Chapter 250: Higher, Faster, Stronger! (Part 4 of 5)
From Old Wu’s perspective, the surgery would be complete once embolization had been performed on the arterial branch from the superior vesical artery.
This was a palliative surgery and its main aim was to alleviate the patient’s symptoms.
Although the embolized area was small, the decrease in blood supply would shrink the prostate, improving the patient’s condition.
The surgeon had not stopped the surgery. Right after embolization, he was again performing superselection.
The guide wire was moved into the renal artery.
Based on typical human anatomy, the renal artery contributed nothing to the prostate.
What was Zheng Ren doing?
Old Wu and Mu Tao were stunned.
A thought popped up in both their minds. Had Zheng Ren performed 3D reconstruction on a 64-slice CT scan of the prostate prior to surgery?
Did reconstruction even work on capillaries?
The two doctors said nothing. Mu Tao no longer paid any heed to Old Wu, his focus fixed solely on the screen.
The micro guide wire entered an arterial branch of the renal artery. When advance was no longer possible, the guide catheter was inserted. Then, the neuro micro guide wire was used to explore the smaller blood vessels through the guide catheter.
Ten minutes later, imaging began.
From the live imaging, they could see the capillaries that stemmed from arterial branches of the renal artery, supplying blood to the prostate.
The embolic agent was injected. On the second round of imaging, the capillary network was no longer visible.
The micro guide wire retraced its steps and started superselection again. It moved along the internal iliac artery and entered an unusual arterial branch.
The atmosphere in the office was palpable. Mu Tao stared at the screen unblinkingly.
“Mu Tao, why do I feel like Dr. Zheng’s abilities have improved by leaps and bounds in just a few days?” Old Wu asked.
Multiple high-difficulty surgeries, along with revision and diligent study, would result in overall improvement over time.
However, Old Wu could not believe the staggering development of this young doctor from Sea City.
A few days ago, he had watched Zheng Ren perform a surgery and could sense the young man’s inexperience.
The injury to his shoulder could have affected his performance then, but Old Wu was sure that no injury could have hidden such incredible skill.
There was no doubt in his mind.
Zheng Ren’s handling of certain steps had changed this time around.
More accurate!
More attentive!
More precise!
Watching the young doctor work, Old Wu wondered if it was a robot performing the surgery.
Each decision made was apt and the surgery progressed in a timely and stable manner.
The surgery was nearing the one-hour mark and three capillary networks branching out from three different arteries had been embolized. There were no signs of fatigue in Zheng Ren’s movements.
After some consideration, Old Wu let out a sigh that was a mixture of admiration and resignation.
How great it was to be young.
When Wu Haishi first encountered international radiology-assisted surgery, he was already in his forties. He took three years to gain the basic skills.
At that point, age was already catching up to him.
He had never been able to move comfortably under a heavy lead apron, unlike the young doctor on the screen.
The youth also adapted faster to new developments. Perhaps Zheng Ren was a savant who could master new information much faster and innovate as he went.
To be gifted and young.
How blessed.
Old Wu’s sigh was wrought with complex emotions. On the other hand, Mu Tao only had one thought in mind—how far had he fallen behind Zheng Ren?
Mu Tao had been full of confidence before the interventional surgery conference in Imperial Capital.
Young, talented and a graduate from a famous institute, he had earned the distinction of being the disciple of the famous Wu Haishi.
Then came Zheng Ren.
Younger.
More gifted.
The gulf between them was immense and filled Mu Tao with a deep uneasiness.
How did he do it?! Mu Tao was beyond words.
Old Wu was full of praise. “This young man is incredible!”
Mu Tao was still in shock at how easily he had been surpassed to harbor any jealousy and hate towards Zheng Ren.
In a flash, the fourth capillary network was sealed with the embolic agent.
Zheng Ren started the fifth superselection of the surgery.
There was pin-drop silence in the control room.
It was as if there had been a major incident or an ongoing emergency rescue.
All eyes were glued to the screen and no one said a word. They were entranced by the rhythmic movements of the young doctor.
Department Chief Kong had known the surgery’s outcome after the first successful embolization.
He counted his lucky stars that he had made the right choice.
Zheng Ren would be well-known after this stint. It was a near-perfect surgery, and with Professor Rudolph Wagner’s surgery as comparison, Department Chief Kong was certain that this success would be known internationally.
When people spoke of this surgery, they would mention the hospital in Imperial Capital. The ripple effect would bring Department Chief Kong’s interventional surgery department to the forefront.
“Chief Kong, where did you find this doctor?” the department chief beside him asked just as Zheng Ren began the fifth embolization.
Department Chief Kong chuckled.
“Old Kong! How did you find this young man? Such amazing skill!”
“Of course he’s amazing. Why else would I invite him over? We are teaming up to develop a differential diagnostic method for liver cancer as well as its surgical treatment.” Department Chief Kong would have guffawed if there were less of a crowd. He was ecstatic.
“He’s not even your research student. What are you so proud about?” the man next to him said.
The line of questioning was designed to dig up Zheng Ren’s background. It seemed like Department Chief Kong had yet to poach the young doctor, and there was still a chance for the other department chiefs to cast their nets.
No one cared if the young doctor had the right papers.
“We’ve known each other for years. I can see through your plot,” Department Chief Kong said with a laugh. “Let’s not talk about the boss, Dr. Zheng, yet. Do you know who his assistant is?”
Assistant? What was there to know about an assistant?
The department chief was confused.
Zheng Ren was on the sixth artery now. Department Chief Kong had reviewed the CT scan reconstruction and remembered that the patient had a total of six capillary networks supplying blood to the prostate.
It was nearing the end and Department Chief Kong was in a joyous mood indeed.
“No, I don’t recognize him. Is he a research graduate?”
“Research graduate? That guy rejected multiple invites to do oncology research in Union Medical College Hospital and the Chinese Academy of Sciences,” Department Chief Kong replied coyly.
“Isn’t that Su Yun? I know him,” another department chief spoke up. “You’ll never believe how I met him.”