Chapter 765

Um...

"This is the lab report; for now I don't see anything abnormal." Director Luo didn't laugh, but directly handed over the examined lab report to Zheng Ren.

Seeing Director Luo's frankness, Zheng Ren smiled and took the lab report to examine it.

All the values on the lab report were normal; nothing unusual was seen.

Zheng Ren began to ponder the patient's symptoms as described by the family—general weakness? What to consider? Is it fatigue from a tumor, an electrolyte imbalance, or some other illness?

Furthermore, they considered diagnosing intestinal obstruction, but detailed examination ruled it out.

Is this a pseudo‑intestinal obstruction, or did the local hospital make a mistake? Zheng Ren quickly realized that seeing a patient in the capital was definitely different from Hai Cheng.

In Hai Cheng, patients' families don't trust local doctors much; for any difficult or complicated condition, the chance they stay for treatment is small.

However, in the capital, patients' families usually bring only the imaging and test reports, without seeing the patient themselves. Moreover, the families are full of expectation, as if any illness could be understood in the capital.

Faced with this expectation, Zheng Ren felt immense pressure.

In Hai Cheng, one could advise patients and their families to go to a higher‑level hospital. But now I myself am standing in that higher‑level hospital, which is practically the last stop for all kinds of difficult and complicated cases.

Zheng Ren flipped through the lab report while sensing the new environment and new problems.

Director Luo examined it carefully, not jumping to a conclusion just because there were many people waiting outside and he only gave the sheet a quick glance.

He occasionally asked some detail questions, seeming casual, but Zheng Ren could discern Luo's true intention.

It's not a dietary issue, nor an electrolyte imbalance. Intestinal obstruction can tentatively be diagnosed as pseudo‑obstruction.

Pseudo‑obstruction results from neural inhibition, toxin stimulation, or pathological changes in the intestinal wall's smooth muscle, causing disordered muscular motility of the bowel wall.

Clinically it presents the symptoms and signs of intestinal obstruction, but without any intraluminal or extraluminal mechanical obstructive factor; hence it is also called motility‑related obstruction, a syndrome of bowel obstruction without luminal blockage.

Simply put, the bowel's peristalsis has gone awry.

For this type of obstruction there isn't any particularly good remedy; just paying attention to diet is enough.

That seems to be the case, but we can't hastily give a diagnosis; Zheng Ren quietly took over the various materials Director Luo had finished reviewing.

Suddenly, a test report appeared in Zheng Ren's field of view.

In the electromyography examination, the result at the bottom read—no abnormal EMG.

No abnormality?

Zheng Ren had never looked at an electromyogram before; it's a test within the realm of sports medicine, basically needed by neurology and neurosurgery as well as orthopedics and trauma. Even they don't do it often.

But during the nonstop surgeries and diagnoses in Nanchuan Town and afterward, Zheng Ren's auxiliary examinations were comprehensively improved.

An electromyogram sheet caught his attention; reading the EMG trace, Zheng Ren extracted countless pieces of information.

In the System Space he hadn't noticed how the EMG's skill‑tree branch worked. But now it seems likely to improve along with advances in CT, MR and other skills.

The electromyogram—there's a problem! The local hospital's diagnosis is wrong.

"Director Luo, please take a look at the electromyogram." Zheng Ren said softly.

"Huh?" Director Luo startled, he doesn't understand electromyography—after all, he's a gastroenterologist who never looks at EMG.

Director Luo glanced at the report, somewhat puzzled, and said, "Boss Zheng, what do you think?"

"The local diagnosis is wrong." Zheng Ren said.

"……" Director Luo was speechless.

His silence wasn't because the local diagnosis was wrong. In the capital, it's common to see misdiagnoses from lower‑level hospitals. Even seeing dozens or hundreds of patients a day, if he didn't encounter a misdiagnosis, Director Luo himself would find it amazing.

But… this is an electromyogram—does even Little Boss Zheng understand it?

Director Luo didn't speak, just looked at Zheng Ren with an inquiring expression.

Zheng Ren nodded slightly and said, "Based on the EMG presentation, I think it might be……"

"Huh?" Director Luo sensed Zheng Ren's hesitation. Could it be some rare disease?

"It's mitochondrial encephalomyopathy." Zheng Ren whispered.

The patient's family froze for a moment—"Mitochondria? What the heck is that? It sounds really weird."

Not only her, but Director Luo also stared in surprise.

Director Luo was very cautious; he didn't directly answer Zheng Ren's words, pondered for a few seconds, then picked up his phone and made a call.

"Hello, I'm Luo Shan."

"I have a patient here who brought a local electromyogram; I suspect the local diagnosis may be off—could you please take a look?"

"Sure, I'll have the patient's family find you. Write down your diagnosis, thanks."

After saying that, Director Luo instructed the patient's family to go to the EMG room to find a certain director, then return.

The patient's family was full of doubts, but following Director Luo's instructions they took the electromyogram and left. As they walked, they kept trying to recall the name "mitochondrial encephalomyopathy," though now they couldn't remember it clearly, only vaguely remembering the three words "mitochondria."

Other materials, Director Luo didn't let them bring, saying it would be troublesome.

But Zheng Ren knew he might be asked many questions.

After the family left, Director Luo deliberately stepped outside, said a couple of sentences to comfort the other few people who had come for treatment, then closed the door, looked at Zheng Ren, and asked, "Boss Zheng, how did you make the diagnosis?"

Director Luo's tone wasn't harsh, but it carried a serious, scholarly vigor.

Zheng Ren knew that gaining Director Luo's approval was now crucial.

The previous Crohn's disease patient's diagnosis—his judgment matched Director Luo's, showing some ability, but it wasn't enough.

Academia only gets close to academia. Of course, peers being rivals is also a thing, and it's actually more likely than being close.

In other words, if I don't have real skills, let alone doing research in the capital, even just finding a foothold would be difficult.

Surely I can't really rely on the few beds Director Kong gave me to chase a Nobel Prize.

Of course, I could also submit an application upward to get support from the Health Department. But then the timeline would be endlessly extended. Moreover, the 912 Hospital is not under the Health Department.

Zheng Ren didn't want that.

He perked up, smiled, and said: "Because the patient's electromyogram is abnormal, and according to the patient's family, the patient tires easily. If I'm not mistaken, it should be extremely prone to fatigue."

"How did you guess?" Director Luo adjusted his glasses, stared at this bruised and swollen-faced young man who looked somewhat amusing, and asked bluntly.

Because of an intestinal blockage. Zheng Ren said: "I'm from the hospital downstairs; there aren't many doctors at the local hospital who know about mitochondrial encephalomyopathy. Uh... sorry, I got sidetracked."

"Because of intestinal obstruction." Zheng Ren said: "I came from the hospital below; the doctors at the local hospital who know about mitochondrial encephalomyopathy are few. Uh... sorry, I went off track while talking."