Chapter 345: Chapter 346: Everyone Take Your Places

Ge Huai was now taking much more care of Chen Cang than he used to!

Or rather, he felt a much greater sense of responsibility and considered Chen Cang to be one of his own students.

He could not afford to educate Chen Cang with prejudice or disdain.

After all, the man was only twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, while he himself was well over thirty.

So, now Ge Huai took teaching Chen Cang much more seriously than he did some time ago.

“Chen, the patient today is quite special, and it will be a challenge for you. If you feel you can’t handle it, just let me do it. Don’t be embarrassed!” Ge Huai advised Chen Cang before introducing the patient’s condition.

Chen Cang was taken aback, “Um, okay, thank you, Teacher Ge, by the way… What’s special about the patient?”

Ge Huai sighed heavily and said solemnly, “The patient is over seventy years old and was hospitalized for acute pericarditis. Originally, considering the patient’s age, we focused on conservative treatment and had no plans for surgery.”

“However, the results of pericardiocentesis were mediocre, and antibiotics were also administered, but… now we can’t draw anything out.”

“The fluid from the pericardiocentesis has thickened, and there’s purulent discharge, so after much consideration, in order to prevent further deterioration of the condition, the patient now needs to undergo a pericardiotomy for drainage.”

After explaining, Ge Huai summarized for Chen Cang and said earnestly, “The situation now has three main difficulties:

The first point: the patient is seventy years old, with a higher risk and possibly a poorer prognosis;

The second point is that surgery for purulent pericarditis is a bit more complicated than that for a typical case of acute pericarditis;

The third and most important point is that we must prevent incomplete cleaning, which could lead to chronic adhesion and complications of the heart and pericardium!”

At this point, Ge Huai was somewhat uneasy, worried about Chen Cang as well as the patient, so he looked up at Meng Xi: “Director Meng, maybe I should perform this surgery. Chen has only been here a few days; I’m worried about him… after all, the patient’s condition is quite special.”

Ge Huai was being truthful!

Because surgery for acute pericarditis is one thing, it doesn’t require much consideration for prognosis, and even the difficulty of the operation is relatively low.

But once acute pericarditis develops into acute suppurative pericarditis, there’s a twist; it’s one of the more difficult operations within pericarditis.

After becoming acutely suppurative, there are two main concerns: one is the adhesions affecting the pericardium and heart, which lead to a poorer prognosis and are prone to related complications.

The second, and most serious, is the potential for chronic constrictive pericarditis!

That becomes quite troublesome.

Chronic constrictive pericarditis requires partial pericardiectomy, followed by pericardial repair, drastically increasing the difficulty of the surgery.

Meng Xi was also quite worried.

But after some thought, she decided to let Chen Cang lead. If he encountered any problems, she could take over midway.

After all, the high difficulty lay in the operability of the later stages, not in the beginning.

Although the later stages were difficult, the risk was not much different from a typical pericardiotomy for drainage.

It would be better to let Chen Cang start, and then switch if necessary.

After all, it was a rare opportunity for training.

For medical staff, the most important thing is encountering different diseases and then finding ways to solve them.

This is very important!

Thinking this, Meng Xi looked at Chen Cang, “Chen, you go ahead. Don’t worry, we are here for you.”

Meng Xi didn’t mention the difficulty of the surgery; having Ge Huai explain it was enough. Saying too much would only add pressure.

So, Meng Xi simply offered Chen Cang a few words of encouragement.

As the three of them washed their hands by the sink, Meng Xi suddenly noticed that Chen Cang’s hands were large, with long fingers, a beautiful pair of hands.

They seemed somewhat familiar…

Seeing Meng Xi staring at his hands, Chen Cang was startled!

He tensed inwardly, and even the perfect seven-step hand-washing technique he had mastered almost faltered.

His focus nearly wavered.

Chen Cang couldn’t help but sigh, “Mr. Meng, could you wear a surgical gown that fits next time? It’s either too tight and small or too loose and baggy.”

Thinking of this, Chen Cang suddenly felt that the greatest pressure when operating with Mr. Meng wasn’t on the operating table, but at the scrub sink…

…

After entering the operating room, the three of them donned their surgical gowns.

By this time, the anesthesiologist had already prepared for the anesthesia, awaiting the start of the surgery.

Ge Huai looked at Chen Cang and whispered, “Go for it, Xiao Chen!”

Meng Xi nodded affirmatively.

As for the anesthesiologist, he gave an awkward smile and carefully made his way to a spot with a good view. Watching Xiao Chen’s surgery was a joyous affair.

Chen Cang looked at the three of them and couldn’t help but grumble to himself.

You folks, get ready to be shocked!

With this in mind, Chen Cang deliberately glanced at Mr. Meng because… he was the one who truly needed to be shocked. The other two were merely… spectators.

Seeing Mr. Meng’s tranquil and detached expression, Chen Cang suddenly felt very much in anticipation…

Chen Cang turned around to look at the scrub nurse.

His eyes sparkled with the light of a strong contender, his hands spread open, and his heart lightly chanted: “Scalpel!”

At that moment, the scalpel split the heavens, and his aura was like a rainbow,

As Chen Cang struck his pose, suddenly the door opened, and a figure hurried in.

Xia Gaofeng was taken aback. Seeing that Chen Cang was just stretching out his hand, he couldn’t help but grin, “Just starting, huh? Perfect timing! Come in, Old Qian.”

Qian Liang and Xia Gaofeng sneaked in, not donning surgical attire but standing behind everyone else.

“Good, we’re not late!”

Qian Liang nodded, “Yeah, we timed it just right.”

Chen Cang was dumbfounded by their words.

Damn it, you people are outrageous. Are you addicted to watching the show?

Xia Gaofeng smiled, “Go ahead, Xiao Chen.”

Chen Cang rolled his eyes, “Scalpel!”

The nurse, ready with the scalpel, was slightly taken aback at Chen Cang’s antics, couldn’t help but sigh, “Ah, no matter how flamboyant the pose, it’s useless… such a pity for that handsome visage.”

Chen Cang took the scalpel and began his own operation!

The surgery was under local anesthesia, and the old man, seeing so many directors coming in, was immediately overjoyed in his heart, confident that this operation would be steady.

After the anesthesia, Chen Cang began to slowly raise the scalpel to start, while Ge Huai was ready with the hemostatic gauze.

Chen Cang’s thoracotomy was the highlight of the surgery!

After all, whenever Chen Cang performed a thoracotomy, the way he cut through the skin and separated the tissues was always very delicate.

Chen Cang carefully excised the sixth left costal cartilage. At that moment, the internal mammary artery was exposed, and he looked at Ge Huai.

“Ligate the artery!”

Ge Huai nodded, accurate and precise.

After ligating and cutting the internal mammary artery, the tissue was separated, and the exposed pericardium could be seen.

It was now time to open the pericardium through the costal cartilage bed and to clear the pus within the pericardium.

Xia Gaofeng couldn’t help but whisper to Qian Liang, “He’s cutting the pericardium!”

Not only Xia Gaofeng, but everyone was also filled with anticipation.

After all, the way Chen Cang cut the pericardium…