A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 194

Chapter 36: I Can Do It (4)

An ER bed.

While on the phone with Jun-hoo, Min-kyung looked down at the patient.

The deep wrinkles on her forehead wouldn’t disappear.

The patient’s condition was critical.

He had been hit by a car running a red light while riding his motorcycle, and she heard he had already received CPR in the ambulance on the way here.

Various test results showed:

Fractured shoulder blade, fractured ribs, severe laceration on his side.

Most of all, the comminuted skull fracture and SDH (subdural hemorrhage [bleeding between the brain’s surface and its outer covering]) findings were serious.

It was fortunate that the patient was wearing a full-face helmet.

Otherwise, the patient might already be brain dead or in a vegetative state.

Waiting for news from Jun-hoo,

Min-kyung chewed on her thumbnail.

The patient was in critical condition, so she couldn’t take her eyes off the bed for a moment.

The blood-stained bandages wrapped around the patient’s head and chest.

The IV drips hanging all around.

The patient monitoring device showing unstable vitals and heart rhythm.

And the guardian watching over the patient with worry.

Min-kyung became increasingly anxious.

Time was not on Min-kyung’s side.

-Sunbae [senior colleague], I checked the surgery schedule.

“Yeah? And?”

-There’s no one available to operate right now. There are hardly any staff available because of the seminar.”

At Jun-hoo’s explanation, Min-kyung lowered her head with a look of dismay.

She had a feeling this would happen…….

One-third of the department’s staff was gone due to the seminar.

Professors, fellows, residents.

The main staff was wiped out.

The current situation was almost predictable.

Min-kyung resented it every time this happened.

The reality of the neurosurgery department, which has an absolute shortage of staff compared to other departments.

-Looking at it, you also have surgery scheduled in 30 minutes, right, sunbae?

“That’s right. But even if my schedule was open, it’s still bleak. We need a resident with at least three years of experience to perform this patient’s surgery.”

-I called trauma surgery just in case.

“They said they can’t either, right?”

-Yes. They said they don’t have the capacity to help us because they’re operating on workers who fell from the construction site.

“We’re in a desperate situation. We should be going into surgery right away.”

Because there was no surgeon,

The only remaining option was to transfer the patient to another hospital.

However, the problem was that the nearest hospital capable of brain surgery was 40 minutes away.

40 minutes for transportation alone.

If it takes an additional 10-20 minutes for surgery to begin at that hospital, the patient will be left unattended for nearly an hour in total.

Would the patient last another hour?

It would definitely be impossible.

The hematoma (a mass of clotted blood) confirmed by the brain CT was quite large.

It would get bigger and harder as time passed.

As brain herniation occurred, the patient’s brain would suffer irreversible permanent damage.

-Sunbae, I’m saying this seriously.

“What is it?”

-I’ll operate on this patient. It doesn’t seem like there’s any other way.

“Seo Jun-hoo, are you crazy?”

Min-kyung retorted sharply.

Is he crossing the line again after being quiet for a while?

“What do you mean a first-year is going to do a subdural hemorrhage surgery? I know you’re good, but this is not it.”

-Aren’t you going to transfer him otherwise?

“There’s no other option but to transfer him.”

-You know what will happen to the patient if you transfer him.”

At Jun-hoo’s point, Min-kyung was momentarily speechless and remained silent.

“Hey, do you think I want to transfer him? What am I supposed to do when there’s no one to operate?”

-That’s why I’m saying I’ll do the surgery.

Unlike Min-kyung, who was very agitated, Jun-hoo’s voice was calm.

As if the patient could survive if he operated.

How could he come to such an absurd conclusion in this urgent situation?

Min-kyung suddenly wanted to go inside Jun-hoo’s head.

-Someone I cherished was in a car accident in the countryside. They were transferred from hospital to hospital and eventually died of brain death without receiving surgery.

“…….”

-Are you telling me to watch that happen again? I can never do that.

“You’re talking about the person who gave you the health bracelet as a gift, right?”

-Yes.

Recalling the story of why Jun-hoo chose neurosurgery, Min-kyung understood Jun-hoo’s feelings.

To Jun-hoo, T.A. (traffic accident) patients were a sore spot.

“I understand how you feel, but it’s not that simple.”

-…….

“If you do the surgery, you’ll be violating the training guidelines. And I’ll have to take responsibility with you.”

-…….

“If the patient dies during surgery, the hospital could be involved in a lawsuit. It’s too risky of a gamble.”

-No. It’s not risky at all. It’s not a gamble either.

“Huh? What did you say?”

-I will definitely succeed in the surgery. I’ve been training since a long time ago, cutting down on sleep, to prepare for this day.”

“…….”

-Sunbae, please let me operate. That’s the best way for the patient.”

At Jun-hoo’s earnest request, Min-kyung chewed on her thumbnail again.

If she transferred the patient, she could avoid responsibility.

It was the safest option in the current situation. However, in this case, the patient’s recovery could not be guaranteed.

If she entrusted the surgery to Jun-hoo, the situation would become a little more complicated.

If Jun-hoo succeeded in the surgery.

The best-case scenario would be completed.

The patient would recover safely, and since the result was good, the incident could be covered up somehow.

However, if Jun-hoo failed in the surgery, the aftermath would be close to impossible to handle.

Min-kyung and Jun-hoo would probably have to show their faces in the news’s accident section.

The article title would be something like ‘Overzealous Resident’…….

“Min-kyung, you’re not really going to allow it, are you?”

While Min-kyung was wavering, a familiar voice was heard beside her.

Turning her head, Seung-ho, a second-year resident in emergency medicine, was there.

He must have been eavesdropping on Min-kyung’s conversation since some point.

“Don’t do crazy things and transfer him quickly. I’ve heard a lot about how good Seo Jun-hoo is, but SDH surgery is too much.”

“…….”

“Don’t act on a half-baked sense of justice and end up in deep trouble. Please, think realistically.”

At Seung-ho’s advice, Min-kyung nodded as if she had made up her mind.

“Seo Jun-hoo.”

-Yes, sunbae.

“Schedule the surgery right away. You’re the surgeon. Let’s compromise by having you go into surgery for an hour first, and then Hee-joon sunbae will join later.”

-Thank you. I will never let you down.

“I’ll try to persuade the guardian somehow.”

Min-kyung hung up after finishing her words. At this, Seung-ho stared at Min-kyung with surprised owl eyes.

“Are you out of your mind? You’re entrusting the surgery to a first-year?”

“Of course I’m not in my right mind. Would I have allowed it if I was? Anyway, this is only between you and me, okay? Keep it a secret.”

After silencing Seung-ho, Min-kyung moved to the bed she had been away from for a while.

She wasn’t sure yet whether her decision was right or wrong.

But one thing was certain.

Now that the die had been cast,

All she could do was desperately hope for a six.

* * *

Sunbae has made a big decision.

Now it’s my turn to repay that decision.

Jun-hoo put down the receiver and wore a determined expression.

There were strict training guidelines for residents. If they acted beyond those training guidelines, they could not avoid responsibility.

In the case of the SDH patient in the emergency room.

Surgery was possible from the third year.

This was because craniotomy [surgical opening of the skull], head trauma surgery, and emergency brain decompression surgery were allowed from the third year.

In other words, Jun-hoo was doing something he shouldn’t be doing right now.

But still.

If the essence of a surgeon is to operate on emergency patients and save lives,

Jun-hoo was prepared to cross the line as many times as necessary.

In fact, Jun-hoo’s skills were far beyond the common sense of ordinary residents.

Jun-hoo busily started making calls again.

Contacting the operating room to secure an operating room.

Sending a neurosurgery intern to the operating room.

Contacting the anesthesiology department to secure an anesthesiologist.

“You’re up to something again?”

Kyung-soo, who was watching Jun-hoo, asked.

Jun-hoo nodded and summarized the conversation he had with Min-kyung for Kyung-soo.

“Not a transfer but surgery…… You and Min-kyung sunbae are really something.”

“Does it look pathetic to you?”

“It would have looked pathetic. If it were before.”

“What does that mean?”

“After you helped me in the emergency room earlier, I see you a little differently.”

Kyung-soo shrugged and continued.

“It seems like there are some pretty good acts of meddling in the world. Like what you’re doing now.”

“Wow, do I have to save you often in the future to hear good things from you?”

“I refuse such terrible jokes.”

Jun-hoo also chuckled at Kyung-soo’s joking answer.

Certainly, after the hostage situation ended and he used Jeong-an.

Kyung-soo seemed to have opened his heart to Jun-hoo.

As Kyung-soo said.

If it were the old Kyung-soo, he would have foamed at the mouth and opposed what Jun-hoo was doing now.

“I’ll be guarding the on-call room, so go and operate with peace of mind. But if you fail, I won’t let you off the hook.”

“Of course.”

Jun-hoo headed straight to the 4th-floor operating room.

While walking quickly, he looked down at the health bracelet on his right wrist.

The keepsake of Sung-ho, who had now passed away.

No, who would be watching over him from heaven.

Hyung [older brother/close male friend], I’m really upset.

The same tragedy is repeating itself in the same way.

If I hadn’t stepped in.

The patient would have been transferred and diagnosed with brain death or a vegetative state at the transferred hospital, right?

Just imagining that situation makes my heart ache.

It will take a long time, but.

I’ll somehow break it.

The cycle of this endless vicious cycle.

At the same time as he strengthened his resolve, Jun-hoo reviewed the surgical procedure for SDH.

Contrary to the concerns of those around him.

Jun-hoo was confident in the surgery.

This was because he had internalized and stored the attending physician’s treatment and surgical methods by assisting in numerous surgeries.

Not only that.

Jun-hoo was planning to perform a special treatment on the SDH patient that other doctors could not follow.

With ‘that treatment,’ the patient’s progress would dramatically improve in just 10 minutes.

“You’re here?”

Min-kyung, who was standing at the entrance, greeted Jun-hoo as he arrived at the operating room.

“Yes, sunbae. Thank you for making a difficult decision.”

“It’s always a problem when a junior is too good. If it weren’t for you, I would have transferred the patient and taken a break.”

“…….”

“I’m kidding. Actually, I wanted to treat the patient too. I was going to give up because I didn’t have the ability.”

“…….”

“Brain death or a vegetative state is too harsh for someone in their late 20s, right?”

“I think so too. And the surgery will definitely be successful. Don’t worry.”

“Of course, that’s how it should be.”

“But sunbae. How did you get the consent form?”

Jun-hoo changed the subject to the consent form.

A first-year resident is performing the surgery, and the guardian willingly signs the consent form?

It was something that couldn’t happen logically.

“I persuaded them well.”

“Specifically, how?”

“First of all, I told them that if they transferred, the surgery time would be delayed and the patient would be in danger. And that if a first-year does the basic treatment, a third-year will come in later and do the real surgery.”

“…….”

“I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?”

“As expected, Min-kyung sunbae. You have good skills.”

Jun-hoo gave a thumbs up.

If Min-kyung hadn’t used appropriate tactics, the surgery would probably have been impossible.

So, Min-kyung also had half the credit for the surgery that Jun-hoo would soon succeed in.

“I’ll treat you to something delicious tonight.”

“I don’t need food. Just don’t show me toe socks in front of me in the future. Got it?”

“No need to say it twice.”

Jun-hoo put out his fist first.

Min-kyung put her fist against Jun-hoo’s fist.

No more words were needed.