Surgery Godfather - Chapter 151

Chapter 151: Chapter 0145: A Glimmer of Hope

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On Monday, Luo Xiaohu was discharged from the hospital. His family was delighted, and Father Luo even hummed a song.

At 8:30 in the morning, the surgery that Hermes had been waiting for months was finally performed.

This surgery had no highlights. It was a routine procedure. For Yang Ping, with his strong foundation in trauma orthopedics, this surgery posed no difficulty, but the treatment period was long, requiring a systematic engineering concept.

Yang Ping was the chief surgeon, before the anesthesia, Professor Zhang entered the operating room to greet Hermes and reassure him, making him feel at ease.

Before this, he had not seen Professor Zhang, he had refused to be anesthetized, leaving Fatty at a loss. Only upon seeing Professor Zhang did he feel at ease to accept the anesthesia.

The operation went very smoothly, nonstop in less than half an hour.

About five centimeters of healthy bone tissue at both the proximal and distal end of the right tibia were preserved. The infected bone tissue in the middle was excised, along with a portion of the healthy bone tissue at both ends, a full thirty centimeters, all cut off and discarded.

The defect was temporarily filled with calcium sulfate containing vancomycin. The five centimeters at the proximal and distal ends are then cut from the middle. From the cut, traction starts two weeks later, one millimeter per day, with both ends pulled towards the center, slowly lengthening the bone until it eventually fused in the middle, restoring the full length of the tibia.

The newly grown bone tissue is healthy, without bacterial infection. It’s like a tree infested by termites. It’s hard to completely eradicate the termites, but if you saw off the infested part along with the surrounding healthy wood, you completely resolve the termite issue.

Chronic osteomyelitis, the infection of bone tissue, is more tricky than termites infesting a tree. Bacteria scatter and hide inside the bone tissue making antibiotics hardly reach, so it cannot be wholly eradicated. Once part of it is eliminated, the symptoms slightly improve, but the remaining bacteria multiply to a certain extent, bringing the symptons back, hence the difficulty in complete healing.

Thanks to Ilizarov, his miraculous technique has not only saved countless people’s limbs but also made the previously insurmountable correction of deformities easy.

The edifice of medicine is built by pioneers like Ilizarov, brick by brick. How much bitterness, tears, and grievances they have represented, we cannot know.

Because of the Cold War’s political reasons, he did not win a Nobel Prize, yet, the radiance of this country doctor does not require any awards for affirmation.

Geniuses and pioneers are always misunderstood; they are lonely.

Semmelweis, who revealed puerperal infection, was ridiculed and opposed by the world. He died alone and desolately in a mental hospital,

One of the four cornerstones of modern surgery, disinfection, owes its great merit to Semmelweis. It can be said that he single-handedly bore the expulsion and suppression of the entire medical community, heroically ushering in an era.

After the surgery, Hermes’ right calf became like a mechanical limb, filled with inserted pins and fitted with circular frames. The pins and frames form a scaffold responsible for lengthening the bone.

Back in the ward, Hermes was very excited, as if a long-standing worry had been resolved. He held Yang Ping’s hand tightly, and repeated, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

When he asked about Professor Zhang, Yang Ping told him Professor Zhang was in the outpatient clinic on the first floor and was very busy. He had managed to spare some time to guide the surgery.

Hermes made a grateful gesture, “I’m deeply grateful, beyond words!”

Starting this week, Professor Zhang was seeing patients in the outpatient clinic on the first floor, working in comprehensive orthopedics. In just half a day, he saw six patients, three of whom were collected into comprehensive orthopedics, with the rest into the Overseas Chinese Building.

Among the patients transferred to comprehensive orthopedics was an overseas Chinese person from Southeast Asia, suffering from avascular necrosis. In the late stage and unwilling to have an artificial joint replacement, they chose to seek out Professor Zhang. Another patient was a retired athlete with an old anterior cruciate ligament rupture. Finally, there was a nine-year-old girl with osteosarcoma.

Professor Zhang originally only had clinic hours one morning a week. Now, he has applied to the hospital to have clinic hours five mornings a week, from Monday to Friday. In this way, Director Han and Director Tian are freed up completely. Especially Director Tian, who can now concentrate solely on dealing with VIP patients received by Professor Zhang.

Yang Ping led the team on patient rounds to see the newly admitted patients.

The child with osteosarcoma was a nine-year-old girl. She had already seen many hospitals and had been hospitalized in Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Nandu Affiliated Cancer Hospital for treatment. She had undergone two surgeries, both pathologically diagnosed as osteosarcoma at the advanced stage. PET-CT scans showed multiple organ metastasis throughout her body. The girl was very sensible and excelled academically, having won a first prize in the National New Concept Composition Contest.

Before making rounds, Little Five informed Yang Ping in his office, “The girl does not know that she has a malignant tumor. The family requested her condition be kept secret from her. Her parents told her that she had few fibromas on her body and it would take a long time to cure, so she needed to be patient. Besides, they are out of money. Their house has been sold, and so have all valuable things. They had also done fundraising online and borrowed from all friends and relatives. Now, nobody lends them money as friends and relatives avoid their calls. Despite this, her parents don’t want to give up. Even knowing there’s no hope, they still refuse to abandon the idea. They came to seek Professor Zhang’s help after hearing his reputation. They stated explicitly that they are at the end of the rope and are looking for a low-cost solution for their child to live longer. Professor Zhang said let’s admit her first, owe the costs for now, and figure out a solution later.”

“Old Zhang always does this kind of stuff. Last time, that worker asked you to solve it with 3000 yuan. 3000 yuan, how could it be enough? In the end, he had to negotiate with the operating room to waive some fees to settle it. He always forces people to do the impossible. He might be a saint, but I’m not. I am a commoner; I need food and drinks. In order to save up for a house, I couldn’t even afford takeout, occasional orders cost just ten yuan. Damn it, there’s even less meat in it than in instant noodles.” Zhang Lin was very dissatisfied.

“Zhang Lin, don’t be so unrefined. What’s the meaning of what you just said?” Little Five immediately quieted him down after seeing how angry he was.

Zhang Lin retorted without hesitation, “He doesn’t know, eh? This isn’t a matter of emergency rescue. For owed fees, it’s the doctor’s money that gets withheld. Once this patient is admitted, there will be a pile of bills. So what if I’m just a commoner? If you go to the supermarket, would they let you take anything without paying every cent? That patient in the spinal surgery, stayed for half a year for free, no family members showed up. The moment a family member does, all they do is make trouble and extort money. They’re causing trouble right now. So you want charity? Let people like Ma Yun do it, I’m not up to it.”

“Zhang Lin!” Little Five admonished him.

Yang Ping waved his hand: “Let him vent, it’s okay!”

“I’m sorry, Senior Brother, I was just airing my sentiments.” Zhang Lin blushed, now that he vented, he also felt better.

Yang Ping comforted him: “Everyone don’t worry, if in the end there’s really a debt, I will find a way. I won’t let anyone get disheartened.”

“I’m not getting angry just because they’re withholding my money. It’s wrong to deduct anyone’s wages. Whose money isn’t earned from hard labor. Why does the hospital make this rule? If it’s not for emergency rescue, doctors’ wages are withheld for patients skipping fees. Even Dean Xia who’s so enlightened doesn’t cancel this rule. If there’s no such regulation, anyone can default on payment, and the hospital will surely close down. Then we’d all go bare.”

Little Five patted his back to help soothe his anger.

Yang Ping drew a deep cold breath in his heart, nodded, “Understood, during rounds, let’s not mention the cost or use the word tumor. Let’s keep a consistent line, let’s do the rounds.”

When they went to see the little girl in the ward, she had two little braids. Her innocent face showed no trace of worry, she maintained an innocent smile all the time. She was typing on a computer.

“Little sister, are you studying?” Yang Ping teased her.

She looked up, swinging her braids, “I’m learning to write essays in English.”

“Wow, you’re awesome!” Yang Ping purposely leaned over to take a look, but the little girl blocked it with her hand.

He couldn’t tell what she was typing on the computer. It was neither English nor Pinyin, perhaps she was punching in random keys.

“Wow, you can write in English.” Little Five feigned surprise.

The girl’s dad intervened, “Her English is good. We don’t understand English. It’s all what she learned in school.”

Yang Ping didn’t ask for her medical history or examine her, he just sat with her and chatted.

As they were leaving the ward, her father followed. Yang Ping gestured at him, pointing to the office, “Wait for me in the office.”

Yang Ping continued his rounds. The patient from Southeast Asia is a Chinese from Singapore. He had osteonecrosis of the left femoral head, which had progressed to late stage three. He needed artificial hip joint replacement. Since his relatives in Malaysia visited China and were very satisfied with their consultation with Professor Zhang, they recommended him to seek treatment from Professor Zhang in China.

His Chinese was very fluent. He said he had been bilingual since childhood, knowing both English and Chinese. His Chinese involved simplified characters like in China, so there was no problem with either Chinese conversation or reading.

The retired athlete was a basketball player. After retirement, he made a living by training middle and primary school students in basketball. He had no idea when his anterior cruciate ligament broke. In the past year, his left knee had become markedly unstable when walking. After having an MRI in a hospital, it was suggested that his anterior cruciate ligament had ruptured. He had heard that Professor Zhang of Sanbo Hospital was highly responsible, and had thus specially sought him out.

“This patient’s anterior cruciate ligament has been ruptured for a long time. From the MRI, severe deformation of the intercondylar fossa can be seen. I estimate that at the time, there was also a fracture, which might have healed in a deformed manner. We need to complete a CT scan and three-dimensional reconstruction of both knee joints before the surgery.”

Yang Ping instructed Little Five, who noted it down.

After finishing the rounds and returning to the office, the father of the little girl was sitting and waiting. Upon seeing Yang Ping return, he stood up and said, “Thank you all. We’ve had no choice either, and we are indeed causing you trouble. We’ve already told Professor Zhang and Doctor Lu about our situation. We truly just can’t accept it as it is… As for the money, I’m figuring out a solution…” The child’s father had a melancholic look with moist eyes.

Yang Ping comforted him: “You have given it your all, and many things can be resolved with effort. It’s not like every goal can be achieved. Everyone has goals that cannot be achieved, and regrets that pain the heart. That’s life!”

Although his words sounded as if he saw through life, it wasn’t quite in line with his age. Perhaps it was because he had been in the system for too long.

When it was time to get off work, Professor Zhang came over, found Yang Ping and said seriously: “This patient’s family has already been hollowed out financially, they truly have no money left. The child is very sensible, I want to give her a little hope. As for the costs, I’ll handle it. It won’t affect you all.”

After simply saying these few things, Professor Zhang walked away, his back slightly stooped due to age.

His figure gradually disappeared down the corridor, one step at a time.