Chapter 68: A Challenging Operation Under Pressure

Zhou Can’s debridement technique is currently at a secondary level – barely passable in standardized training and not considered high-level.

Handling this wound was more than enough for him.

If it hadn’t been for Dr. Lu, that clumsy oaf wielding the electrocautery knife and burning both of the patient’s bleeding points, the debridement would have been even easier.

After removing the fragment, a small spurting column of blood emerged from the wound.

It was likely that while Dr. Lu was removing the fragment, its sharp edge nicked a blood vessel.

Or it might have already pierced the vessel before it was extracted.

Before removal, the fragment was embedded in the muscle, tightly compressed.

Thus, it wasn’t bleeding.

Once pulled out, the barrier was gone and blood flowed freely from the ruptured vessel.

This is exactly why if a sharp object pierces the body and remains lodged in it, you must never pull it out.

Leaving it in place might only result in slow bleeding.

Prompt transport to the hospital could still offer a chance at saving the patient.

But once it’s removed and the pressure is relieved, massive bleeding can occur.

The patient could quickly die.

“This branch artery was punctured by the fragment. What do you suggest we do?”

Zhou Can pointed at the ruptured vessel, asking Dr. Fu to take a look.

It was a basic sign of respect to a superior doctor.

No matter how skilled he was, if he didn’t respect his seniors, he’d never get very far.

There was one more thing he handled very well.

Instead of blaming Dr. Lu for nicking the vessel, he said the fragment had punctured it.

Competition and internal rivalry were one thing, but undermining each other in front of a patient was unacceptable.

“Yes, the vessel damage isn’t too severe. A vascular anastomosis can easily repair it.”

Dr. Fu was most worried about injuring the femoral artery.

The current outcome was much better than expected.

“Let me handle the anastomosis. I’ve done many under Dr. Xu, and I haven’t failed yet.”

Zhou Can quickly promoted himself.

After all that effort only to gain one point of debridement experience, he wasn’t about to be satisfied so easily.

He volunteered to stay for overtime.

Just to rapidly rack up his surgical experience.

Whenever the opportunity arose, he would pounce on it like a starving wolf.

“I’ll repair the vessel. You handle the skin closure!”

After witnessing Dr. Lu’s pig-like technique, Dr. Fu was genuinely a bit frightened.

An important task like vascular anastomosis was something he could no longer risk handing over to a junior.

“Alright! Thank you, Dr. Fu.”

Zhou Can securing an opportunity to suture was a notable achievement.

As long as he had chances to perform, he would gradually earn Dr. Fu’s trust.

In the future, he wouldn’t lack opportunities for growth, would he?

Dr. Fu’s suturing skills had reached the attending level, and watching him perform the vascular anastomosis was pure enjoyment – there was plenty to learn about proper techniques.

Once he finished suturing, the blood flow test commenced.

The blood flowed smoothly – the anastomosis was a resounding success.

Even if an attending surgeon isn’t the strongest, their competence speaks for itself – something a resident couldn’t match.

“Dr. Zhou, the rest is up to you!”

Dr. Fu stepped aside.

But learning from Dr. Lu’s mishap, he didn’t retreat to the sidelines. Instead, he stood nearby to offer guidance at any moment.

Just as Zhou Can placed his first suture, a spark lit up on Dr. Fu’s face.

His eyes shone with admiration, and a slight smile appeared.

It seemed Dr. Xu hadn’t exaggerated about this kid’s abilities!

Next, Zhou Can worked like a whirlwind – fast and precise.

His flurry of actions nearly made Dr. Fu’s eyes pop out in astonishment.

Nurse Liu Xia was equally stunned.

Could this really be just a trainee doctor with only three days on the job? He seemed even more capable than Dr. Lu, a resident.

“Suturing complete. Dr. Fu, please inspect!”

Zhou Can finished treating the patient’s wound – this perilous, winding surgery had finally come to a successful close.

He had also broken through Dr. Lu’s blockade, showcasing his surgical prowess.

“Ha ha, that suture was excellent! From now on, you can handle my surgical skin closures.”

Dr. Fu laughed heartily.

For him, defusing a crisis was akin to surviving a life-and-death ordeal.

“Let’s move the patient. Due to his clotting disorder, we’ll assign him a bed in the observation area for one day, just in case complications arise.”

This kind of minor surgery at Tuyu Hospital was typically a treat-and-discharge affair.

For cases with potential post-operative risks, the usual protocol was to keep the patient under observation for a day or two.

After sending the patient out, Dr. Fu exhaled deeply in relief.

He was about to call Director Lou to report when Director Lou unexpectedly arrived.

He burst straight into the operating room.

“What about the patient who can’t stop bleeding?”

Director Lou asked in a somber tone.

As head of the Emergency Department, he enjoyed a glamorous image, but the pressure he faced was immense.

He had to constantly improve the department’s rescue rate, generate revenue, and elevate treatment standards – all while praying his team wouldn’t mess up.

If a patient needing a level-one operation died on the table, the entire Emergency Department would become a laughingstock.

The hospital director and the vice director in charge of operations would surely reprimand them loudly.

“The surgery is complete and the patient has been cured!”

Dr. Fu reported truthfully.

He was thoroughly frustrated.

Had they detected the patient’s clotting disorder before the surgery and taken appropriate actions, curbing the relentless bleeding would have been a prestigious achievement.

But after Dr. Lu’s blunder, simply avoiding a scolding was considered a win.

“Cured? Dr. Fu, this is no joke – and certainly no place for falsification. If you end up mishandling a case out of fear of being reprimanded and the patient dies, none of us could bear that responsibility.”

Director Lou’s face darkened further, his expression devoid of any joy.

“Rest assured, even though my skills and track record are average, I never shirk responsibilities – nor would I gamble with a patient’s life. This is basic medical ethics. I guarantee with my reputation that the patient is truly cured.”

Dr. Fu’s face turned solemn as his tone grew earnest.

Director Lou stared into his eyes for a full twenty seconds; only when he saw nothing but sincerity did he begin to believe him.

He would definitely check on the patient himself later before feeling at ease.

“Treating a patient with a clotting disorder is inherently challenging. On top of that, when an arterial vessel is ruptured, not even I might be able to stop the bleeding. For Dr. Fu to have achieved hemostasis in such a short time and complete the surgery has truly surprised me. It seems your skills have improved a great deal!”

Director Lou’s tone softened slightly.

Dr. Fu felt a wave of shame.

It wasn’t that his skills had leapt forward – it was that an extraordinarily talented trainee had unexpectedly come to his rescue.

“Explain the entire treatment process! And why wasn’t a pre-operative test done for the clotting disorder?” Director Lou’s voice turned sharp again.

Failing to perform a proper pre-op blood test was a serious oversight.

Surgery isn’t child’s play – such a rookie mistake was absolutely unacceptable.

“We proceeded with the operation before the blood test results came back – that was my oversight,” Dr. Fu, ever a man of responsibility, took full blame.

Originally, the biggest culprit in this matter was Dr. Lu.