Chapter 285: The Scapegoat (Alliance Leader Chou Guoguo's Dad ×5)

The surgery itself isn't difficult; what's difficult is the "unconventional" line of thinking.

After the System NPC finished explaining to Ji Xiang and guided him through a few surgeries, Ji Xiang successfully mastered the technique and was won over by this line of thinking.

So everything Zhao Zhe said was true!

"Back then, medical conditions were still limited, so doctors would rack their brains to use whatever resources and methods were at hand to solve problems; that's how such lines of thinking emerged."

The System NPC explained a few more sentences, and Ji Xiang left the System Operating Room.

"I thought it was some kind of strange tumor at the time, but later the doctor from the Thoracic Surgery Department explained to me that it was a patient who had undergone a Right Total Pneumonectomy thirty years ago, and they had left a ping-pong ball in the thoracic cavity as a filler back then."

"But it seems the technical level has improved now, and they don't use that stuff anymore. When I asked him exactly what had improved, he didn't say..."

"Zhao Yisheng." Bai Chuzhang interrupted Zhao Zhe's rambling, "Tell us how the surgery is performed."

"The surgery is like this." Zhao Zhe snapped back to reality, "It's mainly using a ping-pong ball to prop up the lax vaginal fold, making the surgery simple. Places that were previously impossible to reach or sew tightly can be reached once propped up."

"..."

"..."

Both Bai Chuzhang and Liu Zhuren had expected to hear a detailed surgical process, but they never imagined that the chatterbox Zhao Zhe would only say that much.

"Ahem." Ji Xiang coughed lightly, knowing that Zhao Zhe had only seen the surgery once and it was unlikely he could explain it in detail, so he took over the topic, "The basic principle is as such; as for the specific surgery... I only saw it once during my internship."

"How is it done?" Bai Chuzhang's interest grew significantly.

He seemed to have completely forgotten about the Family Member blocking the door.

"The patient is placed in a supine position, using Continuous Epidural Anesthesia, making an incision from the lower abdomen midline to the pubic symphysis, dissecting the bladder-peritoneal fold, opening the bladder, using a small retractor to pull the bladder open, and exposing the fistula..."

Ji Xiang began to explain the surgery.

In the System Operating Room, Ji Xiang had performed three types of similar surgeries, which, according to the System NPC, basically covered the common Bladder-Vaginal Fistula cases in Clinical practice.

He explained it in great detail, and Bai Chuzhang and Liu Zhuren gradually became engrossed.

Zhao Zhe's mouth hung open, opening wider and wider.

Using a ping-pong ball for surgery was inherently mind-boggling; at the time, the retired doctor had explained the basic principles, everyone discussed it for several days, and in the end, they invited the person back to oversee the operation, taking 5 hours to complete it.

Even though that old Expert had seen and performed it, what he knew seemed to be no more than what Ji Xiang knew, nor as clear as Ji Xiang.

The originally obscure principles seemed to become simple and clear in Ji Xiang's mouth; this youth seemed to possess a natural ability to simplify the complex.

Ten minutes later, Ji Xiang finished explaining the surgical process.

Bai Chuzhang and Liu Zhuren were both inexplicably astonished.

If these words had come from a sixty or seventy-year-old doctor who had experienced that era, they would only be filled with admiration.

Yet, a young man like Ji Xiang was able to speak about an old surgical technique from many years ago with such authority.

Bai Chuzhang pondered; he went over the process Ji Xiang described several times and didn't think there were any problems, at least logically speaking.

"Xiao Ji... Zhao Yisheng, if the surgery were left to you, could you pull it off?" Bai Chuzhang asked.

Zhao Zhe suddenly lost his voice.

Talking and bragging were small matters.

Letting himself go on stage to take over a complex surgery... Zhao Zhe didn't have the guts to accept.

Besides, he was just a visiting doctor, here to do work, not to get entangled in karma.

"Only you and Xiao Ji have seen the surgery." Bai Chuzhang said, "Liu Zhuren, you help oversee the operation; the three of you will go up together."

"Bai Chuzhang, I..." Zhao Zhe said with a hoarse voice.

"The Family Member is still making a scene, and transferring is definitely out of the question; it's a hassle." Bai Chuzhang said irritably, "Bite the bullet and go up. If you pull off the surgery, I'll take the blame if it's not done well; I'm not the type to shirk responsibility in a low-class way. If the patient is discharged in good health..."

As he spoke, he looked deeply at Zhao Zhe, then swept a glance at Ji Xiang, and didn't continue.

Bai Chuzhang and Liu Zhuren gave instructions to prepare for the surgery and then left in a hurry.

After seeing Bai Chuzhang off, Liu Zhuren felt somewhat distressed, "Xiao Ji, Zhao Yisheng, what were you two thinking?"

"Zhuren, what's wrong?" Ji Xiang asked, somewhat puzzled.

"The patient's illness is one thing, but the Family Member is another. Think about it: at the time, because of the difficult labor, the fetus compressed the vagina until it became necrotic during delivery, and they still refused a C-section or an episiotomy. The Family Member simply doesn't understand these things; they are very difficult to communicate with."

However, Liu Zhuren sighed again after saying this, "Do it; there's no other way to solve the problem if you don't. Block the fistula first, and then things will be easier for Bai Chuzhang."

"Are you confident?"

Ji Xiang stood straight, as upright as a poplar tree.

While Zhao Zhe hunched his back, hiding beside Ji Xiang, trying to minimize his surface area to avoid Liu Zhuren's gaze.

"I will go on stage with you; you two do it well." Liu Zhuren said, "Bai Chuzhang also said that if the surgery is pulled off, the benefits will definitely not escape you."

As he spoke, he patted Zhao Zhe.

But Zhao Zhe's shoulders didn't seem to be able to bear the weight; every time he was patted, his body sank an inch. Zhao Zhe didn't want any benefits; he knew his own limits—not being made to take the blame was already the greatest of fortunes.

Liu Zhuren was also helpless, but he continued, "If the surgery is pulled off, you might be able to stay at the Second Affiliated Hospital."

"!!!" Zhao Zhe was startled, his eyes shining.

"I'm guessing; if the surgery goes smoothly and the patient recovers and is discharged, based on my understanding of Bai Chuzhang, he should be able to make this happen."

As he spoke, Liu Zhuren walked to the window and looked at the office building opposite, seemingly forgetting the pie-in-the-sky promise he had just made.

Downstairs, a massive crowd was blocking the entrance to the office building.

"Look, I estimate that even Bai Chuzhang has no way out. The Family Member doesn't mention refusing surgery during the difficult labor, only accusing us of treating human life like grass. They're holding up banners, and the accountability for maintaining stability will come down soon."

"Accountability?" Ji Xiang asked, not understanding.

"Heh." Liu Zhuren sighed; he didn't explain this matter but continued, "There are very few Medical Disputes that Bai Chuzhang can't resolve. If it weren't for you mentioning the ping-pong ball, I wouldn't want to touch this even if I were scolded to a pulp by Dean Sun. It's truly impossible; it's a headache."

"But after you finished speaking, I felt it was logically feasible, so let's give it a try, just consider it helping Bai solve a big problem."

"Zhuren, when is the surgery?" Ji Xiang asked with great enthusiasm.

Liu Zhuren looked at the vibrant Ji Xiang and sighed in his heart: it's good to be young.

Having not experienced Medical Disputes, they don't think about those troublesome things at all, and all their energy is spent on medical care.

Looking at Zhao Zhe again, even after throwing out such a large piece of meat, he had already regained his composure after a brief moment of excitement.

If Ji Xiang hadn't just carefully explained the surgical procedure, Zhao Zhe would likely have preferred not to come to the Second Affiliated Hospital rather than go on stage to perform the surgery and take on this huge burden.

(End of this chapter)