Chapter 385: Still One More

"Keep looking." Lu Gang interrupted the Respiratory Medicine Department director.

"Old Lu." The Respiratory Medicine Department director did not continue speaking, but instead mouthed the words, communicating silently with Lu Gang.

Judging by the lip movements, the Respiratory Medicine Department director's meaning was likely to quit while ahead.

Because the Bronchoscope had already reached the end of the main airway, the risk was very high if it went any further; once airway spasms occurred, a perfectly successful procedure would turn into an emergency rescue.

Furthermore, the Respiratory Medicine Department director did not believe that two Adalat shells could be in the Patient's airway, so she still firmly suggested quitting while ahead.

"Teacher, may I take a look?" Ji Xiang asked in a low voice.

"Has Doctor Xiao Ji never seen a Bronchoscope?" the Respiratory Medicine Department director said with a chuckle.

Because the Adalat shell had been retrieved and the Patient's "root cause" found, she was in a quite good mood.

"I saw a teacher operate it during my internship, but I haven't handled it myself."

"You can take a look, but this Patient's procedure is relatively difficult, so I won't let you try." The Respiratory Medicine Department director was measured in her actions; she blocked Ji Xiang's retreat in advance.

"Thank you, Teacher." Ji Xiang took the Bronchoscope, "Teacher, the Patient still has a lot of phlegm."

"I'm suctioning it now." The Respiratory Medicine Department director taught earnestly, "Phlegm blockage in similar Patients will cause very serious Pneumonia. You know about the 'last fracture of one's life,' right?"

"I know."

"Most of it is caused by long-term bed rest, complicated by hypostatic Pneumonia and the Patient's declining immunity. You in the Orthopedics Department and the Neurology and Neurosurgery Department see relatively more such Patients."

"What should we do when we encounter this situation, Teacher?" Ji Xiang's Bronchoscope didn't move much; instead, he operated the Suction tube to clean out all the Patient's phlegm.

Seeing that Ji Xiang knew the rules, the Respiratory Medicine Department director nodded inwardly, her favor for this young man increasing greatly.

"First of all, it depends on whether the Family Member is attentive." The Respiratory Medicine Department director's eyes were fixed on Ji Xiang's hands; she was not careless, worried that Ji Xiang might mess things up. As long as the Bronchoscope in Ji Xiang's hand moved a little further down, she would take over.

"Family Members who take attentive care of the Patient can extend the Patient's life for a long time and improve their quality of life. I have seen a Patient bedridden for ten years who, under the attentive care of their Family Member, had no hypostatic Pneumonia, no bedsores, and was glowing with health."

"But to be honest, that is quite difficult; I've only seen one such case. The vast majority of Patients are very... sloppy."

The Respiratory Medicine Department director used "sloppy" to describe it; it didn't sound appropriate, but the Doctors and Nurses present all felt it was simply too vivid.

Sloppy—this word could indeed accurately describe long-term bedridden Patients.

"But there are relatively few such Family Members." Ji Xiang said calmly, "Teacher, the phlegm is mostly suctioned out, take a look."

The Respiratory Medicine Department director took the Bronchoscope, and when her gaze landed on the surgical site, she was suddenly stunned.

Another Adalat shell appeared in the surgical site!

How could this be!

The Respiratory Medicine Department director stared blankly at that Adalat shell, feeling somewhat at a loss.

"Tang Zhuren, what are you doing?" Seeing the Respiratory Medicine Department director frozen there, Lu Gang's heart stirred, sensing that something had happened.

"Lu... Old Lu... there really is another Adalat... shell." The Respiratory Medicine Department director replied, stuttering.

Sure enough!

Lu Gang was not happy, but instead scanned Ji Xiang with the corner of his eye.

Yet, he did not see Ji Xiang in his peripheral vision.

The Respiratory Medicine Department director hesitated for a moment, then immediately began to operate, using forceps to clamp out the other Adalat shell.

Even until she clamped the shell out and saw it with her own eyes being removed from the body, she still couldn't believe it.

It was already rare for Adalat to enter the trachea and cause airway obstruction; it was even rarer to have two Adalat shells in one side of the airway.

"Doctor Xiao Ji, how did you see it?"

"See what?" Ji Xiang asked in return.

The Respiratory Medicine Department director was momentarily speechless.

Could it just be a coincidence? That Ji Xiang happened to discover the other Adalat shell while suctioning phlegm.

That couldn't be it either; when she checked with the Bronchoscope just now, although phlegm obstructed the view, she shouldn't have missed such a large shell.

However, Ji Xiang flatly denied it, and she found herself speechless for a moment.

The Respiratory Medicine Department director was stunned for a few seconds, but she didn't dwell on how this had happened. Seeing the Patient's blood oxygen saturation rise again, she began to operate the Bronchoscope to go back and thoroughly suction the phlegm, looking for any remaining foreign objects.

A few minutes later, the phlegm was completely suctioned clean, and the Patient's condition was significantly relieved. Although the blood oxygen saturation was not at 100%, that was because the Patient had Pneumonia.

After removing the foreign object, the Patient would definitely get better bit by bit; the Respiratory Medicine Department director was confident in this.

She picked up the Adalat shell with Gauze, preparing to explain things to the Family Member.

The Respiratory Medicine Department director looked at Ji Xiang and said to Lu Gang with a smile, "Old Lu, you go and talk to the Family Member."

"It's a Patient from your department, why should I go and talk?" Lu Gang refused Tang Zhuren's kindness, waved his hand, smoothed the strand of hair on his head, and turned to leave.

"Don't forget to write the consultation note!" the Respiratory Medicine Department director reminded.

Lu Gang didn't speak. Once he and Ji Xiang were out of the Respiratory Medicine Department, he asked suspiciously, "Xiao Ji, I didn't see you operate the Bronchoscope, how did you find the other Adalat shell?"

"I don't know, I just suctioned the phlegm." Ji Xiang replied "calmly."

Was he supposed to tell Lu Gang that he had tried more than 20 times in the System Operating Room to discover the Adalat shell with the smallest movement? Don't joke.

So, playing dumb was the best choice.

Lu Gang knew a bit about Ji Xiang's temperament; seeing that he wouldn't say, he didn't ask further.

Just as they were about to return to the department, Lu Gang remembered that Director Liu was still waiting for him and Ji Xiang.

"Xiao Ji, don't take it to heart that the provincial natural science review failed today; you are still young, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future." Lu Gang comforted him.

He knew about the change in the provincial natural science review standards and felt a bit regretful, but he didn't think it was that important.

Youth is capital, and in this regard, Ji Xiang's capital was very substantial.

This time he was unlucky, but in a year, or two at most, he would definitely be approved for the provincial natural science grant.

"Teacher Lu, the provincial natural science grant has already been approved, don't you know?" Ji Xiang replied.

Lu Gang was not happy, but his expression tightened. He frowned and asked, "Did Bai Chuzhang force it through for you? If it doesn't meet the national red line, even if you passed the provincial natural science review, there will definitely be hidden dangers later. Bai Chuzhang is cautious his whole life, how could he be so reckless!"

"No, it's because I met the review qualifications. Just this morning, *The Lancet* released a supplement containing the article I submitted. According to the selection rules, Zhao Ge's hard requirements were met, so."

Ji Xiang said, shrugging his shoulders as if he were talking about what he had eaten for lunch, his tone indifferent.

"!!!"

(End of chapter)