The Surgeon's Studio c1-799

by Black Ursa Prime

  From their conditions, they should have been discharged long ago.

  However, malingerers were a daily occurence, and they would not voluntarily leave the hospital before receiving compensation.

  Naturally, doctors were uninterested in causing conflict and chose to let them be.

  On the bright side, possible complications such as delayed traumatic intracranial hemorrhage could be prevented.

  On average, two to three patients in the observation unit would encounter it each year.

  There were many patients in the observation unit now, but most of them only had minor diseases.

  Old Chief Physician Pan and Zheng Ren quickly examined the twenty to thirty patients who had been admitted for observation.

  Just when they were about to go to the emergency wards, several people darted over into the corridor of the emergency department.

  "Doctor, doctor!" shouted a young man anxiously from the front of the group.

  On his back lay a woman whose arms were stiff with her fingers curled and locked, claw-like, as if holding onto something.

  Zheng Ren's heart sank immediately as the patient's condition seemed serious.

  "This way!" He quickly led the family member carrying the patient into the resuscitation room.

  It took quite some time for the man to transfer the patient from his back to the bed.

  The patient's posture was strange; her spine arched backward like a bow due to persistent spasms of her back musculature, a condition clinically described as opisthotonus.

  She had generalized muscle spasms that caused her hands to gently wave before her as if trying to grasp something. That, coupled with her constant humming, made her look gruesome and horrifying.

  "Ah…" The nurse in charge, a novice below twenty years old, was clearly frightened by the patient's condition.

  The patient's posture evoked horror films such as Resident Evil, World War Z and The Walking Dead.

  This was a zombie…

  If the nurse was bitten, would she become one as well?

  Was it possible that…

  This was the end of the world?

  Petrified, the nurse accidentally dropped the mercury sphygmomanometer, where it shattered loudly and spilled mercury all across the floor.

  The patient's family member was also dazed. Was this really a terminal illness?

  The doctor in the township health center had also failed to diagnose her condition.

  Even though they had suspected the disease was incurable, they had reserved a glimmer of hope in the experience and abilities of Sea City General Hospital.

  However...

  The junior nurse was frozen in terror just looking at the patient's condition.

  The young man was startled, and his eyes were full of sorrow.

  Another woman in her fifties, who had followed them into the room and beheld this scene, slumped to the ground and began to wail.

  The sound of the sphygmomanometer hitting the ground aggravated the patient's muscle spasms.

  Saliva started pouring from her mouth and her humming intensified when the older woman began crying.

  Zheng Ren quickly stood between the nurse and the patient, saying seriously, "You, clean up the area and get a senior to check her blood pressure. Remember, all the mercury must be disposed of."

  Then, he gave the patient's family a solemn gaze and said, "All unrelated personnel, please leave the room now, the patient must be kept from loud noises!"

  The young man who had carried the patient into the room just now had tears of fear welling up in his eyes. After a few seconds of hesitation, he asked softly, "Doctor, can you save her?"

  "I can't guarantee it," Zheng Ren replied, his tone grim, "But there is still a chance. You'll stay here but the rest will leave. Now!"

  Now!

  Immediately!

  Pronto!

  This was not a funeral home, and it was not yet time for mourning!

  Zheng Ren failed to notice that he had developed a toughness, an imposing manner that was increasingly similar to Old Chief Physician Pan.

  Old Chief Physician Pan frowned and said, "This is tetanus, and its mortality rate can be as high as fifty percent. One family member will stay and the rest will leave the room."

  A fifty-percent chance of survival.

  The only other option was death.

  The young man was flabbergasted.

  Even so, his judgment remained unaffected. At least, to the doctors in Sea City General Hospital, there was still hope for survival.

  He quickly pushed the others out of the room, which regained its usual silence.

  "Zheng Ren, have you treated this before?" asked Old Chief Physician Pan curiously when he noticed Zheng Ren's calm demeanor.

  Even Old Chief Physician Pan had not encountered an infection of Clostridium tetani for decades. How was this man able to keep his composure?

  Chapter 127 - Xinglin Master Who Can Revive The Dying

  In the upper right corner of Zheng Ren's vision floated the System panel, which revealed the patient's details in bloody red.

  An infection by Clostridium tetani. The diagnosis was confirmed.

  This was… a tricky case.

  Zheng Ren had been in the medical field for almost ten years inclusive of housemanship, but he had never seen or even heard of tetanus before this.

  According to standard medical procedure, every trauma patient would be given an intramuscular injection of tetanus toxoid, but this was his first time witnessing an actual case of acute C. tetani infection.

  Zheng Ren vaguely remembered a short explanation for treatment of tetanus in an inconspicuous corner of the surgery textbook.

  Even so… He was reluctant to take over the case due to inexperience.

  "Chief Physician Pan, have you treated tetanus before?" asked Zheng Ren.

  Old Chief Physician Pan shook his head and said, "I'm going to make a phone call and request a multidisciplinary consultation. Relevant departments will handle this case afterward."

  He began to make the necessary arrangements.

  The family member's confidence slowly faded away after listening to their conversation. He helplessly stood at the head of the bed and stared at his zombie-like mother before shifting his gaze to Zheng Ren, who wore a solemn expression. His quivering lips parted ways, but words failed to leave his throat.

  A senior nurse quietly walked into the room and tried her best to maintain her composure as she measured the patient's blood pressure and other vital signs.

  They were normal, just like any ordinary human being.

  Zheng Ren was also aware that the most dangerous element of such cases was not hemorrhagic shock or other typical life-threatening scenarios.

  It was the generalized muscle spasms.

  When it reached the patient's respiratory system, she would instantly lose her ability to breathe.

  Soon…

  Death would occur…

  A few minutes later, senior consultants and deputy senior consultants of relevant departments arrived one after another.

  Even these clinically experienced senior consultants and professors agreed that this was a tricky case.

  None of them were willing to handle the treatment of such a rare disease.

  This was a burden on oneself and the patient.

  The diagnosis was evident and indisputable.

  However, none of them had seen or had any experience in this case, so when it came to treatment, everyone shook their head, sighed and left.

  "Do you know how to treat this?" Old Chief Physician Pan had no choice but to ask Zheng Ren.

  "It's in the book. I can give it a try," answered Zheng Ren.

  "Send the patient to the emergency ward, and let me know if you need anything else." Old Chief Physician Pan finally made up his mind and said, "I'll personally counsel the patient's family."

  Zheng Ren immediately called Su Yun and asked him to prepare a single room with thickened curtains in a quiet l
ocation.

  Su Yun was competent enough to perform his task straight away without inquiring about the reason behind such c.u.mbersome requirements.

  Zheng Ren received a call in less than ten minutes stating that the room was fully prepared.

  Before escorting the patient, he layered several pieces of sterile gauze like a thick towel and placed them on her eyes to prevent bright light from agitating them.

  Old Chief Physician Pan cleared the path in advance by doing everything he could to quieten the way.

  An elevator was waiting for the stretcher trolley thanks to a family member. There would be no time wasted waiting on the way to the emergency ward.

  The patient was successfully transferred from the resuscitation room to the emergency ward within three minutes.

  "The patient is infected with Clostridium tetani. Prepare an intravenous infusion of 500mL of normal saline and 3000u of tetanus toxoid, once per day. Perform a skin test before starting the infusion," Zheng Ren instructed.

  Chang Yue was taken aback. An intravenous infusion of tetanus toxoid? This was the first time she had heard of this technique, as it was usually injected subcutaneously or intramuscularly.

  However, her training drove her to obey the command.

  "500mL of normal saline plus 8 million units of penicillin for infusion, once per day," Zheng Ren stared at the patient and continued.

  Chang Yue meticulously recorded every instruction he gave.

  "Su Yun, contact the ICU and request a ventilator. Also, prepare a sterile pack of tracheostomy equipment, it might be necessary."

  Su Yun nodded in response.

  He would not waste time on nonsense during an emergency rescue.

  "The curtains must be closed and the patient's eyes covered with a towel at all times. Try not to talk while in the room and limit all noise outside the ward."

  Patients suffering from tetanus had an increased sensitivity to light and sound. Therefore, any optical or auditory stimulation could precipitate spasms and generalized convulsions that could spiral out of control.

  "Use a bed fixation strap to secure all the patient's limbs, but be careful not to cause any harm or ischemia in her extremities.

  "Let one family member stay in the room and stand by for twenty-four hours."

  That was all he could think of at the moment. Zheng Ren then left the room after all his instructions were softly delivered.

  He had done all he could for this rare disease, and the rest… depended solely upon fate.

  An accurate diagnosis and proper treatment plans were only part of the therapy.

  After spending a considerable amount of time in the medical field, all doctors and nurses began to believe in fate.

  Fate was indeed very important.

  Some patients could be on the brink of death but somehow fully recover, like a c.o.c.kroach.

  On the other hand, some patients looked perfectly fine and even completed their hospital discharge in person, but collapsed as soon as they left the hospital.

  These rare occasions were not unprecedented.

  Zheng Ren could only do everything within his power to treat the patient with such a rare disease, but no one could guarantee the results.

  When the others had left the room and busied themselves with their appointed tasks, Zheng Ren quietly stood in front of the bed and observed the patient's condition in the dark.

  Her muscle spasms were visibly reduced following the removal of light and sound.

  'Luck will be on our side if she doesn't end up with respiratory arrest,' Zheng Ren thought.

  A nurse hung up the bottle of tetanus toxoid after it had been fully prepared. However, she was having difficulty cannulating the vein in this pitch-black room.

  Zheng Ren took over the cannula and brushed his finger over the back of the patient's hand, trying to locate a vein. Then, he blindly plunged the needle through the skin into the vessel and noticed a flashback of blood.

  He had no idea whether it was due to his imagination or the drug, but the patient's generalized muscle spasms seemed to reduce following the infusion.

  Half an hour later, the patient's condition stabilized.

  Su Yun pushed a ventilator over with a white sterile cover on it, and Zheng Ren instantly knew that the tracheostomy equipment had finally been delivered.

  Even if the patient developed acute respiratory failure, she would not be lost.

  Zheng Ren sighed in relief upon realizing that most of the danger had passed.

  After leaving the ward, he returned to the office and saw Chang Yue counseling the family regarding the patient's condition.

  She looked serious as she explained the situation to them in detail, and they understood fully after listening to her for a while. Then, he returned to his desk and turned on the computer, trying to come up with a contingency plan for any unforeseen events that could arise with this patient.

  The phone suddenly rang loudly.

  "Reduce the ringtone volume of every nearby phone," said Zheng Ren, before looking for a secluded spot to answer the call.

  "Chief Zheng, Chief Zheng, look out the window," said a doctor on duty in the emergency department on the other end.

  Huh? What was there to see outside?

  Zheng Ren stood up and walked to the window.

  There was a crowd surrounding a man outside the Sea City General Hospital emergency building.

  The man in the middle was holding a big, red silk banner high up in the air; unlike ordinary silk banners, it had many words written on it: Xinglin Master Who Can Revive The Dying.

  What the hell was this?

  Chapter 128 - Who Cares!

  "What is he holding?" asked Zheng Ren.

  "A silk banner embroidered with words related to the successful rescue operation of the patient with heavy postpartum hemorrhage last night. That man… is probably her family member."

  Uh… Zheng Ren looked closer at the commotion. Generally, silk banners would be directly delivered to the department to be hung up or buried in a corner.

  If the silk banner was meant to express sincere gratitude, it would be hung on a visible location so that everyone could read it.

  However, the man standing in front of the Sea City General Hospital emergency building was holding the silk banner up with both hands…

  Was that not exhausting?

  Zheng Ren vaguely noticed the shaky arms, the bruises on the disheartened man's face.

  A short distance away stood a few familiar figures who kept themselves within the man's field of vision.

  There were a few noticeable but mild injuries on them as well.

  Zheng Ren smirked when he recalled the nightmare last night. Then, he returned to his seat and began to formulate a resuscitation plan.

  He had no d.e.s.i.r.e to deal with those sc.u.mbags in the slightest.

  "Yo? You look calm," said Su Yun, quickly glancing at the scene before sitting behind Zheng Ren and focusing on his phone.

  "What do you want me to do? Rush down there and join in the fun?"

  "I thought you'd be waving your hands in excitement and maybe give thanks to the person who helped you." Su Yun remembered something and stood up abruptly, adding, "I'm going to take photos of it and post them on Weibo and my social media."

  "What for?"

  "What if it's useful? It's better to take the initiative and gain the upper hand first."

  Su Yun had no d.e.s.i.r.e to explain his intentions in detail to the blockhead and leisurely walked out of the office to the emergency ward.

  When the elevator reached the lobby on the first floor, the doors slid open to nearly a hundred people watching the hustle and bustle outside the building.

  The Chinese really loved busy environments, just as the ancients used to say.

  Su Yun slowly walked out of the emergency building with his cell phone in hand.

  The man in the middle was hiding his face behind the silk banner, likely due to embarrassment. Thus, Su Yun was un
able to identify which one of the troublemakers from the mess in the obstetric department earlier had been assigned this task.

  The silk banner was densely embroidered with many words to clearly summarize the events of last night. However, the part where the patient's family had abandoned her with heavy postpartum bleeding and subsequently returned to raise a medical dispute was left out. In its place was some fabrication about how they had gone to gather money while the surgeon had been competent and kind enough to save the patient in time.

  The words were embroidered rather than written on the silk banner.

  No one knew who this hard work was meant for.

  Su Yun's lips curled into a sneer. What darkness loomed beneath the bright and beautiful world? Nobody knew.

  Just like these onlookers; perhaps they were touched by that fool Zheng Ren, but who knew what had actually happened?

  However, it was good enough for everything to go back on track.

  Zheng Ren was worthy of a silk banner or a letter of gratitude.

  Su Yun used his phone to snap photos of this "precious" scene from several angles.

  The yellow-toothed, tattooed man was squatting and smoking nearby with bruises visible on the corners of his eyes and lips.

  Su Yun's heart swelled with indescribable schadenfreude after stealing a peek at him.

  It seemed like the person who helped Zheng Ren had good control of their own actions. These professional troublemakers had been beaten, but the injuries were not serious enough to hospitalize them.

  Potential liability to the hospital had been avoided and the issue had been successfully resolved. The helper indeed had an extremely good sense of propriety.

  Su Yun held a high regard for such people.

  The joy in his smile intensified as he understood the situation perfectly. Then, he selected a photo with the best view to upload to social media and Weibo.

  …

  …

  In a newspaper office in Sea City, Wei Feng had been busy creating a draft through the night.

  Ever since his graduation from the Communication University of China, he had applied for countless jobs, but all of them had rejected him. Left with no choice, he had returned to his hometown in Sea City, disheartened.

  It was very difficult for an undergraduate to find a stable job in an established newspaper firm.