Chapter 20: ‘little Follower’!
Flexor Tendon Suturing Method Zone Comparison Table—
Zone Ⅰ: Distal to the distal interphalangeal joint; Preferred: Tsuge Method; Alternative: Modified Kessler.
Zone Ⅱ: Within the fibro-osseous tunnel; Preferred: Modified Tang Method; Alternative: Tsuge Method.
Zone Ⅲ: Palmar segment; Preferred: Tsuge Method; Alternative: Modified Tang Method.
Zone Ⅳ: Within the carpal tunnel; Preferred: Modified Kessler; Alternative: Tsuge Method (single strand).
…
In the training room, the air conditioner blew through Lu Cheng’s hair. Lu Cheng sat upright in a chair, his mobile phone placed flat on a mobile phone stand, playing a live stream of ‘Honor of Kings’.
Lu Cheng held a cup of coffee in his left hand, continuously drawing the beverage from the straw into his mouth, the coolness delighting his entire body.
With a rustle, Lu Cheng happily flipped open his notebook with his right hand, then looked at his summary and let out a delighted smile—
Ability Range:
Upper limb, flexor tendon zones 1234, extensor tendon zones 23467.
Lower limb, flexor tendon zone A4, extensor tendon zones B4/B5.
“Hmm? Why isn’t there a pause mark?” Lu Cheng meticulously noticed the imprecise usage, but immediately shook his head: “Never mind.”
“There are many pitfalls in tendon suturing. For instance, the patient that Director Peng and Peng Kun had issues with last time had an extensor tendon in zone 8, which requires the Tendon Weaving Method, or Fascia Embedding is optimal. If other suturing techniques are used, it’s very easy for it to tear on the spot…”
With the current reserve of abilities, it is sufficient to handle forty percent of common tendon injuries.
As Lu Cheng was flipping through, his phone rang. It was Zeng Huanqi: “Lu Cheng, a patient with a tendon injury has come in, it’s on the dorsal side of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the upper arm, can you handle it?”
After Lu Cheng listened, he immediately shook his head and replied: “I can’t handle extensor tendon injuries in zone 5. Professor Chen said he’s not free for teaching today, Brother Zeng, just send the patient to the prefecture.”
“Oh, alright! I’ll message Han Xiaoping to refer the patient.”
After Zeng Huanqi replied, he hesitated and said: “Lu Cheng, did you know? Peng Kun from orthopedics is here in the Emergency Department… Director Peng said he’ll be following Professor Chen to learn tendon suturing for a period.”
“I don’t know if Professor Chen has agreed, but Director Lin certainly has.”
Lu Cheng asked with a smile: “Brother Zeng, is there a reason why Peng Kun is coming to our Emergency Department to learn tendon suturing?”
“Your orthopedic department’s affairs, and you’re asking me?” Zeng Huanqi’s tone was playful.
Lu Cheng’s tone became serious: “Brother Zeng, that’s being too distant. We are brothers now. The Emergency Department is my real family, and orthopedics is my former family…”
After speaking, Lu Cheng said helplessly: “Brother Zeng, actually, I only know that some of the older brothers in the department have significant backgrounds, but I don’t know the specifics.”
Zeng Huanqi wasn’t surprised. Lu Cheng could know that these people were connected, but if Lu Cheng could figure out the specifics of their relationships, his own network wouldn’t be shallow.
These people wouldn’t always be mentioning their ‘uncles and aunts’.
He said: “Luo Changwu, you can tell from the name, he has a significant background, his uncle is from the provincial level. He’s a true second-generation prodigy.”
“Xiang Kuihua’s uncle is the deputy director of the prefecture’s Public Security Bureau. As for Tian Shan, he’s directly from our county’s Health Bureau…”
“With such a triangular relationship, it seems difficult for Young Master Kun to stay in orthopedics.” Zeng Huanqi’s tone was playful and flippant.
There were a total of five Deputy Chief Physicians in orthopedics, all with impressive backgrounds. They didn’t take any special “wrong paths” or have high positions with low capabilities. They just squeezed out many people while learning their skills.
Among them, Luo Changwu specializes in spine surgery, Big Brother Xiang Kuihua specializes in trauma, and Deputy Chief Physician Tian Shan specializes in sports medicine. They have essentially divided up all the resources in the department.
Although Peng Haibo is the department director, the “rules for operating room access” were not set by Peng Haibo.
Lu Cheng couldn’t get along with these older brothers, so would Peng Kun be able to get along with them after getting his master’s degree? Would he be able to surpass their abilities?
That’s not possible.
And in front of them, if Peng Haibo were to show favoritism, then he would be in trouble. You are just a director in a hospital, and not an irreplaceable one.
Orthopedics has two departments, and many people wouldn’t mind a change in the chief orthopedic director…
A hospital is a workplace, but the workplace in a hospital is definitely special and doesn’t allow for such maneuvering. Therefore, there’s a strict rule: with limited surgical volume, the strongest prevails!
Surgeries I don’t do can be performed by anyone else.
Lu Cheng actually knew some other details. For example, he knew that Brother Tian Shan specializes in sports medicine, and Peng Kun is also a master’s graduate in sports medicine. So why doesn’t Peng Kun go for “sports medicine” surgeries?
However, Lu Cheng didn’t want to ask too many questions. Director Peng’s own son was ‘forced’ to go to the ‘Emergency Department’ to try to overtake on a curve through ‘Hand Surgery’. Lu Cheng felt everything was reasonable and suddenly clear: “Thank you for your guidance, Brother Zeng. I didn’t understand the specifics before.”
Zeng Huanqi thought for a moment and said: “Xiao Lu, tell Brother Zeng the truth, do you want to return to orthopedics in the future?”
“If you do, Professor Chen won’t take Young Master Kun. If you take him, this will be a very good opportunity. Director Peng will definitely fully support you.”
Lu Cheng replied: “Brother Zeng, I’ve applied for a transfer, it’s not as simple as wanting to go back.”
“Moreover, I quite like the atmosphere in the Emergency Department, so I’ll most likely not go back.”
The patient volume in orthopedics definitely can’t compare to the patient volume in the Emergency Department; some patients from the Emergency Department are transferred out.
Lu Cheng would have to be out of his mind to think about challenging those gods in orthopedics in the current situation. What would be the point of winning? How much would his skills improve?
“Brother Zeng, I’ll hang up now, Director Lin is calling me.” Zeng Huanqi had just mentioned that Peng Kun could follow him when Lin Qianlong called, the implication was clear.
Peng Haibo is the Director of Orthopedics, and Lin Qianlong is the Director of the Emergency Department. You have to consider relationships.
While Lin Qianlong couldn’t persuade Professor Chen Song, arranging for Peng Kun to temporarily follow Lu Cheng was also a favor.
The situation at the County Hospital wouldn’t change just because of Peng Kun’s master’s degree. Even if Peng Kun went to Xiangya Second Hospital for hand surgery techniques, it would be useless. Xiangya Second Hospital’s Emergency Department hasn’t performed tendon ruptures in a long time, where would they find simple tendon injury cases for Peng Kun to practice on?
Moreover, Peng Kun is studying for his master’s degree in sports medicine, and now he wants to switch to hand surgery?
“Director Lin!” Lu Cheng took a big sip of coffee before answering the call with a smile! “Are there any patients in the department? Brother Han didn’t call me?”
Lu Cheng, of course, wouldn’t tell Lin Qianlong what Zeng Huanqi had just told him.
“Ah? Isn’t that appropriate?” Lu Cheng sounded surprised, as expected, and then politely declined.
Lin Qianlong said: “Xiao Lu, there’s nothing appropriate or inappropriate. Professor Chen doesn’t routinely perform tendon suturing. Now that Doctor Peng is coming to the Emergency Department to follow you and learn, he’s perfectly suited to be your regular assistant.”
“He’s eager to learn, so just take him under your wing… Didn’t you say there are many classifications of tendon suturing? He won’t be able to learn it all.”
Lu Cheng quickly explained: “Director Lin, you’ve misunderstood my meaning. I’m not afraid that Doctor Peng will learn the technique and I won’t have surgeries. I’m afraid I won’t be able to teach him well.”
Lin Qianlong’s voice was calm: “The master leads the way; the student’s progress depends on themselves.”
“Director Peng isn’t asking you to train Doctor Peng into a skilled surgeon. You just need to give him an introduction; he’ll still need to go out and learn techniques.”
“Since he’s coming as a student, he has no choice, does he? You teach him however you teach, and that’s how he’ll learn…”
Lu Cheng fell silent after hearing this.
It was true. With Peng Haibo’s connections and abilities, if he wanted to cultivate Peng Kun’s hand surgery skills, he would surely send him out for ‘further study’ soon.
It was the same with his previous entrusted training for his master’s degree.
However, Peng Kun had just returned, so it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to go for further study immediately…
