A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 184

Chapter 34: Completion (4)

Was his intracranial pressure rising?

Or was it the common but dreaded pneumonia?

In the worst-case scenario, would he need CPR?

Jun-hoo arrived at the neurosurgical intensive care unit, his mind racing with these concerns.

The ICU was, as always, a somber place.

The patients were listless and slumped, connected to a web of wires from monitoring devices and IV lines.

Some couldn’t breathe on their own and relied on ventilators.

Many depended on nasogastric tubes [tubes inserted through the nose for feeding] for nutrition.

Most healthy people don’t realize or quickly forget:

Having consciousness.

Being able to walk.

Being able to eat independently.

How much happiness and blessing it is to simply breathe.

“You’re here, Doctor?”

“Yes. I’ll check on the patient right away.”

Yeon-ji, who was at the nursing station, recognized Jun-hoo and followed him.

Jun-hoo went to Myung-han, the pianist’s, bedside with Yeon-ji.

Surprisingly, Myung-han had regained consciousness.

He was leaning against the back of the bed.

His eyes were wide open, looking at Jun-hoo.

Perhaps because he had been imagining the worst on his way here,

Jun-hoo felt a sudden sense of relief.

“Doctor, what’s going on?”

“As you can see, the patient has regained consciousness. I was about to tell you, but you hung up the phone.”

“Ah, I was too quick to react.”

Jun-hoo smiled awkwardly.

Most ICU calls were about emergencies, so he naturally assumed the worst and hung up.

“Perhaps because the patient is young, he’s recovering quickly.”

“Check his vitals and let me know if there are any issues.”

“Vitals have been normal from yesterday to today. Intracranial pressure is also normal, and central venous pressure too.”

“…….”

“The patient is breathing on his own, so we removed the ventilator before you arrived.”

“I see. He looks quite good.”

Jun-hoo said, relieved.

If surgery was half of the patient’s recovery, the other half was the post-operative care.

Even if the surgery went perfectly,

many patients died in the ICU due to complications or infections.

But Myung-han’s condition was very promising.

“Mr. Myung-han, where are you?”

“Where else would I be? Can’t you tell by looking? Obviously, it’s a hospital.”

Myung-han’s tone was more aggressive than usual. His gaze towards Jun-hoo was also unfriendly.

“Can you move your fingers as if you’re playing the piano?”

“It’s annoying. Do I have to do it?”

“Yes. You have to.”

Myung-han reluctantly moved his fingers. His fingers tapped smoothly in the air.

It was a bit early to be certain, but it didn’t seem like there would be any obstacles to him returning as a pianist.

“This time, lift your right leg and left leg alternately.”

“The left one is a bit difficult to lift. Did you do the surgery properly?”

“We wanted to save all the nerves completely, but it was impossible. I explained that beforehand, though…….”

“Does explaining it mean you don’t have to take responsibility?”

Myung-han’s reaction was still harsh.

The conversation seemed normal on the surface, but something felt off.

Yeon-ji looked at Jun-hoo with an anxious expression.

“Doctor, is this patient always so difficult? He seems very grumpy.”

“No. He’s usually a gentle person.”

“Then, was there a problem with the surgery? How can a person change so suddenly?”

Yeon-ji whispered to Jun-hoo.

“Are you secretly talking about me in front of me? It’s annoying. Really!”

Myung-han lashed out and swung his fist towards Yeon-ji.

Whoosh.

But just before Myung-han’s fist hit Yeon-ji’s forearm, Jun-hoo stepped in.

Jun-hoo reached out and caught Myung-han’s fist in his palm.

Like a catcher receiving a baseball.

Jun-hoo had even directly faced the Blood Wolf Fist of Yeom Hongwi, the master of the Demonic Sect [a fictional martial arts clan].

Myung-han’s fist, even a million of them, posed no threat.

“Oh my, you scared me. I thought I was going to lose ten years of my life. Thank you, Doctor.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Aren’t you going to let go of this? Do you want to see me flip out?”

“I think you should notify the professor about this patient. The patient’s condition seems very serious.”

“No. I can handle it on my own.”

Jun-hoo shook his head.

Despite Myung-han’s violent words and actions, Jun-hoo’s expression remained calm.

Contrary to Yeon-ji’s concerns,

there were no problems with the surgery.

And surprisingly, there were no major problems with Myung-han either.

“What if something big happens…….”

“You’re a new nurse, so you haven’t encountered these kinds of patients. The patient is in a state of delirium.”

“Delirium?”

“Yes.”

Jun-hoo nodded and began to explain.

Delirium was a temporary state of mental confusion.

When a patient is in delirium, they exhibit violent language and behavior.

Delirium is one of the common complications of surgery, with 10-15 percent of hospitalized patients experiencing it.

It usually occurs in elderly patients over 60 years of age, but it can also occur in young patients who have undergone brain surgery.

“Then how do you treat it?”

“It’s a temporary phenomenon, so sometimes it gets better on its own with observation, and if it’s severe, you have to use medication.”

“We should use restraints for now. It looks like he’s going to pull out the IV line.”

Yeon-ji’s anxious gaze stayed on Myung-han.

Myung-han was struggling to pull out the fist that Jun-hoo was holding.

He was pounding the bed with his remaining arm, as if he was frustrated.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

“We don’t need restraints. Just bring me a dressing set. I should disinfect it while I’m here.”

“Are you sure that will be enough?”

“Yes. It’s enough.”

Only after Yeon-ji left did Jun-hoo begin his full-fledged work.

First, he acupunctured Myung-han’s arm that he was suppressing.

Thwack, thwack, thwack.

With his fingers filled with internal energy [a concept in traditional Chinese medicine referring to vital energy], he stimulated the Cubit acupoint [a specific point on the elbow] on the upper arm and the Jianyu acupoint [a point on the shoulder].

Thud!

Myung-han’s arm fell limply onto the bed.

Myung-han looked at Jun-hoo with a dumbfounded expression.

Jun-hoo didn’t care and acupunctured Myung-han’s other arm as well.

He suppressed him in advance so that Myung-han couldn’t cause trouble.

“What… what is it? Why can’t I move my arm?”

Instead of answering, Jun-hoo placed his palm on Myung-han’s head.

If it were me, I wouldn’t need to use medicine.

Delirium occurs because the functional connection between the basal ganglia and the midbrain is disrupted.

So, if you reconnect the two, there’s no problem.

The internal energy drawn from the dantian [a center of energy in the body, according to traditional Chinese medicine] gathered in his palm.

Whoosh.

Whoosh.

The internal energy that spread from his palm passed through Myung-han’s scalp and skull.

The internal energy that entered the inside of the skull like a wave drew a large circle between the basal ganglia and the midbrain.

In line with the flow of internal energy,

the blood and cerebrospinal fluid in the basal ganglia and midbrain began to circulate actively.

This would restore the connection between the nerves that had been temporarily dulled.

While treating the delirium with internal energy, Jun-hoo carefully observed Myung-han.

Myung-han’s expression, which had been full of anger, gradually softened.

The basal ganglia and midbrain, which had been experiencing functional disharmony, began to activate.

A successful harmony of medical knowledge and internal energy.

This was something that only Jun-hoo could do in the whole world.

“Doctor. What on earth was I doing?”

Myung-han asked in a dazed voice.

He had returned to the Myung-han that Jun-hoo knew. Only then did Jun-hoo take his hand off Myung-han’s head.

“We should talk about that now.”

* * *

Creak. Creak.

While pulling the dressing cart back to the station,

Yeon-ji glanced at the bed where Myung-han was lying.

It was strange.

Myung-han, who had been swearing and even punching, had become a docile lamb.

And it was only after being alone with Jun-hoo for a short time.

Jun-hoo had a brief conversation with the patient, who had suddenly become normal, then did the dressing (disinfection) and left the intensive care unit.

“Nurse, is delirium usually a disease that gets better quickly?”

Returning to the station and organizing supplies, Yeon-ji asked Hemi, a senior nurse who was nearby.

“What? Delirium? Who has delirium?”

Hemi widened her eyes and asked back.

“The pianist patient.”

“We’re in a state of emergency. That patient is a VIP, so we have to pay special attention to him. Especially if he has delirium, it takes a lot of work.”

“…….”

“We have to keep talking to him. We also have to manage the lighting. Otherwise, the confusion will worsen.”

“He’s fine now, though?”

“That can’t be. Even if we administer medication, he needs intensive care for three or four days.”

Hemi frowned and said.

“He’s really fine. That’s why I asked you, Doctor. Does delirium usually get better that quickly?”

“I’ll check it out.”

A moment later, Hemi returned to the station after visiting Myung-han’s bed.

Hemi clicked her tongue as if she was dumbfounded.

“He’s really fine? Wasn’t it delirium in the first place?”

“The patient was swearing at me, though? He even punched me, but Doctor Jun-hoo stopped him.”

“Then it’s delirium. How could it be resolved so quickly?”

“I don’t know either.”

Yeon-ji shrugged her shoulders.

Listening to Hemi’s words, the patient’s recovery seemed even more miraculous.

Even with medication, he needs intensive care for three or four days, but how could the patient’s condition improve in just a few minutes?

It seemed like it could be considered a mystery of the intensive care unit.

“But did Doctor Jun-hoo see the delirium patient?”

“Yes.”

“Doctor Jun-hoo has something special about him. Unlike other doctors, he often stays by the patient’s side and intensively monitors them.”

“…….”

“The patients that Doctor Jun-hoo treats recover strangely quickly.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Right? So, we call Doctor Jun-hoo ‘healing hands’ because the patient gets better just by touching him.”

“I see. I just thought the doctor was handsome.”

“He is handsome too.”

Hemi smiled and corrected Yeon-ji’s words.

“Does Doctor Jun-hoo have a girlfriend?”

“Oh, you little rascal. How long have you been working here to ask such a thing?”

“I’m still curious. If I try ten times, won’t I succeed at least once?”

“It’s no use. Doctor Jun-hoo is already taken.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means he already has someone.”

Yeon-ji was greatly disappointed by Hemi’s answer.

If he didn’t have a girlfriend,

she could have been more proactive in some way.

Sniff, sniff.

I’m the only one who doesn’t have one.

A cool, kind, and handsome boyfriend.

* * *

Jun-hoo, who had left the intensive care unit, went to the staff lounge located at the end of the hallway.

He pulled out a canned coffee from the vending machine and sat on the cushionless, rough sofa.

Jun-hoo was the only one in the lounge. Thanks to that, he was able to enjoy the silence for the first time in a while.

Click!

Jun-hoo opened the canned coffee and took a sip.

Even though he had successfully treated Myung-han’s delirium, Jun-hoo’s expression was not very bright.

Rather, after treating the delirium,

a question arose.

He treated the delirium well.

Why can’t he treat brain-dead and vegetative state patients with internal energy?

Jun-hoo’s question was this.

Internal energy had a healing power that helped the recovery of organs, blood vessels, and nerves.

The reason why masters in the Murim [martial arts world] recovered so quickly even after suffering major injuries was because of that.

But in reality, internal energy was useless for brain-dead and vegetative state patients.

Sungho was a good example.

When Sungho fell into brain death,

Jun-hoo poured all of his internal energy into saving Sungho’s brain.

Even then, he didn’t achieve any results.

Rather, he fainted due to excessive use of internal energy.

Because the brain is irreversible.

Because it has the property of not being able to recover once it is damaged.

He knew that it was impossible to treat brain death and vegetative state.

But internal energy was also a miraculous power that made the impossible possible.

In fact, Jun-hoo was able to perform internal energy brain tumor resection, which removed brain tumors by shaping internal energy into a needle.

A miracle that would horrify others if they heard about it.

So, was it that he didn’t have enough internal energy to treat a dead brain?

Or should he add some other treatment to internal energy?

As he pondered, Jun-hoo looked down at the health bracelet he was wearing on his right wrist.

A memento of Sungho and a product of the oath he made to become the world’s best neurosurgeon.

Hyung [older brother], keep watching until the end.

I will find a way to treat brain death and vegetative state.

Definitely.