Famous Among Top Surgeons in the 90s
Chapter 320 - Chapter 320 【320】What to do about surgeries that other

Chapter 320: [(320)] What to do about surgeries that other hospitals refuse to perform? Chapter 320: [(320)] What to do about surgeries that other hospitals refuse to perform? The situation was chaotic, almost akin to an emergency surgery. Xie Wanying’s mind quickly engaged, organizing her thoughts for the task at hand.

As she moved a chair over and began to tidy up the items on the table, Tan Kelin observed her calm and collected actions, thinking that she seemed to have moved past that previous incident, whereas he had not.

In Xie Wanying’s mind, there was only the task. Attending outpatient clinics with a teacher was a form of training for medical students. Being a doctor wasn’t easy; besides learning the techniques, one needed the right mindset. Understanding and controlling the patient’s diagnosis and treatment process according to the doctor’s thinking was something one had to grasp on their own.

“Call in the first patient,” with time pressing, Tan Kelin ordered.

Picking up the first file from the mountain of medical records, Xie Wanying walked to the door and called the patient’s name: “Liu Yazhen.”

“Here!” Two family members assisting an elderly lady came forward.

The patient and her family members entered the consultation room, Xie Wanying locked the door, and placed the medical file back in front of her teacher.

With a rustle, Tan Kelin flipped through the pages of the file while asking the patient and their family members, “Have you sought treatment at other hospitals?”

“Yes. First at the Municipal Sixth, then General Air Hospital, and later at Xuanwu Hospital. The doctors at Xuanwu Hospital said that if we were to proceed with this surgery, it would be best to consult with you, Dr. Tan. The previous doctors said only you could operate on my mom,” the patient’s two sons recounted their search for medical treatment, “My mom is in her nineties this year. The doctors said she has lived long enough and advised against putting her through the ordeal of surgery.”

The doctors from the previous hospitals had made it clear, so what exactly did the patient and her family want?

“My mom and we all hope to witness a family of five generations,” said the sons of the patient. “Without the surgery, my mom might not survive another two months. But if she undergoes the procedure, you doctors say that medical science is advancing and new technology might emerge. Maybe then, my mom could live even longer.”

The patient had a massive intestinal tumor within her body; without surgery, she could face an intestinal obstruction. A complete blockage would be fatal. However, the concerns of the previous hospital’s doctors were valid.

Given her advanced age, the anesthesiology department might not be able to administer anesthesia safely. Moreover, her cardiovascular and pulmonary functions were not optimal.

Xie Wanying glanced at the old lady and noticed her lips were slightly cyanotic, indicating a possible state of hypoxia, likely due to the tumor or already compromised heart and lung function.

The previous hospital’s doctors were right to advise against surgery. Such an ordeal would be painful for an elderly person; surgery would leave scars.

The laypeople didn’t understand, thinking that removing the tumor would resolve the issue. They didn’t realize that wound healing is a major problem for elderly patients. The natural aging process, cell senescence, and slow metabolism could lead to slow healing and many complications.

Taking on such a patient meant difficult surgery and even more difficult postoperative management. Most doctors would prefer not to take the case. Accepting it would mean the doctor was in for a tough time.

Yet the patient and her family were desperate to prolong her life, even if only for a little longer. Their wishes were strong. What should a doctor do? This situation turned into lower-level hospitals pushing patients to higher-level hospitals, or equivalent-level hospitals recommending patients to renowned doctors within the circle.

Doctors are supposed to assume countless risks. Especially prominent doctors, like those at Guoxie, who are seen as a last resort for the people of the nation–when other hospital doctors are unwilling to shoulder the burden, can Guoxie doctors take it on?

There was a shimmer in the old lady’s eyes, either from tears or something else. In any case, if the doctors here also said no and couldn’t perform the surgery, she really would have no choice but to wait for death.

Do elderly patients not have the right to continue living?

“Doctor, I beg you, would you please perform the surgery on my mother?” the patient’s two sons implored with choked voices.