Chapter 50: Splenectomy And The Tajima Suturing Method!
August 4th, clear, bright sunshine.
As Lu Cheng rode his electric scooter from Gaojiapo Residential Area towards People’s Hospital, climbing Yuelu Avenue, he only felt his backpack was a bit heavy and had no other complaints.
A warm breeze blew gently, the scorching sun was blocked by the mountains, and the sky was clear.
At 7:35, Lu Cheng pushed open the door curtain of the Emergency Department and walked into the emergency hall. As a cool breeze rushed in, Lu Cheng also wiped the slight sweat from his neck with a tissue.
After throwing the crumpled tissue into the trash can, Lu Cheng went directly to the door of the surgical clinic and called out, “Fifth Brother, want to get some noodles together?”
Tian Zhuang’s neck was prominent, his chin a bit weak, and at this moment he was craning his neck, his voice cold and distant, “I’m off duty and will eat when I get back… There are only twenty-something minutes, no time.”
“Then you do your thing.” Lu Cheng couldn’t move this straightforward and unmovable Fifth Brother either, so he turned and walked back.
After entering the doctor’s lounge in the general ward of the Emergency Department, Lu Cheng took off his backpack and took out “Campbell’s Surgical Techniques, Hand Surgery Volume” and “Huang Jiasi’s General Surgery, Hepatobiliary Pancreas Volume.”
The one on duty was Old Brother Zeng Huanqi. He lifted his small black head, and as he pulled open the curtains, sunlight streamed in, but it didn’t affect his hidden presence in the dark, “Xiao Lu, are you planning to set up permanent residence in the department?”
“These books must weigh over ten catties.” The dark-skinned man’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and one had to stare carefully to discover Zeng Huanqi’s speechless expression.
“Brother Zeng, I haven’t weighed them either. Do you want to get some noodles together?”
“I’m ready to order. Professor Chen and Professor Tong are also coming to the department to eat,” Lu Cheng explained.
Zeng Huanqi’s gaze flickered slightly, and he sat up cross-legged, “Xiao Lu, let me order. Tell me Professor Chen’s and Professor Tong’s preferences.”
Zeng Huanqi directly made a phone call, “Boss, four bowls of noodles, braised pork with shredded meat, and a fried egg. One bowl with extra vinegar and little chili, one bowl with a lot of chili and a lot of peppercorn oil, one bowl…”
After Zeng Huanqi finished placing the order, Lu Cheng smiled, “Brother Zeng, am I not being polite to you today? You’re not allowed to be polite to me tomorrow, are you? I remember you prefer beef, right?”
Professor Chen Song was not fat, but he loved to eat thick slices of pork belly. Tong Yuan’an was slightly plump, but actually preferred shredded pork with chili and wood ear mushrooms, and liked it spicy with a lot of peppercorn oil.
“What are you being polite to me for, us two brothers?” As Zeng Huanqi spoke, he noticed Chen Song and Tong Yuan’an entering one after another.
As Chen Song entered, he was still arguing with Tong Yuan’an, “Don’t make noise. Although Lu Cheng learned the Tajima Suturing Technique you taught him quickly, his progress in the Spleen Preservation Surgery I taught him is also not weak.”
“You don’t understand surgery at all, what are you babbling about?”
“Tendon suturing is nothing! Spleen rupture is a disease type that can kill people. Don’t talk nonsense to me…”
After Chen Song’s jab, he found Lu Cheng indeed had arrived. He raised his chin and said calmly, “Xiao Lu, just proceed at your own pace. If Tong Yuan’an dares to bully you in private, call me anytime.”
“Whether it’s his teacher, Old Professor Zhou, or the Director of Hand Surgery, Director Tan, even if he calls President Lei, I’m not afraid of them.”
Tong Yuan’an’s fat face looked a little aggrieved, “No, I’m saying, Brother Song, I came with a mission. Just give Xiao Lu a bit more time. After this phase passes, he’ll be all yours.”
“With Xiao Lu’s current progress, we can probably start the research project in about half a month. Why do you need to fuss so much with me?”
Zeng Huanqi called out “Teacher Chen,” “Teacher Tong,” but neither responded.
Chen Song was unyielding, “What half a month or a month? Whether he’s mine or not, he’s not yours, I’m lending him to you.”
“Spleen Preservation Surgery is very important!!!” Chen Song’s voice rose.
“On a small scale, it concerns whether an organ can be preserved for patients with spleen injuries. On a large scale, it concerns the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Long County.”
Tong Yuan’an was speechless.
When it came to grandstanding, Hand Surgery really couldn’t compete with Emergency Department. After all, there were almost no cases of death in Hand Surgery. Hand Surgery focused on making people live better, with higher quality of life.
The primary goal of the Emergency Department was to keep people alive…
“You’ve been teaching him for so long, and I haven’t seen you teach Xiao Lu much of your skills. Are you just occupying the position without doing anything?” Tong Yuan’an began his counter-intelligence.
“How have I not taught him?”
“I taught Xiao Lu tendon suturing, I guided him in appendectomy, and I also trained him in gallbladder removal and splenectomy…”
“Tong Yuan’an, I realize that from the very foundation, your character is not good!~”
“You can’t argue logically, so you resort to personal attacks.”
“If you’re that kind of person, then five years of being roommates with you was a waste. I can’t be bothered with you.” Chen Song also started to resort to PUA tactics.
Lu Cheng quickly intervened to mediate, “Teacher Chen, Teacher Tong, please calm down first. Can we discuss whatever it is after we have breakfast later?”
“Arguing on an empty stomach isn’t efficient either.”
Lu Cheng truly hadn’t expected that Chen Song and Tong Yuan’an would actually start arguing…
【Spleen Preservation Surgery（Proficiency 1/10）（Skill Points-6）, Unnamed Suturing Technique（Proficiency 0/10）（Skill Points-4）】
For Spleen Preservation Surgery, Lu Cheng relied entirely on adding points. For the unnamed ‘Tajima’ Suturing Technique, during his learning process, because his basic skills were sufficient, he was naturally guided by Tong Yuan’an to （Beginner 2/5）, but to maintain his ‘persona,’ Lu Cheng also chose to add a small amount of points to （Proficiency 0/10）…
It was precisely this balance of his that caused Chen Song and Tong Yuan’an to quarrel incessantly.
It’s understandable, in fact. According to Professor Chen Song’s previous description, it’s most difficult for general surgeons to improve their basic skills. In a year of uniform time, only 3-4 points of proficiency would be considered excellent.
The speed of learning surgery would be a bit faster, about two to ten times the speed of basic skills, depending on whether you are fully devoted to it.
Lu Cheng had made progress in both areas in less than four days, which, in the eyes of Chen Song and the others, could be considered a person with extremely good talent.
“I don’t care. You, Tong Yuan’an, are from Orthopedics. Teach him if you want or don’t. I’m an emergency department doctor, and Xiao Lu is also an emergency department doctor,” Chen Song said.
Tong Yuan’an said, “Xiao Lu is our orthopedic doctor!~”
“That was before!~” Chen Song emphasized, and as he spoke, he tugged at Lu Cheng’s badge, “Open your eyes and look carefully, did you go to school? Should I read it out for you?”
“Lu Cheng, Attending Physician, Emergency Department.”
Tong Yuan’an grabbed his fat head with his fat hand, looking speechless, “I can’t make you understand, you’re narrow-minded and don’t understand the bigger picture…”
“What is the bigger picture? Is snatching fame and profit the bigger picture? Are the lives of ordinary people not the bigger picture?!!~” Chen Song turned on his recording:
“Tong Yuan’an, you tell me, say it here, is Spleen Preservation Surgery more important or is Tendon Suturing Technique more important?”
Zeng Huanqi and Lu Cheng watched these two comedians, not daring to breathe.
Of course, Zeng Huanqi looked at Lu Cheng with a conflicted and unbearable gaze.
The reason the two were arguing was actually that they were both coveting Lu Cheng’s ‘body,’ the literal understanding of ‘body’!
“Both are very important, Chen Song, don’t try to trick me with this. I can’t argue with you. It’s up to you, it’s up to you, you have the final say, you are Big Brother…” Tong Yuan’an conceded first to avoid being laughed at by Zeng Huanqi and the others.
Chen Song, however, stood tall with the air of a victor, hands behind his back, and chuckled, “Xiao Lu, this Spleen Preservation Surgery, ah…”
