Dr. Shin Seonhan: The Doctor Who Sees The Future [EN]: Chapter 211

#211 Hawk Eyes, Woman’s Hands, Lion’s Heart (14)

The symposium was scheduled to begin at 1 PM.

The live surgery broadcast was scheduled for 3 PM.

The timing was set to allow as many people as possible to watch the live surgery.

I quickly finished my rounds and made time to head to the auditorium.

“Let’s go together, Sun-han!”

I was about to open the emergency exit when Shin Sang-mi trailed after me.

“Didn’t you say you had five consent forms to fill out?”

“I finished them all.”

“What about the pan-cultures [tests for bacterial or fungal infections]?”

“Oh, you’re such a nag. Do you think I wouldn’t have taken care of it, Mother~!”

Shin Sang-mi joked and matched my pace.

She’s now a member of the cardiothoracic surgery team, and she’s become quick on her feet like everyone else.

We quickly descended the emergency stairs.

“Do you think many people will come today?”

“I heard that cardiothoracic surgeons from other hospitals are coming too.”

“Really?”

“Well, it’s Professor Baek Ui-sin’s famous surgery, after all.”

“Wow, I’m getting nervous. It feels like I’m going to a concert.”

Shin Sang-mi said with an excited expression.

A concert…….

It’s an awkward comparison to a surgery where a patient’s life is at stake.

However, if the surgery goes safely without any problems, the atmosphere could be just as good.

I can only hope that it will be so.

“But Sang-mi, didn’t you used to hate watching heart surgeries?”

“I became a huge fan of Professor Baek Ui-sin at the last conference! I admire how he speaks his mind without worrying about what others think. So, I’m going to watch and cheer him on today.”

People who do ‘what I can’t do.’

We are naturally drawn to such people.

We ran into Ryu Myung-in as soon as we opened the emergency stairs door.

“Sun-han hyung [older brother or respected male figure]!”

“Myung-in.”

“It’s been a while.”

“Isn’t ENT [Ear, Nose, and Throat department] busy?”

“No matter how busy I am, I have to make time. I can’t miss Yonsei University Hospital’s cardiothoracic surgery’s big event!”

Ryu Myung-in’s expression was also full of anticipation.

‘Hoo, I’m as nervous as if I were performing the surgery myself…….’

The basement floor was more crowded than usual.

Not only Yonsei University Hospital medical staff, but also cardiothoracic surgeons from other hospitals and reporters…….

And at the entrance of the auditorium, there was a poster that had been completed in just one day.

The poster featured Professor Baek Ui-sin’s stern face, along with the schedule for the symposium starting at 1 PM.

– Pathophysiology and Diagnosis of TGA [Transposition of the Great Arteries, a congenital heart defect]

? ? ? ? ? Professor Lee Yun-jung, Department of Pediatrics

– Considerations for Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia

? ? ? ? ? Professor Yang Jin-woo, Department of Anesthesiology

– Considerations for TGA Surgical Procedures

? ? 1. Arterial Switch Operation

? ? ? ? ? ?Professor Heo Jun-im, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery

? ? 2. Surgical Procedures for TGA, VSD [Ventricular Septal Defect, a hole in the heart], PS [Pulmonary Stenosis, a narrowing of the pulmonary valve]

? ? ?: Rastelli, REV [Réparation à l’Étage Ventriculaire, Ventricular Level Repair], Nikaidoh procedure [surgical techniques for correcting complex heart defects]

? ? ? ? ? ?Professor Ahn Young-wook, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery

? ? ?: Pulmonary Root Translocation

? ? ? ? ? ?Professor Baek Ui-sin, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery

? ? 3. Live Surgery: Pulmonary Root Translocation

? ? ? ? ? ?Professor Baek Ui-sin, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery

“Did everyone come? Come over here and sit down!”

As we entered the auditorium, Dr. Ma Dong-seop, who had arrived earlier, greeted us.

“Learn a lot while watching this today. I’ll explain it to you from the side.”

“Thank you.”

“None of you have experience with pediatric cardiology, right? Let me tell you in advance, pediatric heart surgery is a whole new world!”

Just as we were about to answer, the emcee’s voice was heard from the front stage.

“It’s almost full already. Thank you to everyone who attended today. The final lecture of this symposium will begin soon, so please take your seats…….”

By the time we arrived, the lecture was nearing its end.

Following pediatrics and anesthesiology, it was the turn of cardiothoracic surgery.

The patient had already entered the operating room at 2 PM, and various preparations were underway before the surgery began.

This was because it took time to administer anesthesia and install the filming equipment.

During the break between lectures, scenes of surgery preparations were being broadcast on one side.

“In our hospital, we often insert an E-tube [endotracheal tube] without ballooning during pediatric heart surgery…….”

Professor Yang Jin-woo of pediatric cardiac anesthesiology, who had already finished his lecture, was commenting from inside the operating room even during the break.

It felt strange.

To watch a surgery being broadcast live.

Amidst the listing of all sorts of medical knowledge, watching the patient in the operating room in real-time made my heart uneasy.

‘……What will happen to that child after the surgery?’

And finally, the last order.

Professor Baek Ui-sin, who everyone had been waiting for, stepped onto the stage.

“This is Baek Ui-sin.”

The self-introduction was short.

Of course, no further introduction was needed.

Everyone gathered here knew who Baek Ui-sin was.

“I will briefly explain the surgery that will be performed today. Due to time constraints, questions will be omitted.”

Professor Baek Ui-sin grabbed the microphone and flipped through the screen.

A concise voice, as if giving a military operation briefing.

Silence filled the audience.

Finally, at 3 PM.

Professor Baek Ui-sin finished his short lecture in the auditorium and was about to head to the operating room.

At that moment, one of the reporters raised his hand and asked.

“Professor Baek, how are you feeling? I heard that this is your first heart surgery after returning from being away from the hospital for several years. This is the first surgery of its kind in Korea. Are you in perfect condition to perform it perfectly today?”

Everyone frowned.

It was clear that he had said that questions would be omitted due to time constraints.

However, at the same time, some of them waited for an answer with interesting eyes.

They must have been curious about the rumors surrounding Professor Baek Ui-sin.

“……Reporter there. What’s your name?”

Wince-

At Baek Ui-sin’s question, the reporter flinched and lowered his hand.

Professor Baek Ui-sin was on edge before the surgery.

His voice had a sharpness as if stabbing someone with a knife.

“Kim……In-jung, reporter.”

“Reporter Kim In-jung.”

Professor Baek Ui-sin coldly looked down at the reporter and said.

“Before worrying about other people’s condition, I hope you doubt your own memory. I said I would omit questions.”

“…….”

Thud-

The auditorium door opened, and Professor Baek Ui-sin disappeared into the operating room.

People who had been holding their breath began to murmur in low voices.

“Is that okay?”

“What if the article comes out strangely…….”

“Anyway, his personality is still the same even as he gets older.”

Shortly after.

Professor Baek Ui-sin’s face appeared on the operating room camera.

Unlike before, he was wearing a surgical cap and mask, but his sharp eyes remained the same.

Then, the assistants standing next to him greeted the camera.

At that time, Ryu Myung-in tilted his head and asked Dr. Ma Dong-seop.

“Oh, but they haven’t opened the chest yet, have they?”

“Yes. Professor Baek Ui-sin will be doing this surgery skin to skin (from beginning to end).”

In normal surgery, the resident opens and closes the patient’s chest.

Then, the chief surgeon performs the main parts of the surgery.

This process is essential in university hospitals that must fulfill educational purposes.

However, this surgery is Professor Baek Ui-sin’s first heart surgery after his return.

It seems he has decided to perform this surgery himself from beginning to end.

“I’m looking forward to seeing Professor Baek’s surgery in real-time for the first time.”

Next to the headlight on Professor Baek Ui-sin’s forehead, there is a small camera for filming.

In addition, a small camera is also installed on the shadowless lamp directly above the surgical field.

The screen was divided into four to show each viewpoint, and the cardiothoracic surgery fellow in charge of the broadcast was responsible for enlarging specific screens depending on the situation.

With Baek Ui-sin’s declaration, the full-scale surgery began.

* * *

Baek Ui-sin holds the scalpel handed to him by the nurse.

Are the rumors circulating true?

Will his fingertips as a surgeon still be sharply alive?

Everyone’s eyes were now on Baek Ui-sin’s fingertips, and my heart was pounding as I watched.

‘This is a situation where most people would be so burdened that their hands would shake.’

Surgeons who are still growing up say in unison.

They say that their surgical skills seem to decrease by 30% when someone is watching from behind.

Even if one person is watching, how could anyone not feel burdened if the surgery is being broadcast live and watched by dozens of people or more?

However, Baek Ui-sin is still Baek Ui-sin.

There was no movement in his fingertips.

Professor Baek Ui-sin was starting his first open-heart case after his return, with a surgery being broadcast live, leaving behind the rampant rumors around him.

‘It has begun.’

Swoosh-

Blood begins to flow along the scalpel in the center of the chest of a baby weighing only 5.8kg.

Could it be as long as my second finger?

The incision length was also small because it was a small baby.

With the assistance of Heo Jun-im and Song Yu-ju, Baek Ui-sin began dissecting to the sternum with a bovie (electrocautery) [a device that uses electrical current to cut and cauterize tissue].

The sternum quickly reveals itself.

Baek Ui-sin silently extends his right hand.

Then, a sternotomy saw is placed in his hand.

“Is that a pediatric sternotomy saw?”

“Yes, it’s different from the adult one, right? You all should take a good look.”

It is much smaller than the one used in adult surgery.

In front of the handle, there is a long, rectangular saw blade.

When Professor Baek Ui-sin presses the button on the handle, the saw teeth at the front begin to move.

Whirring-

He starts to cut the sternum by tapping it with the small saw teeth.

‘……Was sternotomy that easy?’

I felt a slight sense of incongruity.

If the sternotomy that Ma Dong-seop showed in adult patients was rough, the way Baek Ui-sin is doing it now in children is smooth and delicate.

The sternotomy is quickly finished, and the split sternum opens.

Then, a milky, soft, pink substance appears in the center of the chest.

The appearance was similar to that of an untainted lung.

Shin Sang-mi asks Ma Dong-seop about a structure that cannot be found in adults, at least.

“What is that? Shouldn’t we be seeing the heart if we split the sternum?”

“That’s the thymus [a gland essential for immune system development].”

“Ah!”

Thymus.

An important organ in our body’s immunity, divided into left and right lobes in the shape of a butterfly.

Immediately after birth, it is 5cm long and 4cm wide, which is a large organ compared to the size of the body, but as it grows into adulthood, it shrinks and turns into fatty tissue, making it almost invisible.

Patient Lee Seul-gi is now in the transition from 3 months to 4 months after birth.

That’s why it looked so big relatively.

“Wow, so that’s what it looks like. The thymus…….”

We admired and continued to follow the progress of the surgery.

Baek Ui-sin’s peanut (surgical instrument) [a small, gauze-covered clamp used for blunt dissection] moves a few times, making the thymus more prominent on both sides.

Then, with quick hand movements, he ties and clips it before removing the thymus.

Now, the thin pericardium [the membrane enclosing the heart] was visible below it, and the heart beating under the pericardium was also slightly visible.

Baek Ui-sin holds sharp scissors instead of a bovie (electrocautery).

And instead of simply cutting the pericardium, he removes it in a large circle.

“Why is that?”

“It will be used later.”

Soon, the pericardium harvest is completed, and now the heart is revealed.

From now on, the full-scale surgery was about to begin.