Chapter 424: A United Surgical Team

Ever since Director Xueyan experienced firsthand the benefits of having Zhou Can involved in major surgeries, she’s become completely hooked. Now, whenever she assesses a case as high-risk or particularly challenging in cardiothoracic surgery, Zhou Can is always her first call for help.

Of course, she doesn’t accept every patient for surgery.

For those cases where the risk is too high or the surgery is just too complex, she either gently persuades the patient to seek treatment elsewhere or recommends non-surgical management.

Sometimes, conservative treatment is the only route.

Actually, even when Dr. Hu Kan was still with us, conservative treatment was already common practice.

Dr. Hu Kan was always cautious, never taking on surgeries where he lacked confidence. Late in his career, he took a gamble on a risky operation. It ended up triggering a heart attack and ultimately cost him his life. Treating patients as a doctor carries immense risks.

It takes a lot of trust from both the patient and their family for a doctor to attempt anything outside the ordinary.

Zhou Can made his way to Cardiothoracic Surgery, and he could tell the atmosphere here had improved drastically.

The nurses’ faces weren’t icy anymore—some even smiled.

Whether they were carrying basins or walking empty-handed, their steps felt lighter.

Not long ago, they moved so slowly it was like watching a bunch of ladies in their seventies or eighties shuffling around.

It’s not just the nurses. The doctors, too, are revitalized. It’s already after seven, and when Zhou Can passed by the office earlier, he saw the cardiac and thoracic surgeons all gathered together discussing patients and brainstorming treatment plans.

That’s exactly the kind of scene you want to see.

Back then, Cardiothoracic Surgery was, in name, a single department. But inside, doctors were split into clearly defined camps.

One camp specialized in cardiac surgery while the other focused on thoracic procedures.

So what about doctors who excel at both?

Those doctors either had to pick a side or try to stay neutral, balancing between both groups.

Because of this division, the department was actually split into at least three factions, seriously weakening its overall strength.

After Dr. Hu Kan passed, the thoracic camp rallied around Associate Director He. The cardiac camp was led by Director Le and Director Xueyan. The neutral doctors? Some supported Director Xueyan, some backed Associate Director He.

Things hit rock bottom for Director Xueyan when she failed a surgery and the patient died on the table.

Many doctors and nurses who used to support her quietly shifted allegiance to Associate Director He.

But now? Thanks to Zhou Can, the notorious ‘troublemaker,’ the entire department is united for the first time. The old factions have faded away.

Cardiac, thoracic, even the neutrals—all the doctors and nurses are finally coming together as one team.

Collaboration, shared knowledge, enthusiastic learning, open discussion—these have all become the new normal in Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Honestly, this is exactly the kind of outcome Zhou Can hoped to see.

Even though the department is under heavy outside pressure and Tuyu Hospital’s Cardiothoracic Surgery is being squeezed hard, and even though their clinical work is shrinking, Zhou Can has nothing but optimism for its future.

As long as they stay united, keep growing stronger, and patch up their weaknesses bit by bit, there’s nothing to worry about when it comes to competition.

Inside the OR, Zhou Can spotted a few familiar faces—Director Xueyan and Deputy Director Lu. But surprisingly, Associate Director He was here too.

That was a pleasant shock for Zhou Can.

“Dr. Zhou, we’ve been waiting for you!”

Associate Director He greeted him first.

“Sorry, sorry! The ER was slammed today and my last surgery ran late,” Zhou Can apologized quickly.

“Now that you’re here, let’s get started!”

The moment Director Xueyan saw Zhou Can, a happy smile lit up her face.

She’d never expected that after her mentor passed away, the one to bring her a sense of security—the one who made her feel confident in the OR—would actually be her ‘little junior,’ Zhou Can.

“Director Le isn’t coming today?”

Zhou Can glanced around but didn’t spot Director Le.

“He’s been exhausted these last couple days. Our second surgery is a complex cardiac case, and he’s handling the tricky parts. To stay sharp, he’s catching up on some sleep in the on-call room. We’ll bring him in once it’s time for the second surgery.”

Director Xueyan explained.

“Director He, thoracic surgery is your specialty. Why don’t you lead this one?”

Xueyan turned to Associate Director He.

“No, no! I’m just here to assist you. You know, the older you get, the more you have to accept it. I’ll retire in a few years, and in this department, your talent as a surgeon is second to none. Keep at it and you’ll absolutely reach the level of Dr. Hu Kan—mastering both cardiac and thoracic surgery.”

Cardiothoracic Surgery really is a comprehensive field.

Doctors who can excel at both cardiac and thoracic surgeries are incredibly rare.

At the director level, Director Xueyan is the only one who fits that bill. And if Zhou Can belonged to Cardiothoracic, his talent would outshine even hers.

Not only are his thoracic surgeries exceptional, his cardiac ones are outstanding as well. He’s even proficient in interventional and endoscopic procedures.

That’s what defines a true top-tier surgeon.

Across Cardiothoracic Surgery, there just aren’t many surgeons who are standouts in even one field—let alone those legendary talents who can master so many different types of complex operations.

Most of them are just ordinary people; in reality, many cardiothoracic surgeons—even those at the associate director level—are already impressive if they’re highly skilled in any single subspecialty.

Take someone who specializes in thoracic surgeries focused on the lungs, for example. Even within lung surgery, you’ve got all kinds of narrow fields like lobes and lymph nodes.

A single lymph node procedure might look simple, but every case is unique.

You’ll see all sorts of scenarios.

Mastering all the different types of lymph node surgeries in the lungs is no easy feat.

Bottom line? The path to becoming a skilled surgeon is much harder than most people think. It takes talent, luck, opportunity, hard work, and a great teacher.

By giving Director Xueyan the lead, and willingly supporting her as assistant, Associate Director He was sending a clear message.

He’s really abandoned any ambition to compete for the department head role.

The surgery began quickly. This one was a liver tumor resection.

They call the liver the body’s quietest organ.

Like a silent hero, it quietly works behind the scenes, breaking down enzymes and clearing away toxins and harmful substances. It’s a lot like a family’s unspoken patriarch.

Even when the liver gets sick, it keeps its silence.

That’s because there aren’t any pain nerves inside the liver itself.

Only the outer capsule has a few pain receptors. So the body’s warning signs often show up late when the liver falls ill.

Pain is one of the body’s early warning systems and the easiest for people to notice.

This patient getting a chance at surgery is a stroke of luck amid a lot of misfortune.

Many patients with liver tumors—especially those with malignant ones—are only diagnosed when the disease is already in the late stages.

Liver cancer isn’t common, but when it hits,

It’s every bit as notorious as pancreatic cancer, the so-called king of killers.

Director Xueyan is actually a top-notch thoracic surgeon. It’s just her mastery of the Steady Scalpel Technique still needs some work. So when it comes to tough anatomy or delicate separations, she tends to hit a wall.

But looking at her careful approach, you could see she’s starting to take on some of Dr. Hu Kan’s steady, cautious style.

Time passed and soon the surgery reached the most critical part.

The tumor was right next to a major blood vessel, making separation extremely tricky.

She kept trying, again and again, but every attempt failed.

Frustration was obvious on her face.

“No good. This separation is just too tough—I almost tore the main artery back there.”

Her nerves were so shot that the Attending Nurse had to wipe her sweat several times.

Her hands had started to tremble slightly.

“Don’t use the electrotome. Switch to a regular scalpel!”

Zhou Can watched from the side, ready to step in.

Associate Director He stayed calm. Clearly, he was confident he could handle this challenge if needed.

Still, some things look easy, but doing them is a whole different story. Even seeing experience, people can misjudge their own ability.

Nobody’s immune to pride, not even seasoned veterans.

It’s easy to overestimate what you can do.

Whether Associate Director He could actually manage this separation, only trying it would tell.

When surgeons do internal dissections, they usually go for the electrotome first.

It’s easier, less effort, and even helps with hemostasis, so patients recover faster afterward.

That said, if you’re really good with a traditional scalpel, it works just as well.

But everyone loves shortcuts, and since the electrotome is more convenient, traditional scalpels have pretty much disappeared from most surgeries.

“Regular scalpel?”

Director Xueyan turned to Zhou Can.

“Yep!”

Zhou Can gave a small nod.

“Switch the tool. I’ll give it another shot!”

With absolute trust in him, Director Xueyan didn’t ask questions and immediately had the instrument nurse hand over a regular scalpel.

“Still remember the Steady Scalpel Separation Technique Dr. Hu Kan taught you?”

Zhou Can asked her.

“I do. I’ve practiced whenever I had the chance and I can use it skillfully now, just not at a super high level.”

Switching tools, Director Xueyan’s eyes were once again focused on the surgical field.

She didn’t rush in right away.

She knew Zhou Can wanted her to wait for some advice before making the next crucial move.

“Take it slow—like the ancient punishment where they cut a little at a time. Just keep separating, bit by bit. Treat your blade as if it’s actually dull. If you can make it feel like slicing with a blunt knife, I guarantee you’ll pull off this separation. Don’t worry—even if you really do get into the main vessel, I can stop the bleeding and repair it fast.”

He was reassuring her—only with true peace of mind could she perform at her best.

Too much anxiety and second-guessing would definitely throw her off.

“Okay!”

She readied herself for the next cut.

But you could tell she was still pretty tense.

“Of course, don’t take my word and just go gouging into the blood vessel. Even I screw up from time to time!”

That made her laugh out loud despite herself.

“Hey! We’re in the middle of a grade-four surgery. Try to be a little serious, will you?”

Director Xueyan scolded, shooing him with a mock glare.

“Sorry! Honestly, I just saw how tense you were—I thought a little joke might lighten your nerves. All right, go ahead.”

Zhou Can smiled back.

Everyone else in the OR was used to seeing these two interact like siblings—nobody batted an eye at their close banter.

Truth is, the bond between a man and a woman isn’t always romantic.

Sometimes it’s more like family, or the trust built from working toward a common goal, or, like with Zhou Can and Director Xueyan, the special friendship between a senior and junior, both striving for the same ideals.

Above all, there’s a deep sense of gratitude each holds for the other.

She’d helped him a lot, and he’d done the same for her.

Their connection had only grown as they spent more time together. In the end, they’d become genuine friends—like brother and sister.

Now, Director Xueyan started slowly separating the tumor from the artery using the technique Zhou Can suggested.

You could practically see her nerves beginning to fade.

As her cuts became more confident, she hit her stride.

Her grasp of the Steady Scalpel’s separation method improved with every move.

There’s no better teacher than real-world experience.

Her progress was visible for everyone to see.

Dr. Hu Kan had picked her as director not just because of her temperament and morals, but because of her natural gift for surgery.

Forty minutes later, the tumor was successfully separated and removed.

Director Xueyan’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

She stood taller now, visibly more confident.

The rest of the surgical team cheered her on—they were thrilled by her progress.

The stronger the leader, the more everyone benefits.

Success lifts the whole team.

Another half hour passed, and the first surgery wrapped up smoothly. The tumor was sent to pathology. After about ten minutes of post-op monitoring showing stable vitals, the patient was wheeled to the recovery room to wake up.

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Once the first operation was over, Associate Director He went home for the night, and Director Le showed up to assist Zhou Can on the next procedure.

……

By the time both surgeries were finished and Zhou Can glanced at his watch, it was already 11:30 at night.

Days like this blur together until you can’t tell which end is up.

He left home with the sunrise and headed back long after stars filled the sky. Studying medicine really is exhausting.

Every top surgeon is the product of countless trials, setbacks, and slow growth.

If he’s given enough time, maybe someday he’ll be one of the best in the country or even the world.

At the end of the day, it’s surgical skill that saves lives.

Internal medicine has its place, sure, but surgery often makes the difference.

Many situations are beyond the reach of internal medicine.

Take a typical brain hemorrhage—internal medicine can try to manage blood pressure and maintain vital signs, but the odds of survival are still slim.

Even if the patient survives, they’re usually in a vegetative state or left paralyzed.

With surgery, though, you operate, repair blood vessels, clear out the blood, and give the patient a real shot at normal life.

When it comes to saving lives, surgery wins every time.

The next morning, as soon as Zhou Can reached the ER, a patient with extensive burns and severe wound infection was wheeled in for emergency treatment.

The ER doctors had already examined the patient, but nobody dared admit them.

Even when they contacted the relevant specialty, the director came in person but shook his head and left after seeing the patient.