Chapter 1718: 1659 Postoperative Lower Limb Paralysis

Lao He finished with Section Chief Mao, then returned to the Anesthesiology Department. Emergency surgery, as long as there isn't a major problem, it's impossible not to take it.

Moreover, Section Chief Mao is young, in good physical condition, but critically ill, which counts as a "standard" emergency patient.

On his way back to the department, Lao He reported to Director Xu.

That's just how it is—disturbing someone's sweet dream in the middle of the night will surely earn a scolding. But if he doesn't call, Director Xu will likely scold Lao He with a smile the next day.

This life, why is it so hard? Lao He feels helpless inside.

Sure enough, after reporting that Section Chief Mao of the Science and Education Department needed emergency surgery, Director Xu merely grunted unhappily a few times to indicate he knew, then hung up.

Waiting for the patient to arrive, Lao He stood ready.

Although it was just acute appendicitis, requiring only epidural anesthesia, Lao He dared not be careless.

He carefully checked the emergency medications once, then checked the equipment once, and only then felt relieved.

His luck has never been good in this life, so Lao He has grown accustomed to being cautious.

Recalling the scenes of sweeping through Nanyang and the Capital Medical University Affiliated Hospital with Boss Zheng, Lao He felt a little happy, almost whistling.

When will Boss Zheng be able to strike out on his own? If that happened, following him would make life as beautiful as possible.

Even if it meant crouching in the operating room every day, he would do it willingly.

Soon, Section Chief Mao was brought in, and Lao He prepared to administer epidural anesthesia to him.

Section Chief Mao's condition was poor, his responses sluggish, and his neurological reflex scores very low.

"Old Wu, I feel something's off," Lao He said, not rushing the anesthesia but waiting for Professor Wu to come up and ask.

"What's wrong?"

"She can't move at all; I asked her to turn over, but she didn't." Lao He looked at Section Chief Mao, feeling worried.

"It's septic shock from infection." Professor Wu also felt innocent, he sighed and lowered his voice: "Four… five hours ago I recommended emergency surgery, but they insisted on toughing it out. As a result, it perforated; if it weren't for the nurses and doctors noticing in time, who knows what would happen tomorrow."

Lao He frowned, missing Boss Zheng dearly in his heart.

Today he just felt something was off, perhaps because working with Boss Zheng had been too comfortable, and switching to someone else felt unfamiliar.

There was no delaying it, so Lao He could only administer the epidural anesthesia to Section Chief Mao with the help of Professor Wu and the Inpatient Chief.

The surgery went smoothly, and the appendix didn't hide mischievously.

It turned out he had overthought it; Lao He let out a breath.

Under laparoscopy, the perforated appendix was severe; it took considerable effort to remove it and clean the infection in the abdominal cavity.

After sending Section Chief Mao back, Lao He finally let out a breath.

Another chest trauma patient arrived; Lao He had no time to think, rushing to administer anesthesia.

This night was extremely busy; he didn't get any sleep until after six in the morning.

When everything was done, Lao He drank some water, composed himself. He's still getting older; when he first started work, after a night of surgery he could still go play basketball the next day.

But now his energy simply can't keep up.

Feeling slightly uneasy, Lao He mentally reviewed all the patients he had treated that night from the start.

Logically judging, there seemed to be nothing wrong.

He was just overthinking; Lao He sighed, lay down intending to nap a bit, then hand over shift and go home. Nighttime emergency surgery without Boss Zheng's partnership felt somewhat regrettable.

He had just lain down, not even closed his eyes, when his phone started ringing frantically.

Lao He's heart jolted; he had a premonition that it might be coming true.

He hurriedly picked up his phone, glanced at it—it was the Special Needs Ward.

He fumbled to answer, "Hello?"

"Is this Dr. He from the Anesthesiology Department?" a girl's voice said, likely a nurse from the Special Needs Ward.

"It's me. What's up?"

"Professor Wu asked me to call you for an emergency consultation."

"What happened?"

"Section Chief Mao has lost bowel and bladder control," the young nurse said, lowering her voice.

"……"

Lao He's mind went "buzz."

What appeared in his mind was epidural anesthesia needle puncture damaging a blood vessel, compressing the spinal cord, causing bilateral lower‑limb paraplegia…

He sprang up from the bed in an instant, Lao He felt his vision swim, almost collapsing from orthostatic hypotension.

He threw on his clothes haphazardly and ran at top speed to the Special Needs Ward.

The atmosphere was oppressive; the little nurses changing dressings in the hallway were silent, hurrying along.

Lao He reached Section Chief Mao's ward and saw Professor Wu with a grim face, conducting a physical exam.

Section Chief Mao was sniffling, seemingly unable to bear such a blow, his whole person in a dazed state.

When Professor Wu examined her, no matter what he said, she seemed unconscious and uncooperative.

In fact, her cooperation wasn't needed; the reflexes in both lower limbs were extremely weak—an objective fact.

Professor Wu glanced at Lao He, then stepped back half a step.

Lao He still couldn't believe it, so he personally performed the exam again.

Sure enough, bilateral lower‑limb paraplegia!

Considering it, the issue lies in the thoracolumbar segment.

Leaving aside whether the paralyzed person is the Science and Education Department Section Chief of this hospital, a perfectly fine patient suddenly becoming paraplegic? This has no explanation; it makes no sense anywhere!

Lao He's face turned ashen, his hands beginning to tremble.

"Lao He, let's go together to get a CT," Professor Wu said, not adding insult to injury; now the two of us are bound together like grasshoppers on a rope.

Even if it's confirmed to be an anesthesia problem, Professor Wu won't escape the catastrophe either.

First make a clear diagnosis, then… we'll talk about later matters later.

Lao He nodded.

With an IV drip, they took Section Chief Mao to the CT room.

When the image appeared before his eyes, Lao He's legs went weak and his vision went dark.

Section Chief Mao had a very obvious space-occupying change at thoracic levels 8–9.

Because it was a lumbar epidural anesthetic, Lao He clearly remembered that he had chosen the needle insertion at the T12–L1 position.

Just where was it bumped, causing a hematoma that's compressing the nerve?

Professor Wu also saw the image, shook his head. He let out a soft sigh, patted Lao He on the shoulder, and had someone take Section Chief Mao back.

Lao He sat in a daze in the CT room for a while, his mind all muddled.

He wasn't thinking about anything, just sitting there blankly in the chair.

The doctor in the CT room knew Lao He; after finishing his work, he came out, also patted Lao He on the shoulder, and sighed.

"Lao He, go rest, my side's chair is cool. You… take care of your health."

Lao He stood there woodenly.

"How about going to my duty room to rest a bit?" Seeing Lao He's state was off, fearing something might happen, he asked again.

Lao He looked grim, gave a bitter smile, and said: "I'm fine, just a short rest will do."

Another emergency patient came for a CT; he also had no time to comfort Lao He, turned and went back to work.

Lao He felt depressed inside.

Just after grabbing Zheng Lao Ban's thigh, how did such a big thing happen……

Zheng Lao Ban?

Lao He suddenly recalled that honest smile.

Should I ask?

He probably wouldn't think his own ability is lacking, would he?

Or not ask?

With such a big matter, what if there's a turnaround?

Lao He agonized for nearly a minute before picking up the phone and dialing.