Surgery Godfather
Chapter 1131 - 906: Just Short of a Thread_2

Chapter 1131: Chapter 906: Just Short of a Thread_2

These are issues we must confront head on. Medical treatments are a double-edged sword; while we harness one edge for healing, we must also investigate the injuries caused by the other edge.

Regarding the impact of metal implants on the human body, as early as 1973, Dr. Coleman reported in the "British Medical Journal" (BMJ) elevated blood and urine levels of cobalt and chromium after total metal hip replacements, pointing out the urgent need to study the long-term effects of chromium accumulation in the body. This marked the beginning of formal medical research into the impact of metal implant particles or ion release on the human body, and since then, doctors have continuously published articles on this topic.

Cobalt poisoning is not only seen in artificial joints but sometimes also occurs in patients with dental implants because some implants contain cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys. Excessive wear can expose the cobalt metal inside, leading to cobalt toxicity.

Under conditions of vitamin B12 deficiency, protein and alcohol intake, the symptoms of cobalt poisoning become more pronounced, especially in patients with alcohol dependency.

Cobalt enters the bloodstream and circulates throughout the body, damaging various organ systems such as the nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, digestive system, thyroid, lymphatic system, etc., thereby causing a range of symptoms.

There are so many symptoms that, without the key clue of a hip replacement, it would be difficult to suspect a disease presenting with so many symptoms.

Time is limited, and Yang Ping briefly chats with everyone.

Afterward, several departments presented difficult cases. With Yang Ping’s "lead thread theory" as a guide, the young doctors were much bolder and more active in facing these challenging cases, paying very serious attention to the medical records and often asking the presenter many questions.

In one puzzling case from the Department of Gastroenterology, a standardized training student, relying on superficial multidisciplinary knowledge, caught onto a detail everyone else had overlooked, successfully deduced the diagnosis, to the presenter’s great surprise.

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After the meeting, it was already evening in China, but morning had just begun in Germany. Song Zimo and Xu Zhiliang briefly reported on the previous day’s activities via video.

Zhang Lin and Little Five’s surgeries were not yet finished. Through the experiences of these past days, their surgery speed had improved; they were now capable of performing four to five surgeries a day. After accumulating some experience as chief surgeons, they had made slight improvements in expertise, and their confidence had grown significantly.

Doctor Li Min was making a phone call in the changing room, looking very anxious. Yang Ping had no idea what had happened.

"Professor Yang, may I take a week off?"

Li Min put down the phone and asked Yang Ping in a pleading tone.

Yang Ping guessed that something might have happened to Li Min’s family, "Is there anything wrong? Can we help you in some way?"

Li Min, looking very anxious, said, "Last night after completing an emergency surgery, our elderly director suffered an acute herniated lumbar disc. He experienced sciatic pain on the left side all night and even a shot of pethidine didn’t help. I need to rush back and check on him."

While Li Min was furthering his studies, the elderly director had been bearing back pain, carrying out all the surgeries in the hospital on his own. The younger doctors lacked sufficient work experience and were completely unable to perform surgeries; they struggled even with the most basic tasks. Whenever Li Min called the elderly director, he would insist he was fine, saying he felt spirited, with no back pain or numbness in his legs.

However, when Li Min called the elderly director yesterday, he sensed something was off in his voice, but the elderly director still maintained that he was fine.

Doubtful, Li Min called other colleagues at the hospital early in the morning. They told him the elderly director had suffered from sciatic pain for several days, writhing in bed every night. In the last few days, he had relied entirely on pethidine for pain relief. He had not slept at all last night, and despite receiving a shot of pethidine, it was ineffective, and this morning he was still performing surgeries while dragging one leg.

"Did he use mannitol and dexamethasone?"

Li Min knew that whenever the elderly director had an episode, he would self-medicate with dehydrating agents and steroids to get by.

"He’s used them, but it’s still no use. I just went to see him, and he was biting on a towel in agony. We advised him to go for a check-up in the county, but he refused," said the colleague, also clearly worried.

Li Min was very anxious about the elderly director’s health and wanted to take a few days off to go back. As Yang Ping entered, Li Min mustered the courage to ask him for leave.

"How long has your Elderly Director been suffering from a herniated disc? What examinations has he undergone? Has he had a CT or MRI scan?"

Yang Ping felt the need to ask a few more questions.

Li Min shook his head, "Our hospital only has an X-ray machine. He’s only had an X-ray, which indicated multiple vertebral hyperostosis, with narrowing at lumbar 4/5 and lumbar 5/sacral 1 spaces."

The situation might be more complicated than it seemed. Even if Li Min returned, given the medical conditions in the mountain area, it probably wouldn’t make much difference. Yang Ping thought for a moment and said, "Li Min, don’t go back for now. Your Elderly Director should have a thorough examination. I’ll arrange for an ambulance to pick him up from there and bring him to our hospital for treatment."

This was certainly the best option, but Li Min had to return—the hospital was nearly empty without the Elderly Director there, and the few young doctors were incapable of doing much. He had to go back and take charge.

"But I still need to go back—the hospital has only me and the Elderly Director as experienced hands; the rest are newcomers who can’t consult patients yet."

Li Min was quite troubled. This was the awkward situation of remote rural hospitals—any young doctor who acquired some skills would leave, either by pulling connections to transfer to a town or richer village, or simply quitting to work elsewhere.

Yang Ping thought the matter was easy to handle, "How about this? I’ll send two doctors to your place to fill in for a while. You come with the ambulance to pick up the Elderly Director, and the doctors I send to cover for you will go with the ambulance too."

It wasn’t easy for Li Min to get a learning opportunity, and Yang Ping didn’t want to delay him, besides, he couldn’t solve the issue by going back anyway.

When Li Min heard Professor Yang’s arrangement, he was very grateful. If it could be done this way, there was nothing to complain about. The Elderly Director had been sick for so many years; despite being a doctor himself, he had never been properly examined. Whenever his condition flared up, he would just endure it and rely on a few painkillers to get by. Being able to bring him here for a systematic examination and treatment was definitely a good thing.

"Thank you, Professor Yang!" Doctor Li Min was touched.

"It’s nothing. Let me think who to send," said Yang Ping, considering candidates for the rural support assignment.

Zhang Lin and Little Five were tied up at the moment. It wouldn’t be appropriate to send only one, as it would significantly decrease their effectiveness if they were separated.

Yang Ping thought about it. Xia Shushuo had studied cardiology for both his master’s and doctorate, while Dr. Jin and Dr. Wen had both studied orthopedics. All three of them, not to mention gynecological surgery, might not even manage general surgery operations.

The more specialized a doctorate, the more focused the technical expertise within a narrow area, so sending them to a township hospital was not feasible. Patients there might not be complex or difficult to manage, but they would be varied.

It was necessary to find someone who had undergone systematic training at the Surgical Research Institute. Li Guodong was a good choice; although young and still a resident, he had at least been trained in surgical research.

Yes, send Li Guodong. He had participated in almost all types of operations at the Trauma Emergency Center, and having completed preliminary training in each specialty at the Surgical Research Institute, he was fully capable of independently managing work in a township hospital or even a city-level hospital.

Immediately after, Yang Ping put on his scrub suit and went with Li Min to the operating room, where Li Guodong was performing surgery on the operating table.

"Guodong, I have a task for you. There’s an emergency—the Elderly Director at Li Min’s hospital has fallen ill and can’t get out of bed. We are going to bring him to our hospital for treatment. Once the Elderly Director is transferred, their hospital will lack skilled doctors to work, and Li Min cannot return at the moment. So, I plan to send you to Li Min’s hospital to provide medical support. You must leave immediately, and the return time is to be determined. Any problems?" Yang Ping said to Li Guodong.

To someone else, this assignment might be unwelcome, but Li Guodong was very willing inside. Going to the countryside for support? Wouldn’t that be setting up his own practice? Like Zhang Lin and Little Five, he could handle patients independently, perform main surgeries—simple though they may be in a township hospital, it was still an opportunity to lead surgeries on his own.

Besides, Li Guodong was currently single without the commitment of a girlfriend, free to go at a moment’s notice.

"No problem!" Li Guodong immediately agreed.

"Good, I’ll call the emergency department now to dispatch an ambulance. You step down from the operating table right now, let someone else take over the retraction, and set off with Li Min," said Yang Ping, making the decision without hesitation.

Another doctor observing in the operating room immediately began scrubbing in to replace Li Guodong.