Today was a very significant day for the Emergency Center and the entire Second Hospital, as it was the day of the first fecal transplant for the Clostridioides difficile patient.
Even though Chen Zhenxing couldn't be there in person, he still called. This procedure marked a revolutionary breakthrough in the history of the Second Hospital and for the whole of Binhai City.
Unfortunately, unlike other surgeries, this procedure wasn't something everyone could observe, so he could only offer his encouragement over the phone.
"Chao, don't worry, keep your hands steady. It's just a routine colonoscopy; then you infuse the prepared fecal matter, and it's done," Liu Banxia said, massaging Wang Chao's shoulders encouragingly.
"President Liu, it sounds quite simple, but why do I feel like jelly all over? It's like my feet can't even find the ground when I walk," Wang Chao said.
"Stop putting so much pressure on yourself. Just think of it this way: this is much easier than the first surgery we led, right?" Liu Banxia said with a smile.
"You practiced for so long yesterday; there's nothing to worry about. Relax, it's a very standard procedure. The most important part is to keep a close eye on the patient's condition afterward."
"Aim to contribute more to fecal transplants, gather more data. You're a key player in our Emergency Center, and this procedure isn't complex; you can handle it easily."
Wang Chao nodded. "Alright, I'm ready to go. I'm giving it my all."
Liu Banxia patted his shoulder twice; that was his final encouragement.
As they had discussed before, the most crucial work had already been completed. The remaining tasks were simple operations and record-keeping.
The transplant method was also relatively straightforward. In terms of the gastrointestinal tract, there were two main approaches: via the upper or lower tract.
The upper gastrointestinal tract could be accessed using a gastroscope or nasogastric tube. This method was quick and didn't require intestinal preparation.
However, the odor of the fecal suspension could cause nausea and vomiting in patients, potentially leading to complications like aspiration pneumonia.
The lower gastrointestinal tract approach involved a colonoscopy or a retention enema, each with its own pros and cons.
A colonoscopy required intestinal preparation. If the patient's intestinal condition was poor, there was a risk of intestinal perforation. A retention enema, while less invasive and inexpensive, could not deliver the suspension to the distal colon.
There was also a more unique method that was safer and more effective. However, it required the patient to overcome psychological barriers, as they needed to orally ingest capsules containing freeze-dried fecal matter.
After evaluation, a colonoscopy was chosen for this procedure. However, extra caution was needed during the operation to avoid injuring the patient's intestines.
"Banxia, do you think we can set up a specialized department for fecal transplants in the future?" Shi Lei asked.
"I've actually thought about that, but we'd have to get Wang Chao's opinion," Liu Banxia replied after a moment's thought.
"We'd have to submit an application to the hospital. I don't think approval will be an issue. The procedure itself isn't the main challenge; it's donor recruitment and sample preservation."
"Furthermore, although many similar transplants have been performed nationwide, no one can definitively say which specific bacterial communities are responsible for the therapeutic effects."
"Most of the time, we're essentially guessing, and it's the same internationally. Foreign countries started researching this earlier, and as Dr. Chen mentioned, it's almost become a common therapy. However, their research is still in its nascent stages, with no truly substantive findings yet."
"Performing this procedure once or twice isn't a big deal. But doing it regularly... well, it's not exactly glamorous. Wang Chao's family is quite well-off; who would want their son, a doctor, specializing in this?"
Shi Lei nodded; that was indeed the case.
It seemed like establishing this specialty would require significant effort. At the very least, they needed to find a successor for Wang Chao. He had only ventured into this field because of one particular patient.
In his heart, he was still most interested in performing general surgery on the operating table; that was the primary reason he'd stayed at the Emergency Center. Even if he agreed to specialize in fecal transplants, his family might not support it.
"Alright, I'm up. I need to supervise Huang Bo's small-incision appendectomy. Keep an eye on things down here," Liu Banxia said.
Shi Lei nodded.
After scrubbing in, Liu Banxia entered the operating room, where Huang Bo had already completed the preoperative preparations.
Huang Bo wasn't as bold as Xu Yino, who would readily treat Liu Banxia as her assistant.
"The patient's appendix shows minor exudate. Be careful when handling it. With your skills, it shouldn't be a problem. Let's begin," Liu Banxia said.
Huang Bo nodded.
This encouragement was crucial and genuinely boosted his confidence.
After all, he had unexpectedly won the chance to perform this surgery, which made him quite nervous. In the entire Second Hospital, Liu Banxia was the only one who could truly evaluate this surgery, so his approval was vital.
As for Liu Banxia, he appeared relaxed, but inwardly, he was also a bit nervous.
This patient's appendix had some leakage; if mishandled during clamping and extraction, it could rupture.
He wasn't primarily worried about potential patient disputes over the issue. His main concern was that if Huang Bo failed, his confidence might be shattered, making him hesitant to perform this surgery in the future.
"Huang Bo should consider himself quite fortunate to have Old Wang assisting him with such a relatively minor surgery," Liu Banxia said as he helped open the abdomen.
Anyway, the patient was under general anesthesia and couldn't hear their casual chatter.
"You think I have it easy? I could use a break today too; I've been completely exhausted lately," Wang Lei said.
"Actually, I also wanted to see the skill level of our hospital's third surgeon capable of performing small-incision appendectomies. Then maybe you could slack off a bit more in the future too, right?"
"Teacher Liu, you really shouldn't say that in front of me," Huang Bo said with a wry smile.
"I'd say it whether you're here or not," Liu Banxia said solemnly.
"Dr. Liu, they're already very skilled," Xu Dan, the scrub nurse, chimed in.
"Ah, I get it. You want me to praise you too, huh? But that's not my responsibility; we're not even in the same department," Liu Banxia joked.
"Dr. Liu, be serious, we're in surgery. So, when are you treating us to chicken legs and pork knuckles?" Xu Dan replied in a deadpan tone.
The atmosphere in the operating room finally, truly relaxed.
"I must say, Xu Dan's growth rate is the fastest I've seen among scrub nurses. She's a natural for this job and has a strong grasp of surgical procedures," Wang Lei said.
"Liu Mei, don't be upset. While your guidance has been excellent, Dandan's talent is undeniable. Banxia's encouragement played a part in her development too, so let's make him pay for our lunch and drinks this afternoon."
"I think that's a great idea. At least we've witnessed President Liu's development," Liu Mei added seriously.
"Are you kidding? I'm just the first assist. The chief surgeon is the one currently feeling for the appendix," Liu Banxia said.
"Teacher Liu, you all can chat. Don't mind me," Huang Bo said, feeling rather helpless.
"No rush. Only five seconds have passed. You have plenty of time, so take it slow and steady," Liu Banxia encouraged again.
Huang Bo nodded and continued to carefully locate the appendix.
"Wang Chao's fecal transplant should be almost finished, right?" Wang Lei asked.
"It's hard to say. This procedure needs to be done more meticulously, so it might take longer," Liu Banxia said.
"Dr. Liu, I feel like our Emergency Center is incredibly capable now. We can handle all sorts of procedures and treat all kinds of diseases," Xu Dan said.
"Nice, Dandan has developed a sense of pride and belonging," Liu Banxia said with a smile.
"By the way, how are Xiao Yue and Qiu Mingyuan doing? I haven't seen him in a while. They should be getting along well, right? Last time I gave a speech at their school, that guy was down there whispering to Xiao Yue."
"He even had the gall to do it right under my nose, sitting in the first row! Was he afraid I wouldn't see him or something? Good thing I'm married, or he would have driven me nuts."
"Dr. Liu, why are you being so gossipy? My schedule doesn't line up with Yueyue's. I haven't had a day off in ages myself," Xu Dan said.
"Old Wang, is the workload in the OR really that heavy these days?" Liu Banxia asked with a frown.
Wang Lei nodded. "The Emergency Department is a bit short-staffed at the moment, mainly because many surgeries are being redirected from the inpatient wards. A lot of these were postponed from before the New Year and are now being scheduled. The inpatient wards are even more swamped."
"Sigh... this isn't ideal. Oh, nice! The appendix is out," Liu Banxia said.
"Hehe, I was so worried just now," Huang Bo said with a sheepish grin.
"Excellent! That's another one who's passed the small-incision assessment. I'm even considering applying to the hospital to end your internships early, so you can all officially become our little workhorses," Liu Banxia said.
"Teacher Liu, we're actually doing fine as is. Don't worry, we've all discussed it and decided to stay," Huang Bo quickly interjected.
He really didn't want Liu Banxia to complicate things further, so he decided to reveal their collective decision.
Just like Liu Banxia, these interns were under immense pressure. Occasional praise was fine, but being constantly lauded was becoming a significant burden.
"Hehe, even if you hadn't told me, did you really think you could escape my grasp?" Liu Banxia said smugly.
Huang Bo felt helpless. Ever since they met Liu Banxia, they had been completely outmaneuvered by him. Every day was spent either being pushed hard or on the way to being pushed hard, yet, strangely, they didn't resent it. If this developed into some kind of masochistic tendency, he'd really need to find a psychologist when he had some free time.