Chapter 144: How Nice

Every job had its hardships, and also its likeable parts.

The bitter parts for those in the construction business was being the people who had to work and build things, whereas the likeable aspect was being the people who only needed to pay others to build whatever they wanted; the bitter parts for those who worked in business were the salary and rent, and the likeable part to it was earning money; the bitter side of construction work was the numbness construction workers felt in their muscles and the uncertainty of their future, and the likeable side was the day they earned their wages and their family’s smiles; the bitter aspect to being leaders was having their higher ups walk all over them, and the likeable side was having themselves walk all over their subordinates.

The bitter side to being a surgeon was that the surgeon had to give up many things, and the likeable aspect was the pleasure of having an operation go smoothly.

When an operation went especially well, the pleasure a chief surgeon would have was even greater, even more troubling, and even more refreshing that hooking up with four beautiful women on the street and having them go home with him…

Chief Physician Wang Haiyang looked around him. He was feeling a little regretful that there was no one to admire his surgery right then, because that meant that no one could share his joy with him. Lu Wenbin could not be counted, since he was a resident doctor of the Emergency Department.

Wang Haiyang quickly found a suitable reason to get people to come over. “It’s rare that we can perform a three-finger replantation today. Why don’t we ask the interns to come here and learn?”

He was a chief physician in the Hand Surgery Department. He might not have the power that belongs to the department director, but it was still easy for him to have a group of interns come and fawn over him.

A call was made. Before long, several interns and housemen arrived on the scene.

“Go wash your hands. Have six people stay back. The others, go to the waiting room and watch the screen.” When Wang Haiyang saw that the people had arrived, he felt that the operating theater was cramped, which was why he sent away those who arrived later.

The cleanliness required in an operating theater when a finger replantation was about to be performed was not that high. In current times, laminar flow operating theaters had rather outstanding ventilation and bacteria adsorption[1]. There were few instances where dust could be detected in the operating theater, and the crux of a finger replantation lay in ensuring blood supply. If the suturing of the blood vessels was successful, then there was a possibility that the severed finger could survive. The chances of infection would also reduce.

The interns voiced their obedience and left the operating theater before they were led to the waiting room to fawn over Wang Haiyang through the screen.

“The finger replantation we’re performing right now is a Level 4 Surgery on the surgical manual. Only assistant lecturers can perform the surgery. You will not be able to come into contact with this kind of surgery for the time being. However, through this finger replantation, you will be able to understand the most modern flexor tendon sutures in the country, blood vessel anastomosis, nerve anastomosis, and so on…” Wang Haiyang adjusted the microphone and camera while he faced the interns and housemen who were watching. He started to talk excitedly, and it was clear that he was in an even better condition than before.

Ling Ran continued to bury himself in his work. He did not just perform his work as a first assistant surgeon well, he did it to a point where he did everything the chief surgeon wanted him to do, and what the chief surgeon could not do, he also did.

After he got to familiarize himself with the Perfect Level Finger Replantation through a surgery, Ling Ran had been provided with a large number of techniques and ideas. The possession of using the M-Tang technique and the experience of performing 3,000 dissections on upper limbs also allowed Ling Ran’s actions to be near perfect.

In truth, if it was not because he had to work together with Wang Haiyang, Ling Ran might be able to perform the surgery even faster and obtain an even better result in the process.

However, for Wang Haiyang who was used to performing surgeries at a normal pace, performing the current surgery with this current pace was already him performing much better than what he usually could achieve.

The surgery was performed so smoothly that it was unbelievable! He was so happy he was in heaven!

“Forceps… Change needle.” Wang Haiyang slapped the scissors down, letting out a light tap. It shocked the scrub nurse.

“Careful.” The scrub nurse could not help but remind him.

Wang Haiyang laughed and said, “I got too comfortable performing the surgery today. Yes, I’ll have to be a little careful. Don’t learn from me now.”

His last sentence was naturally directed at the interns.

“Yes.”

“Alright.”

“Understood.”

The interns praised Wang Haiyang even though they were exhausted. They had watched the surgery for dozens of minutes and some of them grew tired.

“Why are all of you falling asleep? Fine, get out. Have another batch of people come in.” There was no way Wang Haiyang could tolerate this kind of attitude. His sutures had been amazing just now, but no one praised him, and because of that, he did not want to teach this group of people anymore.

“Ling Ran, I’ll leave suturing the tendon to you.” Wang Haiyang felt a little embarrassed for letting Ling Ran perform the suturing of the tendon, but when he remembered that Ling Ran was best with the M-Tang technique, he gingerly let Ling Ran handle the suturing.

“Alright,” Ling Ran answered. He picked up the surgical knife and got to work.

He picked up a tendon, and, as if he was peeling a prawn, he swiftly cleaned it up before he switched the surgical knife for a needle holder. In a moment, he had sutured the tendon and stuffed it back.

The interns and housemen who were supposed to replace the previous batch entered the operating theater at the time they were expected. Wang Haiyang became motivated again. He laughed.

“Hmm… Let’s begin preparations to suture the blood vessels. This is the most complicated part. Doctor Ling, do you want to take a break?”

“It’s okay, I’m not tired yet,” Ling Ran answered in a simple and direct manner.

He often performed three to four surgeries in one go. His spine and waist had been trained to stand for long periods of time. He never felt that performing consecutive surgeries was much of a burden.

However, Wang Haiyang was different. He was a man who was nearly sixty. Forget performing consecutive surgeries, he could not even complete a surgery in one shot.

“Still, let’s stop for a while. I will speak to the crowd.” Wang Haiyang rubbed his waist before he turned around to look at Lu Wenbin. He said, “You, go change as well. You’ll have to help out later. Stop standing around dumbly now.”

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“Yes.” Lu Wenbin had been waiting around for so long that he was filled with anxiety. He turned around, thinking of immediately changing into scrubs.

“Go and wash your hand, too. You can wear your scrubs when you come back later.” Wang Haiyang spread his hands and began moving them up and down between his lower abdomen to his collarbone. “Remember to put your hands on the right spot.”

“Yes.” Lu Wenbin pulled a long face. He then ran off to wash his hands.

He had recently performed more than a hundred surgeries with Ling Ran. Naturally. he would not forget the principles of the aseptic technique. He had just waited a little too long, and had acted a little rashly due to the joy of being presented the chance to help.

Ten minutes later, Lu Wenbin returned to the operating theater. Wang Haiyang focused on operating on the patient again.

Logically, what Wang Haiyang should do right now was to hand the patient over to Ling Ran. Wang Haiyang had seen Ling Ran operate before, and he had also assessed the patients he had sutured. He had also heard that Ling Ran had performed many surgeries using the M-Tang technique. The bone reconnection earlier had shown that Ling Ran actually did all the preparations for the replantation of the severed finger.

Originally, Huo Congjun had asked Wang Haiyang to examine Ling Ran’s skill because he had been worried. Once he finished performing these steps in the surgery, Ling Ran showed that he had extraordinary skill. In these steps, he managed to earn his place to join the surgery, and with great enthusiasm, too. Wang Haiyang should have been able to let Ling Ran continue without having to worry.

However, Wang Haiyang could not let go…

…because he did not have the heart to!

The excitement born from plowing through all the difficulties before him burned fiercely in Wang Haiyang right then.

He had performed hand surgeries for most of his life, and he could count on one hand just how many surgeries he managed to perform so smoothly and happily.

This was just like how you managed to get rid of a large group of your opponent’s pieces during Go. When you played Chinese Chess, you managed to take your opponent’s chariots; when you played Land Battle Chess, you managed to get rid of your opponent’s field marshal. It was extremely satisfying to be able to reattach a severed finger just like that.

There was no way Wang Haiyang could give up the position of chief surgeon to Ling Ran right then.

Compared to that, having a sore waist, sore legs, and tired fingers was nothing.

“Get me a bottle of dextrose.” Wang Haiyang wanted to accumulate his strength and continue ‘fighting’.

Lu Wenbin raised his hands and looked at Wang Haiyang pitifully.

“Let him change his scrubs.” Ling Ran was obviously in a much more relaxed state, which was why he had time to observe Lu Wenbin’s condition.

The circulating nurse had originally not wanted to spare any effort in tending to Lu Wenbin. It was only because Ling Ran had spoken that she tore open a bag of scrubs so that Lu Wenbin could change into them.

Ling Ran continued doing his work. He had just started on the replantation of fingers, and was willing to gain experience on a few more cases. Besides, Ling Ran had eaten a bar of Snickers just now, so he was not hungry at that moment.

Two minutes later, Wang Haiyang continued the operation with full gusto while Lu Wenbin took over operating the retractor for Ling Ran.

“In the case of blood vessels, it will be better the more you suture. However, there are four arteries in a finger, and the palmar digital artery is the one that primarily provides blood, since it has a wider diameter. The dorsal digital arteries are smaller, and the effect they provide is also smaller. Hence, when we perform finger replantation, it will be enough if we just achieve anastomosis for the palmar digital artery.” Wang Haiyang made his judgment during the surgery and told Ling Ran the reason, performing his duty to teach him.

The other interns and housemen nodded repeatedly. They felt like they had learned many things. Lu Wenbin watched the blood-filled surgical view excitedly.

Ling Ran made his own estimate in his heart. He had to put into consideration the risks of just suturing one artery as well. To put it in modern terms, the redundancy[2] of suturing one artery was small. If they failed and there was not enough blood flow, then the finger could be considered gone.

However, the duration of the operation was also an important factor. It was fine it it was just one finger, but they were suturing three fingers right now. If they needed two to three hours for each finger, then would the risks of postoperative complications increase? What if the operation duration was even longer?

The chief surgeons’ judgments were not always the same. Wang Haiyang belonged to the group of surgeons who had a steady hand while suturing, but whose speed was normal. Hence, his judgment was to suture only one main artery. If Ling Ran took over as chief surgeon, the situation would naturally change.

However, Ling Ran decided to go along with Wang Haiyang’s decisions to conduct the surgery held this day.

He would expose the patient’s parts when needed; stop the bleeding when needed; tie knots when needed; and perform aspiration when needed.

No matter what Wang Haiyang did, he would work together with him. Wang Haiyang also chose to suture the palmar digital artery, which had a slightly larger diameter. The suture was done with ease.

“Continue!” Wang Haiyang shouted and drank another bottle of glucose.

Once one finger was done, they sutured another. One after another…

The interns and housemen who fawned over the surgery had changed several times. After another batch entered, Wang Haiyang finally finished suturing all three fingers.

It was already dark. Wang Haiyang fell limp against the operating theater’s wall while he mumbled under his breath, “Feels so good…”

When he turned his head around to look at Ling Ran, he found the young man also leaning against the wall, but his back was straight. Wang Haiyang felt slight regret; if he had such an assistant ten years ago, he would have entered the Orthopedic Association a long time ago and become a high-ranking committee member.