BXBX NOVEL Chapter 63: Show Off a Skill
Lan County is located to the north of Anyang city, the provincial capital of Dongyang Province.
It is still under the jurisdiction of Anyang City Government. The county is not large, with a population of just over three hundred thousand.
Li Baoshan owned a specialized vehicle for surgery, a Suzuki Jimny. The car wasn’t big, but it performed well, was reasonably priced, and he always drove it for surgeries.
The Jimny had only two seats, and Chen Cang sat beside him. Throughout the journey, Li Baoshan kept explaining the important details of the surgery to Chen Cang. It took a little over an hour to arrive at Lan County People’s Hospital.
The head of general surgery at Lan County People’s Hospital was named Duan Bo. Seeing Li Baoshan arrive, he came up with a smile, “Director Li is here.” Li Baoshan smiled back, “Yes, Director Duan, let me introduce to you Chen Cang from our department. He’s a very promising young man. I brought him today to operate.”
“Chen Cang, this is Director Duan Bo, the head of general surgery at Lan County People’s Hospital.”
Chen Cang took the initiative to greet him, “Director Duan, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Duan Bo had a friendly face and when he smiled, his eyes seemed to disappear Squinting his eyes, he said, “Good, good, don’t just stand in the doorway, come inside to talk.”
The three of them arrived at the office without any formalities, as Li Baoshan was a regular visitor who frequently performed surgeries here. So Duan Bo got straight to the point:
“Director Li, I heard that you’re coming to our hospital to demonstrate an appendectomy. We’ve gathered all the patients in the hospital in need of the procedure, a total of eight people, so you’re in for a busy day.”
Li Baoshan smiled appreciatively, “I appreciate it, Director Duan.”
Duan Bo quickly waved his hand dismissively. Li Baoshan’s status in Dongyang Province was significant-if he could do a favor and cultivate good will, Duan Bo certainly wouldn’t refuse such an opportunity.
Besides, this didn’t even count as a hassle for Duan Bo; in fact, it was a win-win situation. With just a little organization, it would turn into a great opportunity for the hospital.
Leaving the director’s office, the trio proceeded to the ward where they immediately saw a banner hanging at the nurses’ station: “Welcome Prestigious Physician Li Baoshan for Guidance on Appendectomy Surgery” This gave Chen Cang pause.
Director Duan was no simple character, having transformed Li Baoshan’s visit into an educational opportunity for the department’s surgeons.
After arriving, Li Baoshan wanted to see the patients and become familiar with their conditions.
Once they entered the ward, the patients brightened up at the sight of Duan Bo. Duan Bo walked up to the patients, smiling, and said, “This is our province’s prestigious physician, Director LI. You’re in luck today. He’s going to personally perform your surgery.”
Upon hearing this, the patients could not hide their delight, “Thank you, Director Duan, you’re a good man! Thank you, Director Li…”
Duan Bo had managed to achieve multiple benefits with this one arrangement. He not only addressed Li Baoshan’s requirements, but also improved the hospital’s reputation among patients as well as trained and developed the skills of the grassroots doctors.
No wonder he was selected as the director!
Li Baoshan didn’t mind this either.
An hour later, Li Baoshan took Chen Cang to the operating room. However, by that time, virtually all of the general surgery doctors except the on-call physicians had arrived.
Duan Bo addressed the crowd, “Despite his busy schedule, Director Li has taken the time to perform an appendectomy. Everyone should study hard and pay attention to the details, making sure to turn this learning experience into your own asset.”
The surgery began with Chen Cang assisting, while the others watched from their positions in the room which featured a large screen for everyone to see clearly.
Meanwhile, Duan Bo donned surgical attire to assist as well.
Li Baoshan glanced at Chen Cang, “I’ll do the first one, then it’s your turn, so I can assess your skill level.”
With that, Li Baoshan started the surgery.
To be honest, the expertise of a professional is immediately evident, and Li Baoshan’s incision was spot on.
Each layer had a different sensation-the skin, subcutaneous tissue, external oblique aponeurosis… the peritoneum.
After opening the abdomen, they could see some pus and a foul smell emanated from adhesive ileocecal slices.
Without any hesitation, Li Baoshan began the procedure.
The surgery wasn’t extraordinarily difficult, but he performed it with great care.
Quickly locating the mesoappendix, he executed an 8-figure suture to ligate the appendicular artery…
The operation was swift, each step precise, and Chen Cang couldn’t help but admire Director Li’s skillful expertise.
At least a 90 out of too!
After the patient was taken away, applause erupted around the room.
After washing up, they continued with the second surgery.
This time, after discussing with Duan Bo, Li Baoshan allowed Chen Cang to perform the procedure.
The surrounding doctors, seeing how young Chen Cang was, became curious, some even skeptical and eager to see what would happen.
Being doctors themselves, and seeing someone younger than them, naturally incited comparisons!
[Ding! Mission triggered: Show Off Your Skills. Mission Requirement: Make everyone take notice with this appendectomy and conquer everyone present with your ability. Mission Reward: Surgical Technique Improvement.]
When Chen Cang heard the system mission, he was momentarily taken aback.
Show off your skills?
Conquer everyone with your ability, including… Li Baoshan?
After the patient was brought in, and it was a typical appendectomy, Chen Cang’s mind whirred, and he suddenly knew what he had to do!
Minimally invasive appendectomy!
The moment Chen Cang picked up the scalpel, everyone started watching seriously.
Especially Li Baoshan, who stared intently at Chen Cang’s hands.
And at this moment, Chen Cang held the scalpel in a curved hand and made an incision!
A tiny incision, barely less than 2cm, appeared!
The incision was so small, only between l-2cm, just enough to fit the index finger and the appendix clamp!
Everyone was stunned!
What was he doing?
A mistake?
Beginners often make one error: a lack of decisiveness, like hesitating to butcher a pig.
Could Chen Cang have really made such a basic mistake?
But at this time, Chen Cang, unhurried, continued the next step without enlarging the incision!
This left everyone dumbfounded.
What are you trying to pull off?
If it were a laparoscopic operation, this incision would be fine, but this is a conventional surgery. With such a tiny incision, what could you possibly do?
In no time at all, all the doctors began to furrow their brows and even started whispering among themselves.
Meanwhile, Duan Bo and Li Baoshan exchanged a glance, deep in thought.
Li Baoshan didn’t interrupt Chen Cang; on the contrary, he was somewhat expectant.
The surgery continued.
Chen Cang carefully separated the internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles, then bluntly spread them apart with a small hook retractor.
After lifting the peritoneum and ensuring there were no intestinal loops, Chen
Cang began to incise the peritoneum.
And at that moment, Li Baoshan suddenly understood!
He was performing a minimally invasive appendectomy!
This kid, he could actually perform such a “show-off” operation?
Indeed, the minimally invasive appendectomy was extremely demanding on the surgeon and tested the surgeon’s basic skills and anatomical awareness.
This kind of surgery had only started to emerge in recent years and was not yet widespread.
Even Li Baoshan had seen it only a few times, and he hadn’t expected Chen Cang to perform such a surgery!
As expected, Chen Cang said, “Tilt the operating table about 20 degrees to the left.”
Confirmed!
It was a minimally invasive surgery.
When Chen Cang spoke these words, Li Baoshan was immediately certain!
It was a minimally invasive surgery.
Next, he used the retractor to widen the incision, pushing the omentum towards the upper left and searching for the appendix along the colon.
This step was effortless for Chen Cang, who did it as naturally as a fish swims in water!
And at that moment, how could the surrounding people not realize what was happening?
The doctors around him also had a moment of realization, thinking of a method of appendectomy that was particularly popular in the surgical academic community!
So they whispered, “Is he going to perform a minimally invasive appendectomy?”
No sooner had these words been spoken than everyone around couldn’t help but be taken aback.
Holy cow!
Is that even possible?