Chapter 637: Extreme

The injury process was not long, and the subsequent examination process was also glossed over in the animation.

Movie-grade animation is very expensive and certainly wouldn't be used on this—because the audience has zero interest in it.

The screen displayed the text "13 days later," and the Patient was wheeled into the operating room for a Hybrid Surgery.

Under general anesthesia, a Local angiography was performed first to clearly identify the position of the capillaries.

"13 days, that really is a long time."

"An average person wouldn't take this long; I suspect the medical team secretly shading Neymar's distrust of Xiao Ji delayed the time," said Bai Chuzhang. "They sought the best treatment plan but delayed the optimal timing, resulting in increased surgical difficulty."

"Eh? Lao Bai, you understand this surgery?" Liu Zhuren asked in confusion.

"Xiao Ji just told me."

"..."

In the animation, the angiography ended.

At this moment, another image overlapped with the angiography, which was the slice CT scan done previously.

Through image overlay, the audience could clearly see the capillaries that had proliferated on the Achilles Tendon fascia within 13 days.

There were even two capillaries that had grown into the interior of the Achilles Tendon, causing hyperplasia.

A Scalpel appeared under the shadowless lamp, and the operator made a longitudinal incision about 10cm long along the medial or lateral edge of the Achilles Tendon.

The process of the blade cutting the skin was omitted.

Everyone understood; no blood could be shown, no blood could be shown—this was the norm.

That the surgical process could appear on screen at all was already a result of the production team putting in countless hours of work.

After cutting through the subcutaneous and peritendinous tissues, the operator cleared the local hematoma, revealing the two ruptured ends of the Achilles Tendon.

Here, the operator did not rush to perform the Achilles Tendon Repair, nor did they simply and crudely cut away the hyperplastic parts, but instead patiently peeled away the hyperplastic capillaries and connective tissue bit by bit.

"Lao Bai, is it useful for Xiao Ji to do this?" Liu Zhuren asked in confusion.

"It should be useful; otherwise, with so many extra blood vessels, the post-operative Achilles Tendon hyperplasia would definitely be severe. Although there won't be much hyperplastic tissue and only capillaries are supplying blood, this is the Achilles Tendon," said Bai Chuzhang.

Liu Zhuren was half-doubting, while Ding Laoban listened in total bewilderment.

In the animation, the operator peeled and excised all the hyperplastic capillaries and the minimal amount of connective tissue from the two ends of the ruptured Achilles Tendon.

The whole process looked very simple, but Bai Chuzhang was convinced that the operator must have used a Microscope and was performing an Orthopedics Department surgery using Microsurgery techniques.

General Orthopedics Department surgeries are relatively rough, using adzes, chisels, axes, and saws; it sounds like home renovation. Since when did they start using a Microscope? Bai Chuzhang curled his lip, slightly disdainful.

Neurosurgery, the department at the very top of the contempt chain; the only department that can mutually despise Neurosurgery is Cardiac Surgery. Aside from that, all other departments are just little brothers.

After carefully peeling and excising the hyperplastic tissue, the operator flexed the Patient's knee joint by 30° to reduce tension.

The Patient's Achilles Tendon was ruptured at the insertion point; the operator used a Hand drill to drill a bone hole obliquely from the upper rear of the calcaneus downwards, and enlarged its upper part.

Subsequently, they used a Number 7 Suture to perform an "8"-shaped suture on the proximal end of the Achilles Tendon, placed an extraction Number 7 Suture, then passed the Number 7 Suture through the bone hole of the calcaneus to exit the sole skin, and fixed the Number 7 Suture to a Button in the plantar flexion position.

"Isn't steel wire supposed to be used here? Can a single Number 7 Suture work? I don't think even double 7s could hold the tension," asked Liu Zhuren.

"Isn't this supposed to be a direct suture? Why are they drilling holes?" asked Ding Laoban.

Their knowledge bases were different, so the questions they asked were different.

Bai Chuzhang watched the screen without blinking and said calmly, "To reduce trauma, Xiao Ji chose a Number 7 Suture, which is why no steel wire was used. Steel wire is sturdy, yes, but it's too crude."

"The trauma is indeed smaller, but a Number 7 Suture isn't sturdy either."

"I reckon Xiao Ji knows what he's doing."

"Bai Chuzhang, didn't they say it was just a couple of stitches? Why all this steel wire and hole-drilling? I don't see how this surgery is 'minor' at all," Ding Laoban asked curiously.

"Because the tension is too high; this is also one of the main reasons for impaired motor function after an Achilles Tendon Rupture. In normal locations, you can't even call a Number 7 Suture sturdy, but with a rupture at the insertion point, the tension between the two ends is too great; you can only use steel wire."

"But you know that steel wire stuff; it will definitely cause some collateral damage... I didn't expect Xiao Ji's methods to be so extreme."

Bai Chuzhang explained briefly, not caring whether Ding Laoban understood or not, and continued to focus on the animation.

The animation explained it quite clearly: the rupture site was sutured and fixed, and there was even a "microscopic" animation segment.

The tip of the suture needle in the operator's hand traveled through the fibrous connective tissue; under microscopic observation, the connective tissue was not connected together but resembled a dense forest.

Even the finest suture needle appeared incredibly thick in between, like an alien giant beast.

Yet this alien giant beast did not go on a rampage; I don't know what technique the operator used, but this "alien giant beast" moved gently through the jungle.

The damage caused by the needle and thread to the Achilles Tendon connective tissue was minimal.

Bai Chuzhang even noticed that the path taken by the rough Suture was somewhat strange; the operator's goal was very clear—to minimize damage to the Achilles Tendon fiber tissue.

But how did he do it?

Bai Chuzhang watched for a long time but still didn't understand.

He felt little interest and didn't even have the urge to call Ji Xiang to find the answer, because Bai Chuzhang knew that even if Ji Xiang didn't hold back and told him everything, he still wouldn't understand.

The surgery ended just like that, "simply."

The affected limb was immobilized post-operatively, and the time was fast-forwarded; when the post-operative date marker reached 12 days, the Patient attempted to walk under the guidance of a Doctor.

Seeing this, Bai Chuzhang's heart suddenly hung in the air.

The doubt brought about by the Number 7 Suture was still there, and the time was still short—only 12 days had passed; could it work?

Even with steel wire suturing, it usually takes about 4 weeks before a Patient can attempt activity.

Yet Ji Xiang had simultaneously reduced surgical trauma and shortened the Patient's recovery cycle.

This approach was simply too radical!

So radical that Bai Chuzhang couldn't accept it.

In the animation, the Patient's recovery was excellent; they tentatively started walking and accepted a scientific rehabilitation training plan.

Because the time was short, the muscle tissue of the Patient's affected limb had not atrophied that severely, making recovery relatively easier.

Even after understanding the surgical process, Bai Chuzhang still harbored doubts about it.

After all, the subsequent rehabilitation stage was just an animation, not Neymar's actual state, and it didn't necessarily mean the surgery was a success.

"The production team is too irresponsible," Liu Zhuren said with a frown. "If Neymar's post-operative recovery is unsatisfactory, wouldn't that mean making Xiao Ji take the blame? They are roasting Xiao Ji over a fire just for the sake of ratings."

Bai Chuzhang nodded slightly.

He watched this episode of the program feeling deeply worried, unlike the previous episodes where he could still offer a critique after watching.

Ji Xiang's "new" surgical technique was like walking a tightrope; one slip and the surgery would fail.

(End of this chapter)