A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 190

Chapter 35: Deep in the Mountains (5)

Clunk!

Gu Hyun, arriving at the 4th-floor staff lounge, immediately grabbed a sweet canned coffee.

The coffee seemed to work its magic as soon as it went down his throat.

His mind cleared, and energy surged through his limbs.

Even if it was just a placebo, he was happy.

Gu Hyun had skipped both breakfast and lunch and performed two surgeries back-to-back.

No wonder his hands and feet were trembling during the surgeries.

Gu Hyun slumped onto the sofa, exhausted.

He sprawled out, taking up the entire sofa.

Some of the other department residents who were already there glanced at Gu Hyun, but he didn’t care.

Right now, he just wanted to lie down and do nothing.

As he stared at the white ceiling, Gu Hyun suddenly recalled the surgery he had just finished.

Jun-hoo’s use of the scalpel was particularly impressive.

No matter how he thought about it, it seemed like he wasn’t in his right mind.

But since he succeeded, what could he say?

Were they all feeling the same way he was?

Jun-hoo had sliced away the plaque in the carotid artery as if he were filleting fish.

He used a dangerously risky technique where even a slightly deep cut could tear the blood vessel.

So, at the time, Gu Hyun felt as nervous as if he were watching a horror movie.

The other staff members also maintained a deathly silence, afraid that Jun-hoo might make a mistake.

The wrist moved smoothly in a circular motion along the edge of the blood vessel.

The fingers showed no sign of trembling.

Precise distance and force control.

Looking back, it was a work of art.

Even Gu Hyun, who had been anxious, was captivated by Jun-hoo’s movements at some point.

Even I can’t do that.

No, even the professors couldn’t do it.

No wonder everyone is paying attention to that monster since he’s only a first-year.

Gu Hyun realized it only today.

Why the residents and professors were constantly talking about Jun-hoo.

“Senior, I bought food.”

“Okay.”

Jun-hoo, who had been sent on a convenience store errand, returned to the lounge. The plastic bag in Jun-hoo’s hand was bulging with food.

After getting back the card he had given for the errand.

Gu Hyun filled his hungry stomach with Jun-hoo’s food.

He suddenly felt sorry for himself, eating cup ramen and sandwiches.

The people who attended the seminar must have eaten something delicious.

They must have also built connections with professors from other hospitals.

The only way to change that was to improve his skills.

Enough to be chosen by the professors.

“Seo Jun-hoo.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

“You know that the procedure you did earlier was dangerous, right? It was fortunate that it was successful; if it had failed, both you and I would have been done for.”

Gu Hyun made a gesture of slitting his throat with his hand.

“I know.”

“If you know, be careful in the future. Don’t show off too much. I only let it slide because it was me.”

Gu Hyun warned Jun-hoo.

To be honest, he was just being spiteful.

He was afraid that Jun-hoo would surpass him someday.

He couldn’t let a junior steal the neurosurgery professor position, which already had a shortage of T.O. [training openings].

He needed to nip it in the bud, starting now.

“Did you put in the Post-O.P [post-operative] orders?”

“Yes, I did.”

“You’re lying. Didn’t we leave the operating room together and come straight to the lounge?”

“I entered them while going to the convenience store.”

“So, you placed the orders on your phone?”

Gu Hyun asked, clicking his tongue.

Of course, these days, it was possible to handle prescriptions and diagnoses on a mobile phone.

It was even possible to check X-rays, CT scans, and MRI images.

Because the mobile phone had a dedicated EMR [electronic medical record] and PACS [picture archiving and communication system] installed.

The problem was that placing orders on a mobile phone was quite cumbersome.

“Here, check it yourself.”

“…It’s real.”

Gu Hyun was speechless after checking the phone Jun-hoo handed him.

The post-operative orders for the patient who had just finished surgery were entered.

-check vital sign q 1h [check vital signs every hour]

-NPO, till next order [nothing by mouth until next order]

-ABR, head elevation 30 degrees [absolute bed rest, head elevation 30 degrees]

-check I/O, U/O q 1h [check intake/output and urine output every hour]

-IMT, CBC, ABGA, CRP, ECG [various tests including carotid artery ultrasound]

……

“You entered all of this on your phone?”

“Yes. I’m just fast.”

“How fast are you?”

“I’ll show you. About this fast.”

Jun-hoo, who received his phone back, started tapping on the phone keyboard.

Tuk-tuk-tuk.

Tuk-tuk-tuk.

The speed was insane.

His fingers were a blur.

It even looked faster than Gu Hyun using a computer keyboard.

So, he placed the orders on his phone because his hands are that fast.

Usually, people don’t enter orders on their phones because it’s slow, frustrating, and inconvenient…

Gu Hyun, who was trying to discipline Jun-hoo, just smiled bitterly. He was the one being disciplined.

* * *

Thump. Thump.

Jun-hoo’s steps were light as he returned to the neurosurgery ward.

He was pleased with the carotid endarterectomy [surgical procedure to remove plaque from the carotid artery] he had just assisted with.

He was especially proud of his scalpel skills, slicing away the plaque as if he were filleting fish.

The idea of slicing away the plaque itself came from his master, Jae-hyun.

If the plaque was removed using the existing method.

There was a risk that plaque debris could travel through the blood vessels and block major blood vessels.

However, even after creating the theory, Jae-hyun.

He couldn’t put it into practice.

The risk of failure was too great.

But Jun-hoo successfully executed that theory today.

Perfectly and cleanly.

Was it thanks to being a swordsman in the Murim [martial arts world]?

At least when it came to procedures using a scalpel, Jun-hoo was confident that no surgeon in the world could follow him.

There would be endless surgeries utilizing swordsmanship or martial arts in the future.

I hope I become an attending physician soon.

Then I can operate in my own way without having to read other people’s faces.

Imagining a sweet future, he arrived at the on-call room, which was empty.

Min-kyung or Kyung-soo.

One of them should be guarding the place.

The on-call worker was supposed to be waiting for emergency calls, day or night.

Ring-ring~

The phone rang just in time.

Jun-hoo moved to the desk and answered the phone.

“Yes, this is the neurosurgery on-call room.”

-Doctor. Why aren’t you answering the phone? This is the third time I’ve called.

The owner of the familiar, irritated voice was ward nurse Jung Ye-in.

“I just got back from assisting with surgery. It’s unfair if you push me like that.”

-Ah… I’m sorry. I kept trying to call, but I couldn’t get through.

“We’re short-staffed because of the seminar right now. It might be like this often today.”

-Okay. I’m calling to give you a notification about patient Seo Dong-hyun in room 607.”

“What’s wrong?”

-That’s…

Ye-in’s explanation continued.

Dong-hyun was a patient scheduled for coil embolization [procedure to block blood flow to an aneurysm] to prevent a brain aneurysm tomorrow.

The problem was that the patient had been complaining of headaches, dizziness, and vomiting for the past two hours.

When they checked his blood pressure.

It showed hypertension with a reading of 180mmHg/120mmHg [millimeters of mercury, a unit of pressure].

“Let’s see. He’s in his 60s, and he doesn’t have a history of hypertension either?”

-Yes. That’s why I’m more worried.

“Hmm…”

Jun-hoo stroked his chin quietly.

Blood pressure control before surgery was essential, but the cause and treatment didn’t immediately come to mind.

It was like he knew something but couldn’t quite grasp it.

It felt like he was shrouded in fog.

‘Then there’s only one way.’

Swish!

Jun-hoo used his internal energy-filled fingers to strike a pressure point behind his ear.

Internal energy with wave-like vibrations passed through his head and began to stimulate the hippocampus [brain region associated with memory].

Suddenly, the contents of his master’s secret manual flashed through his mind.

“First, slowly inject nicardipine IV [intravenously] at 5㎍ [micrograms] into the IV fluid the patient is currently receiving. Also, have him take 1 Tramadol tablet orally.”

-……

“We need to lower the blood pressure by at least 20 more than it is now, okay? Also, check the blood pressure every hour.”

-But why is the patient suddenly like this?

“From what I see, it looks like hypertensive urgency.”

-Hypertensive urgency?

“Yes. It’s hypertension caused by acute central nervous system disorder due to the brain aneurysm. Usually, it can be controlled with medication. So, don’t worry too much.”

-I’ll start the treatment as soon as I enter the prescription. Thank you.

“Yes. Thank you for your hard work.”

Jun-hoo put down the receiver, issued the prescription, and took a breather.

He couldn’t shake the feeling of being pushed around all day.

It was all because of the staff shortage due to the seminar.

If neurosurgery is this difficult, how hard is thoracic surgery?

Moreover, Ah-young is the only first-year in thoracic surgery.

Jun-hoo suddenly thought of Ah-young.

He also thought about the schedule to visit Ah-young, who was on duty today, and the date they had scheduled for a few days later.

After starting to date.

Jun-hoo naturally thought of Ah-young from time to time.

Isn’t this what it means for a person to permeate into another person?

Isn’t this what it means for love to permeate into a person?

Creak.

The on-call room door opened just in time, and Min-kyung came inside.

“Senior, where have you been? You know you can’t leave your post.”

“I know, but I couldn’t help it.”

“That’s why I’m asking what the unavoidable reason was.”

“You don’t need to know. You’ll never know.”

Min-kyung sat down at the desk next to Jun-hoo, feeling embarrassed.

From that reaction, Jun-hoo noticed the unspeakable reason. Min-kyung seemed to be suffering from her period.

“By the way, I heard you put in an order for hypertensive emergency?”

“How did you know that, Senior?”

“I was passing by the station, and the nurse asked me. She asked if the prescription you gave was correct. I checked and said it was correct because it was.”

Min-kyung clicked her tongue and continued.

“The order was perfect. I don’t think I’ve ever taught you that specifically.”

“Well, with my experience, I should be able to handle that much on my own.”

“Wow. Anyone would think you’re at least a third-year.”

“Anyway, Senior.”

Jun-hoo approached Min-kyung from behind with a friendly smile.

He gently massaged Min-kyung’s shoulders.

Since he often gave her the Chugung Gwahyul massage [a type of massage using internal energy], Min-kyung didn’t particularly show any resistance to Jun-hoo’s physical contact.

“What? What’s with that suspicious look? Do you have a favor to ask?”

“You’re a mind reader. You’re off this Friday, Senior, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Can you switch your off day with me? I have a date with Ah-young that day.”

Jun-hoo glanced at the calendar and asked.

“Ugh… You’re suddenly rubbing it in my face.”

“Would a few grains of salt make a difference to Senior’s heart, which is as wide as the ocean?”

“You’re only eloquent at times like this.”

“Will you switch with me?”

“If you get me a massage voucher for about 10 sessions.”

“What’s 10 sessions? I’ll get you 20 sessions.”

“Okay. Deal!”

Min-kyung readily accepted Jun-hoo’s offer.

After massaging Min-kyung for nearly 5 minutes, Jun-hoo returned to his seat.

“Where did Kyung-soo go?”

Jun-hoo tilted his head and changed the subject.

He had been feeling uneasy because he hadn’t seen Kyung-soo since earlier.

He knew there wasn’t a surgery schedule at this time.

-This is the broadcasting room. Code Purple has occurred in the emergency room. Code Purple has occurred. Staff and patients are asked to refrain from visiting the emergency room.

A hospital-wide announcement was made for the first time in a while.

Hearing this, Jun-hoo and Min-kyung stared at each other with wide eyes like owls.

They shouted simultaneously in a daze.

“Code Purple?”

“Code Purple?”