Chapter 570: Infant Hypertension and the Dangers of Consanguineous Marriage

“Has the patient had vascular issues since childhood? The family never mentioned this to us. It’s a good thing we didn’t rush into surgery, or the risk would’ve skyrocketed.”

Hearing this, several department heads felt a chill run down their spines.

Before surgery, doctors usually review a patient’s medical history and underlying conditions. Something this critical should’ve been brought up by the family—or asked about by the team.

This oversight hinted at a lack of responsibility.

It could even be seen as a procedural flaw.

The Cardiothoracic Surgery Department assumed that since the patient had already been admitted and screened by the Emergency and Cardiovascular Departments, any relevant history would’ve been noted. So, they didn’t think to dig deeper.

“You’re all experts in cardiac surgery. What do you think caused the patient’s widespread arterial malformations?”

Zhou Can was more curious about the root cause.

If the patient needed heart surgery, identifying the reason for the arterial issues was crucial.

This was part of a doctor’s duty of care—to minimize risks during the perioperative period and boost the chances of a successful operation.

“It’s hard to pinpoint the exact cause without thorough tests. We’d need to investigate the patient’s childhood medical history, and whether their parents or grandparents had similar conditions. Only then might we find an answer. But honestly, there are countless strange diseases in this world with no clear origin.”

“One thing seems certain—it’s likely tied to the patient’s long-term hypertension.”

“I agree. The history of chronic high blood pressure probably played a big role.”

Everyone began sharing their thoughts.

Gathered here were some of the top minds in Cardiothoracic Surgery—scholars with vast knowledge, broad perspectives, and years of clinical experience.

“Born with hypertension?”

Zhou Can found the conclusion startling.

During a casual chat with the family last time, Zhang Qilian’s wife had only mentioned that he’d had vascular issues since childhood, which were hard to treat in China. That’s why he went to study in Japan—both to learn medicine and to seek treatment.

“The patient’s condition is critical. We need to clear these hurdles quickly and push forward with surgery. Why not bring the family in to join the consultation?”

Director Xueyan suggested.

Whenever she saw a critically ill patient in her department, she felt an intense urgency.

It was this strong sense of responsibility that helped keep the department’s mortality rate under control. Cardiothoracic Surgery’s death rate had dropped to an all-time low.

Zhou Can’s contributions were undeniable, but Director Xueyan’s dedication played a huge part too.

“I think that’s a good idea. Having the family here makes it easier to ask directly about the patient’s past medical history.”

Soon, the family was ushered into the consultation room.

Normally, during medical discussions, families are only invited in under special circumstances or if the patient or family holds a significant status. They mostly listen and answer the doctors’ questions, since they lack professional expertise.

Zhang Qilian’s wife looked exhausted, her eyes red and swollen.

His condition had worsened suddenly, putting immense pressure on her. The mental toll was evident.

It was clear she shared a deep bond with Zhang Qilian.

Japanese women are often admired for their dedication to family life. In Japan, many households follow traditional roles—men provide, while women manage the home full-time.

Unmarried young women, on the other hand, often work actively.

Typically, when a husband returns home, the wife greets him kneeling in a seated position.

In Japan, this kneeling posture is a common form of etiquette. Bowing is even more ingrained—a cultural habit taken to new heights of politeness.

These small gestures reflect a woman’s reliance on and respect for her husband.

For Zhang Qilian to have married such a beautiful and devoted Japanese woman was a blessing earned over lifetimes.

“Hello, esteemed doctors. I entrust my husband’s care to you all!”

She bowed deeply to everyone.

Her gesture was the epitome of Japanese courtesy.

“Mrs. Zhang, there’s no need for formality. Please, take a seat. We’ve asked you here because your husband’s condition is urgent, and there are details we still don’t know. To save time, we need to ask you directly.”

Director Xueyan gestured for her to sit at the head of the consultation table.

This spot usually accommodated two people—often reserved for nurses or family members.

“Ask anything you need. I’ll provide as much detail as I can if I know it.”

She sat down, a touch shyly.

“During our discussion, Dr. Zhou mentioned that your husband has had vascular issues since childhood. This poses a major risk for heart surgery. Do you know the specific cause?”

“I know a little. This touches on Qilian’s privacy, so I ask for your discretion.”

She stood again, bowing to the group.

“Protecting patient privacy is our duty. You have nothing to worry about.”

Director Xueyan assured her.

“When he was young, Qilian told me he developed hypertension before he was even three months old. Back then, medical care in his hometown wasn’t advanced. The doctors only said it was extremely rare. Given an infant’s low tolerance, they were very cautious with medication. They also told his parents that since he was so young, his blood vessels were still flexible. As long as the pressure didn’t keep rising, it wouldn’t be a major issue.”

Hypertension in children is uncommon, though not unheard of.

In infants, it’s incredibly rare.

As they age, many develop secondary hypertension due to conditions like aortic stenosis, renal artery stenosis, or aneurysms.

“Back then, Qilian didn’t receive treatment. By five months, he started showing clear symptoms—irritability, frequent crying, vomiting, and heavy sweating. His family took him to the doctor again. From then until he was nineteen, he relied on medication to manage it.”

For the first time, she shared the full story of Zhang Qilian’s childhood illness with the doctors.

Being born with hypertension makes a baby incredibly difficult to care for.

Sometimes, parents who lack medical knowledge can’t understand why their child won’t stop crying. They might even complain to others about how hard it is to handle such a fussy kid.

Even a small disturbance can wake them, leading to endless tears.

In such cases, parents should be vigilant and show extra patience and care.

When infants feel unwell, they can’t express it like adults can.

Crying is their only way to communicate.

If one day they stop crying or fussing altogether, that’s when it’s truly alarming.

Having grown up with such a strange illness, Zhang Qilian’s childhood must have been pitiful. Perhaps enduring pain from such a young age shaped his peculiar personality. When Zhou Can met him in the car that day, his first impression was of someone cold and distant.

Even ‘brooding’ might not fully capture it.

‘Cold’ felt more fitting.

Beyond that, his actions often seemed obsessive and ruthless.

They say children who suffer greatly growing up often turn hard-hearted as adults. There might be some truth to that.

Decades ago, medical standards in China were quite behind.

Things have improved now, but there’s still a gap compared to developed nations.

When facing tough-to-treat illnesses, the country often leans on its unique medical strengths, combining Traditional Chinese Medicine with Western approaches.

To be clear, the push for integrating Traditional Chinese and Western medicine stems from both national circumstances and a sense of necessity.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has declined, with true masters nearly extinct.

Even the few highly skilled old practitioners are often barred from practicing due to licensing restrictions.

Overall, Traditional Chinese Medicine is in severe decline, with poor treatment outcomes.

This has led the public to lose faith in it, turning to Western medicine as the first choice. It’s a vicious cycle that only deepens the decline.

Without a market, practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine struggle to make a living or support their families, forcing many to switch careers.

This is the harsh reality of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China today.

Things have gotten a bit better recently. Some insightful individuals have promoted the idea that Western medicine treats symptoms while Traditional Chinese Medicine addresses root causes. This slogan has gained traction, and the lower side effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine have started to resonate with people.

It’s a small sliver of survival carved out through fierce struggle.

Turning to Western medicine in China, the core tools are medical equipment and pharmaceuticals.

Due to historical poverty and late development, coupled with foreign technology blockades, Western medical standards lag significantly behind developed countries.

Efforts to catch up are underway, with decent progress.

Yet, large gaps remain in many areas.

This is a reality that must be faced.

In the early days, studying Western medicine often meant learning in English, requiring students to master the language first.

This added an extra layer of difficulty for aspiring doctors.

Even now, top international medical journals like SCI and SSCI are published entirely in English.

If it were just a language barrier, it could still be overcome.

But technological blockades on equipment, tools, and drugs are a harder blow.

Without the right resources, even the best cook can’t make a meal.

Without these essentials, improving medical standards is nearly impossible.

Here’s a harsh truth about the current medical landscape.

When saving critically ill patients, doctors almost always prioritize imported drugs and equipment. Domestic options often fall short, sometimes yielding little effect or even causing severe side effects.

Take a drug with the same ingredients, for example.

With current technology, analyzing a drug’s composition isn’t hard.

But assuming identical ingredients mean identical results is a huge mistake.

Imported drugs often use advanced slow-release technology, precisely controlling how a patient absorbs the medication. Domestic versions still face significant technical barriers in this area.

It’s understandable—others have over two centuries of technological buildup. Catching up to that level in just a few decades is a tall order.

In short, it’s no surprise that China’s Western medical standards lag behind developed nations.

With Traditional Chinese Medicine fading and Western medicine struggling to match global leaders, treating complex illnesses often feels like an uphill battle.

So, what’s the solution?

You can’t just stand by and watch patients die.

This challenge hasn’t stumped the nation’s brightest minds.

The concept of combining Traditional Chinese and Western medicine emerged naturally—blending the strengths of both to fight illness.

Though it hasn’t gained widespread acceptance yet, with persistent effort and dedication, there’s hope it’ll reach great heights one day.

“Your husband was born with hypertension. Is it genetic? Did his parents or grandparents have similar conditions?”

Director Xueyan asked.

“No, none of them had this illness. The likely cause of my husband’s condition might be… his parents were closely related when they married.”

She hesitated before revealing the true reason.

Ultimately, she chose honesty over secrecy in the face of illness.

The dangers of consanguineous marriage are significant, which is why many countries discourage it.

It goes against ethical norms and poses risks to offspring.

Such unions often result in high rates of birth defects and rare or strange diseases.

“We’ve got a clearer picture of the cause now. His lifelong hypertension likely led to the arterial malformations. We’ll run necessary tests on your husband to determine if he meets the criteria for surgery.”

“I leave it in your hands!”

She was perceptive, standing to bow before taking her leave.

Her purpose here had been to clarify this issue.

“Zhou Can, I know you’re swamped with work in the Emergency Department. But this patient’s condition is dire. Help us diagnose and draft a surgical plan. If needed, we might ask you to assist in the surgery itself before you go.”

Director Xueyan made her request.

“No problem. Saving the patient’s life comes first. I’m ready to give my all.”

Zhou Can agreed without hesitation.

“Given the patient’s fifty-plus years of hypertension, his blood vessels are in terrible shape. I suggest prioritizing heart surgery. A transplant should only be a backup plan.”

He could already foresee the biggest challenge in the surgery would be the arterial vessels.

Over an hour later, all of Zhang Qilian’s tests were complete.

The anesthesiologist, Director Feng from Tuyu Hospital, joined the surgical discussion and patient evaluation.

The risks were extremely high.

The family was willing to accept the risks and fully cooperated, allowing the surgery to move forward.

Director Xueyan took the role of chief surgeon, with Zhou Can as the de facto second-in-command. They rallied the strongest talents from Cardiac Surgery to ensure the operation’s success.

Deputy Director Ye and Administrative Deputy Director Bai placed great importance on this surgery.

It tied into a major promotional effort for Tuyu Hospital.

The hospital planned to use this case for widespread publicity, aiming to overshadow the Third Hospital and establish golden reputations for Tuyu’s Cardiothoracic Surgery and Cardiovascular Departments.

This was a significant strategic move for the hospital.

Naturally, the leadership paid close attention.