Chapter 288: Chapter 288

"Dr. Liu, this is Han’s wife." While they were still waiting for lunch, Manager Qu led Han’s wife over.

"Hello. Han is currently in Room 202, and we’re observing him. His oxygen saturation has improved significantly. We should be able to remove the pulmonary embolus this afternoon," Liu Banxia said with a smile. "Don’t be alarmed if you see him intubated; it’s a protective measure. Intubation under general anesthesia is also necessary for the pulmonary vein thrombectomy."

"Doctor, is his condition serious? Is his life in danger?" Han’s wife asked.

"At the moment, it seems he’s out of immediate danger and has passed the critical period. However, the embolus in his lungs is still present, which affects his oxygen supply somewhat. His blood oxygen saturation is currently only at 93%," Liu Banxia explained. "This is all temporary. After the thrombectomy this afternoon, we’ll place a filter in the deep veins of his leg, so you won’t need to worry in the future."

"Dr. Liu, on my way here, I spoke with some friends. They said that such blood clots don’t require surgery, just thrombolysis. And even for clots in the pulmonary vein, as long as they aren’t too large, a minor surgery can dissolve them," Han’s wife continued.

Liu Banxia nodded thoughtfully. "Normally, that’s the standard procedure. But please look at this CT scan. This small object is a residual from when Han’s previous subdural edema was absorbed. Although it’s tiny, it’s a hidden threat. It indicates a hole in a blood vessel, which, though small, is currently sealed by a blood clot. But what if we were to use a large amount of blood thinners? It would certainly dissolve this small clot, and this blood vessel would bleed again, threatening Han’s life.

"Because of this, Han’s surgery carries significant risk and uncertainty. We must address the pulmonary embolism. Since thrombolysis isn’t an option, we have to perform a thrombectomy. However, during the thrombectomy, to avoid damaging the blood vessel, we still need to use some blood thinners to partially dissolve the clot so it can be removed from the vessel.

"To ensure Han’s safety, I will ask a neurosurgeon to be on standby in the operating room. If there are any signs of cerebral hemorrhage, we will immediately proceed with a craniotomy to ensure Han’s life. We haven’t discussed the specific surgical plan in detail yet, but this is the general approach. Before the actual operation, the lead surgeon’s team will explain the procedure to you thoroughly."

This was unavoidable. Sometimes, a procedure had to be explained to the patient’s family multiple times. They lacked extensive medical knowledge, so what seemed straightforward to a doctor could appear very dangerous and complicated to them. Even though Han’s wife had done some research since arriving, she didn’t fully grasp the details. So, it had to be explained again, as she was the one with the authority to make the decision.

"Dr. Liu, thank you. I understand now. We’ll follow your plan," Han’s wife said seriously after a moment of consideration.

"Brother Qu, please take her upstairs to see him first. Then, let’s have lunch, and we’ll get the surgery done this afternoon. I’ll discuss the surgical plan with the lead surgeon at lunch," Liu Banxia said.

"Sure, Dr. Liu. Don’t worry about anything else; I’m here," Manager Qu declared, nodding emphatically.

Liu Banxia’s handling of things today had thoroughly impressed him; there wasn’t a single fault to find. Moreover, he realized that Liu Banxia was indeed as influential at the Second Affiliated Hospital as Qiaoqiao had described. Other doctors sought his opinion, and he explained complex surgeries with such clarity. This was a friendship worth cultivating. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✶𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✶𝓷𝓮𝓽

After a moment’s thought, Liu Banxia pulled out his phone and called Zhang Xiao, a senior attending neurosurgeon. Zhang Xiao was experienced enough to oversee this surgery.

"Dr. Liu, do you need a consultation?" Zhang Xiao asked as soon as the call connected.

"I do have a case that needs a consultation, but you don’t need to come down. Just listen to my explanation," Liu Banxia said, then proceeded to detail Han’s condition and outline his proposed surgical plan. "I’m just not sure if you’ll have the time. Normally, a small dose of blood thinner shouldn’t be dangerous, but we have to prepare for the ’what if.’ If a craniotomy becomes necessary, the faster, the better. That’s why I thought of you."

"Can it be a bit later? I have a glioma removal this afternoon. If all goes well, I should be finished by around four o’clock," Zhang Xiao said after some thought.

"Alright, I’ll coordinate the timing with Chen Xuehai from the cardiac surgery department then," Liu Banxia replied.

Although he agreed readily, he felt a bit apprehensive. He remembered the misunderstanding with Chen Xuehai and Liang Xiaolin. He’d mistaken them for a couple, but they were actually brother and sister. Naturally, Chen Xuehai had been displeased to see him getting close to Liang Xiaolin. Even though he now understood their relationship, the initial misunderstanding had already occurred. Chen Xuehai agreeing to help today felt like a test. A veteran surgeon like him would surely understand the situation easily; asking Liu Banxia about it was likely a way to assess him. But now a new issue had arisen: Chen Xuehai needed to coordinate his schedule with Zhang Xiao’s. Whether Chen Xuehai would be willing to accommodate him again was uncertain. Chen Xuehai had his own surgical schedule. Whether Han’s operation could be added today, and when it would be performed, were both uncertain.

A large hospital didn’t just cater to emergency cases. Many patients in the inpatient wards were scheduled and waiting for their surgeries. Sometimes it was due to the lead surgeon’s schedule, other times due to the patient’s condition; in short, a combination of various factors. Otherwise, why would patients from smaller towns pay extra to bring in a surgeon from elsewhere? Firstly, there’s the cost. It might seem like you’re spending more, but you could actually be saving money. Coming to a big city , waiting several days for a scheduled surgery—how much would that cost in terms of accommodation and other expenses? Nursing and surgical fees at large hospitals, as regulated by the Price Bureau, are higher than in smaller places. Isn’t that extra cost still money?

It was precisely because of the large number of patients that surgeries needed to be scheduled. Han was an add-on case for today, falling into a gray area between urgent and non-urgent. His unique situation required careful coordination.

Fortunately, Chen Xuehai was very accommodating. He agreed to perform the surgery today, though it would be later, tentatively scheduled for five in the afternoon. He also approved of Liu Banxia’s surgical plan, so the general procedure was set.

"What did you do? You look like you have a lot on your mind," Liang Xiaolin asked as she approached Liu Banxia, who was still reflecting on how hard he’d worked that day.

"Later, go to Dr. Chen to get the surgical consent form for Han, the patient on the second floor. Then, familiarize yourself with the surgery. You’ll be first assistant for the operation at five o’clock this afternoon," Liu Banxia said.

"Me? Will people talk?" Liang Xiaolin asked.

"What’s there to talk about? The patient is from our emergency department. I’m not asking you to be the lead surgeon, just the first assistant. That’s already showing them considerable respect," Liu Banxia said confidently.

Liang Xiaolin smiled, feeling pleased.

"Don’t just stand there grinning. Go talk to Han’s wife now," Liu Banxia said. "Explain the surgical procedure, and the potential risks and complications clearly. Han’s wife is very detail-oriented. Although I’ve given her an overview, you should explain it more thoroughly."

Liang Xiaolin nodded. Having done this many times, she knew that if these things weren’t explained clearly, it could lead to potential medical disputes later on.

Liu Banxia stretched his neck. Though it was just coordination, it was truly exhausting. Since not everyone was in the emergency department, meeting up wasn’t convenient, making negotiation the only option. The surgery itself wasn’t exceptionally complex, so he couldn’t bother the directors with it; they were even busier. The current arrangement, after all the coordination, was the best possible outcome. As for this coordination? Currently, it fell to him as the chief resident. It was his job, regardless of whether he knew Han personally.

"Hasn’t that patient from earlier returned yet?" Xu Hui asked, emerging from the consultation room.

"The imaging department is probably busy today. There were quite a few people waiting when I took Han for his scan," Liu Banxia said. "You all should go eat if it’s lunchtime. I can wait here. The rest of you, go eat too. It’s pretty quiet right now."

"Teacher Liu, we’re not in a hurry," Huang Bo said determinedly.

"Still, you can’t all wait here. Doctor Qi, you and Brother Wei go eat first. I’ll bring this group over later," Liu Banxia said.

Qi Wentai nodded. Though he didn’t respond verbally, this was already a significant acknowledgment from him.

Xu Hui found this rather amusing. It was a somewhat noteworthy scene in the emergency department.

After waiting for about ten more minutes, the patient with abdominal pain returned with his films.

"Doctor, you might have been mistaken. I asked the doctor in radiology, and they said it just looks like some gas in my intestines," the patient said with a smile.

"Let me see the films first. They wouldn’t know your blood test results," Liu Banxia said.

Looking at the films, there was indeed nothing suspicious, but the high levels of creatinine and blood lactate were definitely cause for alarm.

"Alright, let me examine your abdomen again," Liu Banxia said, putting down the films.

The patient complied without a word, lying down on the bed and lifting his T-shirt.

Looking at his slightly bulging belly, Liu Banxia frowned slightly. He first pressed on it with his hand; the patient’s mouth twitched slightly. Then, after carefully listening with a stethoscope, his frown deepened.

"Have you been completely honest with us? Did you hide any medication you’ve taken?" Liu Banxia asked, retracting his stethoscope.

The patient was taken aback, then chuckled. "I just took one ibuprofen tablet. That shouldn’t make a difference, right?"

His words startled Xu Hui, who quickly grabbed his stethoscope to listen to the patient’s abdomen. His frown deepened, just like Liu Banxia’s.