Chapter 793: Acute Appendicitis Brought on by Anger

Dr. Merz watched Wembanyama in silence.

This was the exact situation he had been hoping to see, bar none.

Even if that young Great Demon King's surgery were successful, if Wembanyama went to a small team and failed to produce results, the benefits for the Great Demon King would be significantly reduced.

For himself, he had plenty of room to maneuver. It would be best if he could digest and learn the Great Demon King's surgical technique during this time.

That kid named Wang Dali was indeed lucky; he seized the opportunity of the starters' injuries to rise quickly, to the point of receiving a transfer offer from Manchester City at any cost.

But Wembanyama's luck did not seem to be quite as good.

A ringtone pulled Dr. Merz out of his fantasies.

Wembanyama's phone rang, but he acted as if he didn't hear it, his whole person still immersed in the shock and surprise of being sold, unable to extricate himself.

The young man glanced at his phone in frustration and shook it at his personal Coach.

"Whose call is this?"

Wembanyama's personal Coach took a look and shook his head.

"Hello, yes?" Wembanyama answered the phone.

Instantly!

He froze, his hand stiffened, and his nail beds turned pale.

Dr. Merz even noticed Wembanyama's cast move slightly, as if his limbs' violent physiological electrical reflexes had already broken through the obstruction of the cast.

A woman's voice could be heard vaguely from the phone, but Dr. Merz couldn't hear exactly what was being said.

He really is just a young man; he can have an expression like that while wearing a cast and answering a woman's call, Dr. Merz thought with disdain.

Doesn't Wembanyama know he is currently facing a life-or-death choice? Doesn't he know what being sold to a small-market team in a contract year means for him?

It is possible that a single, extremely minor event could lead to his downfall, and now, with the Green Celtics front office's idea to sell him, this low probability has increased infinitely.

Dr. Merz felt that if it were him, he would definitely use every connection and resource at the first opportunity to fight for a spot on a team capable of contending for the championship.

Instead of wasting precious time flirting with a woman like Wembanyama.

The key was that Wembanyama was clearly a novice; he listened blankly to the woman on the other end of the phone, looking completely oblivious to the romance.

"Victor, who is it?" Wembanyama's personal Coach mouthed, asking tentatively.

"Zhenni Basi," Wembanyama murmured.

When they heard the name spoken by Wembanyama, both Dr. Merz and his personal Coach froze in place.

It wasn't flirting; it was a call from the owner of the Lakers!

Zhenni Basi had actually made a lobbying call directly to Wembanyama, completely disregarding the league's rules!!

Although there are all sorts of prohibitions during such sensitive periods, those are always negotiable.

At most, one just pays a fine; who could really do anything to the Lakers?

Zhenni Basi's desperate actions already demonstrated her desire for Wembanyama.

Dr. Merz stared blankly at Wembanyama, a strange thought crossing his mind—Wembanyama's luck was truly good.

Yes, his luck was very good, and not just ordinarily good.

There is a long-standing blood feud between the yellow and the green, and the Huanglü Dazhan is also one of the traditional spectacles of the NBA.

Getting the Celtics to sell their franchise star to the Lakers is not an easy task. How long has it been since the two teams had a trade? Dr. Merz couldn't even remember.

The reason Wembanyama could be put on the table for discussion was the question of whether or not to believe that Wembanyama could recover.

Clearly, the Lakers wanted to take a gamble, while the Celtics' front office didn't believe it, taking the opportunity to dump the burden onto the Lakers and drain the Lakers' roster and future.

Wembanyama quickly regained his composure and communicated with Zhenni Basi on the other end of the phone.

Through Wembanyama's broken English, Dr. Merz struggled to understand what he was saying—Zhenni Basi was frantically inviting him to join the Lakers.

For this, the Lakers were willing to pay an extremely high price without hesitation.

She was even willing to trade with a bitter rival.

It is not easy to move a rival's front office; he didn't know why Zhenni Basi would want to go all-in.

Could she have been bewitched by the Great Demon King?!

Damn it, Dr. Merz cursed inwardly.

However, he quickly regained his calm; the Lakers had been in a rebuild since LeBron's retirement tour, so they were likely just trying their luck.

Zhenni Basi would definitely fail, definitely!

When Wembanyama hung up the phone, his personal Coach quickly asked, "Victor, what did Ms. Zhenni say?"

"She invited me to the Lakers, saying that as long as I nod, she will personally handle the negotiations with the Celtics."

"!!!"

Although they could have guessed it, when Wembanyama admitted it, it still left everyone inexplicably astonished.

"Great, that's just great!" Wembanyama's personal Coach rubbed his hands in delight.

Dr. Merz was so angry that his whole body was trembling, though he didn't notice it himself.

But then, Dr. Merz felt a wave of pain, in his lower right abdomen; the pain was sharp, like a small knife.

F***!!!

Dr. Merz was stunned; could it be that the damn Acute Appendicitis had come for him?!

Why at a time like this!

However, Dr. Merz immediately felt fortunate; during the emotional fluctuations just now, his heart had actually held up, and if it weren't for the damn Acute Appendicitis waking him up, he might have needed an emergency Stent.

If he were at Massachusetts General Hospital, it wouldn't matter, but Dr. Merz wasn't sure about the medical standards here.

Dr. Merz left the ward immediately, calling the translator to come with him.

"Dr. Merz, is something the matter?" the translator asked cautiously.

Ever since arriving at the Second Affiliated Hospital, he hadn't had much work to do.

Ji Xiang's spoken language was much more authentic than his, especially when communicating with Wembanyama; that English with a thick French accent at the very beginning was truly a headache, but Ji Xiang could understand it.

Later, the two simply communicated in French, so the translator never really had anything to do.

"My stomach hurts," Dr. Merz said to the translator, "Find their doctor to take a look; I suspect it's Acute Appendicitis."

"!!!" The translator scrutinized Dr. Merz's expression, saw him hunched over with a pained look on his face, and, confirming it wasn't a joke, immediately went to find the Resident Chief of the Orthopedics Department.

Xu Leyu hurried over and called Dr. Merz into the dressing room for a physical examination.

Typical positive McBurney's Point tenderness in the right lower quadrant, accompanied by rebound tenderness, and even a bit of muscle guarding.

Xu Leyu felt there was no problem with the diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis, although there were still a few Differential Diagnoses.

He immediately called the Chief Resident of the Gastrointestinal Surgery department for a consultation.

"Chief Xu, who is this?" the Gastrointestinal Chief Resident asked.

"Isn't there an NBA star having surgery with us recently?" Xu Leyu said with a hint of pride, "This is a Sports Medicine Expert from Massachusetts General Hospital, here to learn and exchange with Xiao Ji."

"Tch! What are you so happy about? Does it have anything to do with you?" The Gastrointestinal Chief Resident said sourly, seeing Xu Leyu beam when mentioning Ji Xiang.

Recently, the lot from the Orthopedics and Urology Departments had taken huge advantage; SCI Theses were practically being wholesaled, with everyone getting a copy.

Originally, everyone was about the same, but Xu Leyu had gained several top-tier SCI Theses within a month or two; it was impossible not to be jealous.

For doctors of their age, having one or two more SCI Theses would have an incomparably profound impact on their future.

"Hahaha," Xu Leyu laughed in a low voice, "There's a Patient, be serious. Dr. Merz, the expert from Massachusetts, suddenly has right lower quadrant pain; do you think he needs to be hospitalized?"

"It should be Appendicitis," the Gastrointestinal Chief Resident sighed, "Admit him. I haven't..."

He suddenly hesitated, thought of something, and his eyes lit up.

"Old Xu, there's no translator; you call Xiao Ji to come help out."

Xu Leyu looked at the ready-made translator standing right in front of him, yet the Gastrointestinal Chief Resident claimed there was no translator, and was instantly rendered speechless.

He also understood the little scheme of the Gastrointestinal Chief Resident.

"You have Xiao Ji's number; if you want to call, call him yourself."

"You're being stingy, aren't you?" the Gastrointestinal Chief Resident said, "You are more familiar with him. It's already the Extreme Point; I'm afraid if I make a call, Xiao Ji will take his morning grumpiness out on me."

"Now... forget it, I'll go call Xiao Ji," Xu Leyu glanced at the Gastrointestinal Chief Resident, "What needs to be checked?"

"Same old rules, rule out Urological Calculus and other urinary system diseases first."

Right lower quadrant pain in males could also be Urological Calculus, etc., so it indeed needed to be ruled out.

After admitting Dr. Merz and completing the hospitalization procedures, Ji Xiang walked in with long strides shortly after.

"Chief Xu, you said Dr. Merz is sick?"

"Preliminary diagnosis is Acute Appendicitis," Chief Xu laughed, "Maybe it's a lack of acclimatization."

"Lack of acclimatization" is a broad category that can hold anything; Ji Xiang suddenly remembered a paper saying that lack of acclimatization was likely related to local epidemic bacteria and antibodies.

But Acute Appendicitis was far from this explanation.

"Gastrointestinal Chief Zhao said he wanted you to be the translator; I think he wants to..." Chief Xu said with a smile, leaving the sentence half-finished.

Having taken enough advantage himself, Chief Xu felt a bit embarrassed.

"I'll go take a look," Ji Xiang said, "But it seems a bit hard to write a paper on Acute Appendicitis."

"Hahaha."

Xu Leyu laughed out loud.

If Ji Xiang could write a paper on Acute Appendicitis and publish it in an SCI journal with even a little bit of prestige, he would definitely prostrate himself on the ground in total admiration.

It was simply impossible; Chief Zhao was just looking on greedily and messing around.

Ji Xiang didn't chat much with Xu Leyu and went straight to the Gastrointestinal Surgery department.

Dr. Merz was curled up on the bed in pain, looking like a large shrimp, a boiled one at that.

Seeing Ji Xiang arrive, Dr. Merz's expression was a bit strange, as if he had forgotten the pain for a moment.

"Dr. Merz, is the physical examination all done? Have the tests been done?" Ji Xiang asked.

"I have some thoughts on your medical..."

Dr. Merz only said half a sentence, presumably because a sudden wave of pain brought his words to an abrupt halt.

"What's wrong with our medical care?" Ji Xiang was startled and looked back at Chief Zhao of Gastrointestinal Surgery, "Hello, Teacher Zhao."

"Psh, don't be so formal," Chief Zhao said hurriedly, "Some of the existing test results haven't come back. Although it can be diagnosed as Acute Appendicitis, I feel it's a bit strange and want to do a CT."

"Dr. Merz says it's unnecessary."

Chief Zhao briefly explained the situation.

He then began to "report" the Differential Diagnosis to Ji Xiang as if reporting a patient's condition to a superior doctor.

Acute Appendicitis, Cholecystitis, Acute Pyelonephritis, Urological Calculus, bacterial enteritis or cecitis, and amebic colitis.

Chief Zhao spoke in great detail.

Ji Xiang held the existing test reports and flipped through them.

Preliminary blood tests showed leukocytosis in the acute phase, 14×109/L, elevated C-reactive protein, 39mg/dL, with normal hemoglobin and platelet counts.

Liver and kidney functions were normal, and serum amylase and lipase were not elevated. Urinalysis and microscopic examination were both normal, and stool examination revealed no eggs or cysts.

Clinically, the main focus was ruling out Urological Calculus; Chief Zhao had been quite meticulous, checking even some extremely rare Differential Diagnoses.

Ji Xiang was a bit puzzled.

"Teacher Zhao, since it's been done to this extent, what other questions does Dr. Merz have?" Ji Xiang asked.

"He says too many tests have been done and is demanding emergency surgery."

Ji Xiang knew there was more that Chief Zhao hadn't said.

He didn't ask explicitly, but instead looked up at Chief Zhao.

"Abdominal ultrasound shows uneven hyperechoic mesentery in the right iliac fossa and lumbar region with mild free fluid; the appendix is not visible."

"After all, the appendix wasn't seen, and the Ultrasound is a bit strange, so I want to get a CT scan for him to take a look."

Zhao Zong felt a bit embarrassed and lowered his voice to explain to Ji Xiang.

Ji Xiang held his breath and focused, arriving at the System Operating Room.

Ji Xiang held a reserved attitude regarding the disagreement between Zhao Zong and Dr. Merz.

Perhaps one could say Zhao Zong was too cautious, but what if? So it was best to come to the System Operating Room and ask for the opinion of the system NPC.

Zhao Zong looked at Ji Xiang, and seeing Ji Xiang lost in thought, he shook his head, "I've contacted Professor Sun who is on duty; he'll be here soon. I estimate there will be emergency surgery."

"Still, do a CT," Ji Xiang suddenly said after a brief moment of contemplation. "The Ultrasound didn't see the appendix; who knows what the situation might be."

After saying this, Ji Xiang began to communicate with Dr. Merz.

Zhao Zong stared blankly at Ji Xiang; he never expected that Ji Xiang would actually support him.

In fact, Zhao Zong didn't have any theoretical basis; he just simply wanted to be a bit more cautious, as Dr. Merz was a foreigner after all.

It wasn't that everything had to prioritize foreigners, but Zhao Zong didn't know what kind of trouble they might invite.

A few years ago, a person selling cut-cake got sick, and in the end, there were endless troubles, so Zhao Zong was subconsciously a bit cautious.

But Ji Xiang was very earnestly "helping" him speak.

Zhao Zong then saw Dr. Merz enduring the pain, weakly waving his arms to express his anger and disagreement.

And Ji Xiang was explaining to Dr. Merz with a calm expression.

No wonder publishing an SCI Thesis is as simple as drinking water, eating, or breathing for him; just the spoken language alone made Zhao Zong envious to his very bones.

Zhao Zong could also communicate with Dr. Merz, but when it came to some specific professional terminology and fluency, he was a hundred thousand miles behind Ji Xiang.

"No, no, no!" Dr. Merz said three "no"s firmly to express his point of view.

Ji Xiang had no choice, "Teacher Zhao, you contact your director, and I'll contact Bai Chuzhang."

"!!!"

"Dr. Merz does not agree to a plain CT scan; he believes it is just a simple Acute Appendicitis and requires anti-inflammatory treatment and surgery."

"How about we just do it that way?" Zhao Zong said vaguely.

"Let's contact a superior Doctor; otherwise, it won't be easy to handle if something goes wrong," Ji Xiang said. "Chinese-English bilingual patient communication... shall I do it?"

Zhao Zong broke into a cold sweat.

Still need to write Chinese-English bilingual patient communication?

Is Ji Xiang trying to file a lawsuit with the embassy's diplomatic staff?

It was just a simple Acute Appendicitis, all Clinical evidence pointed very clearly, and he was just seeking caution.

Xiao Ji was speaking up for him, but what he was doing... seemed a bit too intense.

Zhao Zong immediately lost his nerve. Seeing Ji Xiang turn around, he followed, wanting to clarify to Ji Xiang that he was just saying it casually and didn't insist that Dr. Merz must have a Fubu CT.

But he didn't expect that Ji Xiang had already taken out his phone and started making a call.

The contact information appeared clearly on the phone screen—Medical Affairs Department Bai Chuzhang.

Ji Xiang was actually being serious!

He was really calling Bai Chuzhang in the middle of the night... Zhao Zong broke out in a cold sweat.

To Zhao Zong, Bai Chuzhang was a life-taking Yama; who would want to deal with him if they didn't have to?

"Bai Chuzhang, hello, this is Ji Xiang."

"Dr. Merz, who came from Massachusetts General Hospital for observation and study, has fallen ill. The preliminary diagnosis is Acute Appendicitis, which Dr. Merz also agrees with, and he is requesting emergency surgery."

"My view is that the diagnosis is not yet clear, and we need to perform a Fubu CT to conduct a few key Differential Diagnosis."

"Yes, yes, yes, it involves foreign affairs disputes, so it's not easy for us to handle."

"Then thank you for your trouble, Bai Chuzhang. I'm truly sorry; although Dr. Merz is here for study and exchange, since it may involve foreign affairs disputes, I can only ask for your help."

"Good, then I will wait for your news."

After Ji Xiang finished speaking, he hung up the phone.

"What did Bai Chuzhang say?" Zhao Zong asked anxiously.

"His meaning is to listen to the opinion of the frontline Clinical Doctor; being cautious is much better than opening the abdomen and seeing unexpected situations."

"!!!"

Zhao Zong almost cried.

He had just said it casually; since Dr. Merz, as the Patient, expressed opposition, then they should just go ahead with the surgery.

The reason he "reported" to Ji Xiang was also because Zhao Zong wanted to show off his professional competence.

After all, being far away, it's not easy to mix in with an SCI Thesis.

But Zhao Zong never dreamed that Ji Xiang would be so serious!

His heart was filled with sorrow.

"Xiao Ji... I didn't mean that," Zhao Zong explained in a low voice.

"Teacher Zhao, I think your judgment is very correct," Ji Xiang looked at Zhao Zong and said earnestly, "Dr. Merz's Auxiliary examinations do indeed look like Acute Appendicitis, but I always feel something is strange."

As he spoke, Ji Xiang saw Zhao Zong's strange expression and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I told Bai Chuzhang that I won't make things difficult for you."

"..."

Zhao Zong had heard that Ji Xiang was open and generous; after all, a Doctor who gives away top-tier SCI papers casually is one of a kind.

It is common for many mentoring professors and their graduate students or Doctor of Philosophy students to become enemies over one or two papers.

Contacting Ji Xiang in depth for the first time, this kid was even stranger than the rumors.

Indeed, in Zhao Zong's view, no matter how many SCI papers one has, it's never enough; being able to give them away casually is just strange.

Not only that, but when facing Dr. Merz, Ji Xiang showed even more concern than he did himself.

What is going on?

Ji Xiang ignored Zhao Zong; he went to the Doctor's Office to write up a bilingual doctor-patient communication document in Chinese and English, printed it out in triplicate, and took it to the dressing room.

"Dr. Merz, this is the communication form. If you want to have the surgery, that's fine; sign it, and we'll go to the operating room right now."

Ji Xiang handed the English version to Dr. Merz.

Dr. Merz took two glances at it, his expression looking extremely ugly, similar to the expression of Zhao Zong, who was currently reading the Chinese version.

Ji Xiang had written very clearly in the communication document—the surgical team believed that before performing any surgical intervention, a CT scan should be conducted first; if conditions permitted, an emergency contrast-enhanced CT scan was recommended.

Not only did he want a regular CT scan, but Ji Xiang actually recommended an enhanced CT!

In an instant, a strange thought surfaced in the minds of both Zhao Zong and Dr. Merz—Ji Xiang was doing this on purpose.

He was deliberately blowing a small matter out of proportion just to mess with Dr. Merz.

Using public office for private gain, settling personal scores—these unpleasant terms appeared in Zhao Zong's mind, and he even began to feel regret.

He hadn't expected Ji Xiang to be this kind of person.

Then again, it was said that when he was in Shanghai, his attitude toward Qin of the Hepatobiliary Surgery Department was extremely poor.

Zhao Zong's hands and feet felt numb, and he felt like he was in an awkward position he couldn't back down from.

"Dr. Merz, if you insist on surgery, then sign it. If you agree to our treatment, hurry up and go get a Fubu CT scan now."

Dr. Merz angrily waved the communication document in his hand; perhaps the movement was too large, as he let out a miserable cry, his face turning pale.

But Dr. Merz still glared viciously at Ji Xiang, just like a righteous knight fallen at the feet of the Great Demon King.

"This is an abuse of CT scans," Dr. Merz said hatefully.

"Whether it's an abuse or not isn't for you to decide; you aren't at Massachusetts General Hospital right now, but at the Second Affiliated Hospital," Ji Xiang said very calmly. "It's just a signature. If you want to have the surgery, then sign it; otherwise, if we open up your abdomen and see it isn't Appendicitis but some other disease, we'll have an explanation for you and for the diplomatic department."

"You! I am a doctor here to observe surgery; you cannot treat me like this!" Dr. Merz's voice was hoarse as he roared in a low tone.

"It's a normal medical procedure; it's really hard to deal with," Ji Xiang looked at Dr. Merz and shook his head helplessly. "Could it be that you've never encountered similar situations when diagnosing or consulting at Massachusetts General Hospital?"

Dr. Merz was stunned for a moment.

"That shouldn't be; as one of the top five large-scale comprehensive hospitals in the world, I don't think the technical capability of Massachusetts General Hospital should be that poor."

"It is just a simple case of Acute Appendicitis; you want to do a Fubu CT—what disease are you trying to differentiate?" After resting for a dozen seconds, Dr. Merz regained some Spirit and asked indignantly.

"This, surely a Patient is allowed to know this much."

"Oh, I suspect it's omental infarction."

"……"

"……"

Dr. Merz and Zhao Zong were both stunned when they heard Ji Xiang mention omental infarction.

Omental infarction?!

Dr. Merz was not in Gastrointestinal Surgery, so he had absolutely no understanding of this type of disease.

Zhao Zong knew of it, but only from the margins of textbooks and world medical journal literature.

In fact, he had never actually encountered a similar Patient in reality.

Ji Xiang,

must be making up an excuse!

Zhao Zong thought to himself.

What omental infarction, it's simply impossible! Dr. Merz's diagnosis is Acute Appendicitis!

(End of chapter)