Chapter 2912: 2712 Careful, Patient, Focused

After electrification, under direct endoscopic view, the stones in the bile duct shattered, splitting into several small stone fragments.

The 7F grasping forceps, as nimble as Zheng Lao Ban's fingers, began to grasp the fragments one by one and remove them.

"50V."

"45V."

Zheng Ren continued to give medical orders.

The frequency of the electrohydraulic lithotripsy was set extremely low; often, even a single electrification failed to break even a tiny stone, requiring three to five times to accomplish what looked like a simple operation.

Being overly cautious, Zhu Liangchen couldn't help but think.

Zheng Ren was like a child playing with building blocks, carefully and bit by bit using the energy field formed by the current to gradually 'peel off' the stones around the stent.

Although Zhu Liangchen stood in the assistant's position, he really had nothing to do; aside from steadying the guidewire of the 7F grasping forceps, nothing else was needed.

Zheng Ren stood before the patient like a mountain, eyes fixed on the screen without blinking. His presence made Zhu Liangchen feel somewhat oppressed, his heart feeling restless.

And under Zheng Ren's extremely cautious and meticulous operation, the candy-like stone in the bile duct began to break apart, turning into fragments like silk being drawn from a cocoon, and were then extracted by the grasping forceps.

10 minutes……

30 minutes……

1 hour……

3 hours……

Zheng Ren performed the surgery steadily, not at all anxious.

Zhu Liangchen, however, was tired; although he had nothing to do, simply standing straight before the operating table was exhausting.

His legs felt as if filled with lead, swollen and uncomfortable. Especially Zheng Lao Ban's back, like a mountain weighing on his heart, made Zhu Liangchen feel that even taking a breath was a chore.

This surgery is… too cautious, Zhu Liangchen sighed. Just muttering a couple of complaints; any more and he wouldn't dare to do it.

Zheng Lao Ban was focused and serious, Su Yun the same; Zhu Liangchen felt like an invisible nobody, as if no one paid attention to his feelings.

If it were before, Zhu Liangchen would surely have felt insulted, after all he was the director of hepatobiliary surgery in the capital.

But today, Director Kong's words suddenly enlightened him.

Zhou Chun Yong had already reached the extreme; did I even lack the strength to stand on the platform? Zhu Liangchen let out a light sigh, turning his attention back to the ERCP screen.

Zheng Lao Ban performed the surgery for three hours, the electrified current fluctuating, but the purpose was clear—the current was like an invisible hand, knocking off the stones adhering to the stent around the bile duct, then clamping them out.

The invisible electric field and the tangible 7F grasping forceps were like a pair of incredibly dexterous hands, bit by bit peeling the stones off the stent. Every step was done with extreme care, fearing any oversight.

Zhu Liangchen felt a bit dazed, thinking Zheng Lao Ban was like the most superb artisan master, carving a rare porcelain treasure, each action extremely careful, patient, and focused.

With the passage of time, the approximate shape of the stent appeared in the endoscopic field of view.

Zheng Lao Ban treated the endoscopic technique as if it were a surgical procedure.

Blunt dissection, tactile sense—these Zhu Liangchen had learned about in casual chats, but when Zheng Lao Ban used electrohydraulic energy and the grasping forceps to present it all before his eyes, he still found it utterly amazing.

If what Kong the elder had said earlier still left him a sliver of doubt, now Zhu Liangchen had completely fallen to his knees.

Especially when seeing the position where the stent was fractured, Zheng Lao Ban even more carefully lowered the electrohydraulic voltage to 30V, delivering multiple successive shocks to 'knock' the stones off.

Zhu Liangchen knelt even more thoroughly.

What is skill? It is being able to do what others cannot. Zheng Lao Ban's technique was meticulous, his patience astonishingly good; he seemed tireless, bit by bit 'knocking' the stones, showing no sign of impatience.

Zhu Liangchen could sense from Zheng Lao Ban an aura of calm, detachment, even cruelty.

In his eyes, nothing existed except the stones in the bile duct.

After another hour, Zhu Liangchen felt his vision blurring. Zheng Ren suddenly said, 'Almost there; I'll try giving 30V continuously five times.'

"Mm." Su Yun's voice was no longer as lively as before, but much steadier; I don't know if it was from fatigue or being shaken by her boss's patience.

"Apply current."

Zheng Ren positioned himself and spoke in a low voice.

The popping sounds faintly echoed in Zhu Liangchen's ears, as if he could hear the electric field acting inside the bile duct.

The grasping forceps held steady on the stent; as Zheng Ren made a slight movement, the stent—moved a bit!

Success! Zhu Liangchen felt no relief or joy; on the contrary, he was very tense.

From the bile duct to the position of the major duodenal papilla, it still had to pass through the intestines, stomach, and esophagus to be pulled out—could this stent, already in place for 14 years, endure such a distant 'journey'?

If it broke, what then? Zhu Liangchen didn't know; all he could do was watch silently.

The stent, whose original shape was no longer discernible, had been 'constructed' by Zheng Ren's invisible hand a bit thicker than Zhu Liangchen imagined, but very smooth; at least there were no hard protrusions to scratch the bile duct.

Under the grasping forceps' action, the stent was pulled out bit by bit.

Zhu Liangchen held his breath, watching the stent wrapped in surrounding bile, like a floating piece of wood, slowly moving forward.

Sometimes the ERCP camera view was not clear; to find the line of sight, the lens moved up and down slightly.

Every time the ERCP camera moved, it felt like the world was turned upside down, making Zhu Liangchen feel somewhat nauseous.

Even as he watched, he didn't know where Zheng Lao Ban had pulled the stent to with the grasping forceps.

Hand speed and field of view far exceeded Zhu Liangchen's comprehension and acceptance, yet he kept trying to watch, silently praying in his heart that nothing else would go wrong.

But because he watched too closely, especially the jerking of the ERCP camera up and down, Zhu Liangchen felt very uncomfortable; his stomach churned like seasickness.

Zheng Lao Ban was looking for an angle to clearly see the stent's path, which Zhu Liangchen knew. But he didn't know how Zheng Lao Ban operated the ERCP equipment to counteract intestinal peristalsis… uh, had it already passed the major duodenal papilla?

Zhu Liangchen suddenly realized this.

The view before his eyes suddenly cleared; he had passed the pylorus and reached the stomach.

How did he do it?

Even if Zhu Liangchen stood behind Zheng Lao Ban, occupying the best observation platform, eyes unblinking, he still couldn't make out Zheng Lao Ban's technique.

The cardia, esophagus, then the entire ERCP conduit was pulled out, and a strangely colored object was drawn out.