, right?”
“Exactly. The freshly mopped floor was so slippery that I lost my footing.”
“Consider yourself lucky! Just a couple of days ago, we had an elderly lady fracture her femur and require major surgery. Be extra cautious on freshly mopped floors in the future.”
Dr. Xu was stern with his colleagues yet spoke kindly to his patients.
This revealed a charming side of him to Zhou Can.
“Doctor Zhou, you’ll handle this patient!”
Dr. Xu turned and handed the patient directly over to him.
“Got it!”
Zhou Can was delighted – another opportunity to earn experience had arrived.
It seemed that after the misunderstanding was cleared, Dr. Xu’s trust in him soared.
Combined with his noteworthy surgical skills, this head injury case was an ideal training opportunity.
He knew that in order to earn more surgical chances from Dr. Xu, he had to excel in every operation.
“Now, please lie down. I’ll administer local anesthesia, then we’ll clean the wound. If all goes well, we’ll suture it immediately.”
Pre-surgery communication with the patient is an essential quality for any doctor.
It ensures the patient understands the process, builds trust, and reduces potential disputes.
“Doctor Zhou, please be thorough. Try not to leave any unsightly scars when suturing.”
“Certainly.”
When treating areas like the face, neck, or arms, you must consider not only healing but also the aesthetic outcome for the patient.
Scar formation depends both on the patient’s predisposition and the doctor’s suturing ability.
Zhou Can’s suturing skills are comparable to those of an attending doctor at a county hospital.
A small laceration on the forehead is well within his capabilities.
After positioning the patient on their side, he proceeded to administer the anesthesia.
He had practiced local anesthesia on small animals many times, but this was his first on a human.
The forehead has minimal muscle – just a thin layer of skin over a hard skull.
Injecting anesthesia here is trickier than in other areas.
But that didn’t faze Zhou Can.
A slight angle and a careful needle insertion, and the injection was complete.
[Congratulations! You’ve acquired Injection Medicine. Current XP: 1/10. Intern level: Inadequate.]
Zhou Can was momentarily stunned.
Does an injection really count as a medical skill?
Usually, the most skilled at injections are nurses.
They routinely administer various medications, and with enough practice, their technique becomes second nature.
“Luckily, this was just an anesthetic injection. With my below-average injection skills, handling a child’s injection would have been a disaster – the family would have been furious.”
As an intern, his abilities were only slightly above average; he needed to level up quickly.
Normally, two injection sites would suffice.
Zhou Can was eager to gain extra XP from human injections.
He ended up administering anesthesia at four separate sites.
Thus, he earned a total of four injection XP with ease.
He realized he must work quickly to improve his injection skills.
Injection Medicine isn’t just for shots; it also has multiple uses during surgery.
The more skills you have, the better prepared you are.
Any subpar medical skill can ultimately be a liability.
It could end up being a significant shortcoming.
“How about it? Can you still feel any pain now?”
He asked the patient.
“It’s numb… I don’t feel any pain anymore.”
The patient’s honest feedback confirmed it.
It seemed the anesthesia had taken full effect, and debridement could begin.
After flushing the wound with hydrogen peroxide to remove clots and any debris, he carefully assessed the injury—it looked good enough for immediate suturing.
A simple suture would do the trick.
In less than ten minutes, Zhou Can had completed the stitching.
He placed a total of five stitches.
After a thorough check, everything appeared perfect.
Although it was just a minor operation, leading this surgery marked an important milestone for him.
Leading an operation tests a doctor’s ability to handle things independently—a far cry from merely assisting.
It builds comprehensive skills necessary for solo success.
“Dr. Xu, please check the work,” Zhou Can called out, looking up to see Dr. Xu observing from nearby.
“Hmm, well done.”
After re-disinfecting the wound and dressing it with gauze, he sent the patient on their way.
The remaining procedures would be handled by the nurses per his orders.
“I have full confidence in your surgical skills, Doctor Zhou. Now, Jin Mingxi, try the next case.”
“Understood!”
Jin Mingxi, eager to prove himself after Zhou Can’s success, quickly agreed.
Before long, another patient was wheeled in.
This new patient was suffering from a mild femoral hernia.
Jin Mingxi stepped forward to examine the case.
“The condition isn’t severe and there’s no incarceration. I believe manual reduction will suffice – no surgery is necessary. Dr. Xu, what do you think?”
It was evident that Jin Mingxi’s diagnostic experience and skill were impressive.
“Are you confident you can successfully perform the manual reduction?” Dr. Xu inquired.
“Yes,” he responded decisively.
“Then what are you waiting for? Get on with it!”
Dr. Xu granted him full authority.
After having the patient lie down and relax, Jin Mingxi skillfully performed the manual reduction.
In fact, sometimes patients can even reduce it themselves.
A hernia occurs when the intestine protrudes through a weak spot in the hernial sac, forming a lump in the abdomen or groin that can vary in size.
Sometimes the bulge is barely noticeable, though the pain can be excruciating.
In mild cases, manual reduction is sufficient and surgery is not required.
However, this condition is prone to recurrence.
“Alright.”
As soon as Jin Mingxi finished speaking, the patient’s groans of pain ceased immediately.
This further demonstrated his formidable skill.
“Once you get home, rest well. Avoid coughing forcefully, heavy lifting, or strenuous activity for a while to prevent recurrence. If you feel any discomfort, come back to the hospital immediately.”
After treating the patient, he professionally advised them on post-operative care.
The patient left the operating room on their own after this straightforward treatment.
“Not bad at all! With the addition of these two capable doctors, our Emergency Department has been greatly reinforced,”
Dr. Xu allowed a rare smile.
The arrival of two outstanding doctors significantly alleviated the chronic staffing shortage in the Emergency Department.
“Dr. Jin, I must say that your treatment methods and the way you write medical orders are exceptionally refined. Which hospital did you work at before?”
Dr. Xu’s respectful address was both an acknowledgment and a mark of respect.