A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 498

무공 쓰는 외과 의사 498화

제97장 야무진 꿈(4)

“So, you want to create a separate Epilepsy Clinic.”

“…….”

“And, not only that, but also introduce a robot-assisted surgery dedicated to epilepsy surgeries. Is that what you’re trying to say?”

“As expected of the Hospital Director. There’s no need to say more.”

Joon-hoo smiled brightly as the Hospital Director summarized what he had heard.

However, the Hospital Director couldn’t smile along with Joon-hoo.

Joon-hoo’s ambitious project.

If it failed, he would have to bear the full brunt of the aftermath.

What is this guy up to?

Is he trying to get rid of me with this opportunity?

Or does he really have the confidence to make it succeed?

The Hospital Director’s mind wavered like a reed. Even he, a master of hospital politics, found it difficult to grasp the meaning of Joon-hoo’s move.

“It’s difficult to approve everything at once. But establishing an Epilepsy Clinic seems like something we can 추진 [push forward] quickly.”

The Hospital Director first tested Joon-hoo’s intentions.

“If we’re going to do it, we should 추진 [push forward] it all at once. That’s how we gain momentum.”

“Dr. Seo. Do you know how much it costs to bring in a robot dedicated to epilepsy?”

“Doesn’t it cost about 4 billion won?”

“Do you think 4 billion won is just pocket change?”

Because Joon-hoo’s statement was too flippant.

The Hospital Director frowned and spoke.

“I’d like to have about two units. We need at least two to rotate the operating rooms effectively.”

The Hospital Director was at a loss for words.

He was already making a huge concession just considering introducing one unit.

But what?

He wants to introduce two units?

At this point, it seemed like he was just trying to push things to the extreme.

“I expected it, but your sense of money is zero. Do you want to bankrupt the hospital?”

“…….”

“Investing 9 billion won in neurosurgery. That’s just too unrealistic.”

“I’m confident I can make a return on the investment.”

“How?”

“Robot surgeries are non-insured, so the surgery fees are high, and the surgery time is about four times shorter than 일반 [general] surgeries. In the long run, introducing robot surgeries is definitely beneficial.”

Joon-hoo took a firm stance.

His sharp eyes clearly conveyed that he had no intention of backing down.

As far as Joon-hoo knew, only one of the Big 5 hospitals had a robot dedicated to epilepsy.

Seoul Sejin Hospital.

According to an article he read in a medical journal.

Seoul Sejin Hospital’s epilepsy robot surgeries were booked solid for five months.

Meeting Ha-rim today.

Made Joon-hoo recall that article.

“To think I’d hear the word ‘본전 [breaking even]’ from your mouth. That’s unexpected.”

The Hospital Director smirked.

The legs he had been crossing came undone, and he also unfolded his arms.

What if Joon-hoo had said he wanted to establish an epilepsy clinic and introduce a robot for the sake of the patients?

Wouldn’t the Hospital Director have rejected it 100 percent?

Joon-hoo could almost hear the Hospital Director’s mental calculations.

Anyway, you had to acknowledge his shrewdness.

“Operating an epilepsy clinic and running robot surgeries makes money?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Convince me a little more to get my heart to move.”

“Epilepsy is the third most common neurological disorder after stroke and dementia. The total number of patients worldwide is about 50 million.”

“…….”

“As it is a disease closely related to aging, the demand will only increase, not decrease, in the future.”

“Good. Tell me more.”

The Hospital Director’s voice already had a hint of excitement.

“Of course, many cases of epilepsy can be treated with medication. But as the number of patients increases, won’t the number of patients requiring surgery also increase?”

“Of course, that’s true. But can we handle that demand in Busan, not Seoul?”

The Hospital Director raised an objection for the first time in a while.

But he wasn’t wrong.

It was a reasonable doubt worth considering.

“Once word gets out, patients from all over the country will flock to us like bees.”

“…….”

“Why limit ourselves to the domestic market? If we link it to medical tourism, we can also expect to attract foreign patients.”

Joon-hoo loaded the fishing rod he had cast to the Hospital Director with a huge, tempting bait.

‘Are you still not going to bite?’

…with that kind of feeling.

“Too sweet food tends to rot teeth.”

“It’s also true that you can’t eat big if you don’t take risks. The Hospital Director’s goal isn’t just to maintain the status quo, is it?”

Joon-hoo gently shook the fishing rod.

It seems like he’s almost 넘어온 [ 넘어온 (neomeoon) – 넘어오다 (neomeo-oda) means to come over, to cross over, to give in, to yield, to fall for something], but.

Is it still far off?

If the Hospital Director rejects Joon-hoo’s proposal, it would have to be 폐기처분 [scrapped].

The Hospital Director was the only person who could push through a project of this scale.

“Hoo. Why are you suddenly making this proposal?”

“It’s for me.”

“Dr. Seo, for you?”

“Yes. For me.”

There were three main reasons why Joon-hoo wanted to establish an epilepsy clinic and introduce a robot dedicated to epilepsy surgery.

The first, of course, was for the patients.

He felt it strongly after seeing Ha-rim’s seizure this morning.

He had been so focused on the cerebrovascular and brain tumor parts.

That he had been negligent in the stereotactic neurosurgery part.

That there were patients he hadn’t been able to fully consider.

The second was to solidify his position as the head of the department.

Even though Joon-hoo was performing exceptionally well and increasing his name recognition.

The Kim Han-sang professor’s faction on the opposite side still didn’t acknowledge Joon-hoo.

They treated Joon-hoo’s popularity as a bubble.

If he succeeded in a large-scale project.

And crushed their noses, they wouldn’t have anything to say even if they had ten mouths.

Joon-hoo only told the Hospital Director the latter of the two reasons.

But right then.

Ziiiiing.

The vibration of the cellphone rang like an 방해꾼 [intruder].

“I’ll take this call for a moment.”

After asking the Hospital Director for his understanding, Joon-hoo took out his cellphone.

Who would be calling at this hour?

When he checked the number, it was an unknown number.

But he answered it anyway.

“This is Seo Joon-hoo from the Department of Neurosurgery.”

-…….

“Yes. Yes.”

Joon-hoo’s face crumpled as he listened to the notification. The hand holding the cellphone involuntarily tightened.

“I’ll go down there right away.”

As soon as he hung up, Joon-hoo got up from his seat.

“Director. Please contact me as soon as you make a decision. I’ll go down because of an emergency patient.”

“I will. It won’t take that long. I’ll contact you by tomorrow at the latest.”

“Thank you.”

Joon-hoo bowed his head and left the office like the wind.

Tok. Tok. Tok.

The Hospital Director tapped the table with his index finger and muttered.

He stared blankly at the spot where Joon-hoo had been sitting.

“He’s going to bring in an epilepsy robot for himself? Am I supposed to believe that at face value?”

The Hospital Director snorted.

* * *

Emergency room.

Fellow Jung Ji-hoon from the Department of Hand Surgery was standing in front of a bed.

A five-year-old boy was lying on the bed.

Perhaps it was thanks to the sedative he was given as soon as he arrived at the emergency room.

The child, who had been crying and thrashing wildly, was now sleeping like a lamb.

Next to the child, a guardian was shaking his legs and fidgeting.

Five minutes ago.

Jung Ji-hoon received an emergency room call and rushed down to the emergency room.

And he had to witness a shocking sight he didn’t want to see.

The child’s left big toe had been cut off in a chunk.

“What happened?”

Jung Ji-hoon asked the guardian with eyes that looked like they would pop out at any moment.

Most amputation accident patients were adults.

And it mainly occurred to factory workers.

But a child who hadn’t even lost his baby fat had his toe cut off…….

This was Jung Ji-hoon’s first time experiencing something like this.

“That’s…….”

The guardian said, sobbing.

“While riding down the escalator, my child’s toe got caught in the escalator.”

“Ah…….”

A sigh of pity burst out first.

Reason operated after that.

“Where’s the child’s toe?”

“It’s here.”

The guardian handed over a black and white plastic bag with trembling hands. The moment Jung Ji-hoon checked inside the plastic bag, he burst out in anger.

He almost grabbed the guardian by the collar.

“You can’t store an amputated toe like this!”

“Why…… why? I heard it’s good to put ice in it?”

“Ice shouldn’t directly touch the amputated area! Then the tissue will necrose [die]!”

“…….”

“Doctor. Didn’t you check even these basics?”

Jung Ji-hoon shouted at the nurse next to him.

The nurse with a youthful appearance 움찔 [winced] trembled.

She lowered her head like a sinner.

It was a face he was seeing for the first time, so she must be a new nurse.

“I’m…… I’m sorry. I was too 경황이 없어서 [ 경황이 없어서 (gyeonghwang-i eopseoseo) – too flustered and disoriented] earlier…….”

“Take it, wash it with saline solution, double-seal it, and then put it in ice.”

“Yes. Doctor.”

The nurse took the plastic bag containing the amputated toe and left the spot like lightning.

The atmosphere in the bed froze coldly.

“Doctor. What’s going to happen to our Ji-min’s toe?”

The guardian, frightened by Jung Ji-hoon’s thunderous shout, asked cautiously.

“Let’s see the condition first.”

Squeak, squeak.

Jung Ji-hoon cut the bandage wrapped around the thumb with scissors.

The bandage 풀렸다 스르륵 [loosened with a rustling sound].

The amputation surface that had been 숨어 있던 꽁꽁 [hidden away] finally revealed its appearance.

‘This is a mess. This is a mess.’

Jung Ji-hoon clicked his tongue inwardly.

Because the toe was amputated by the escalator, the amputation surface was uneven and произвольный [random].

The surface is 울퉁불퉁 [rough].

The unique rail marks of the escalator remained intact.

At first glance, it looked like a rat had gnawed on it.

Can he really restore this to its original state?

The storage condition of the big toe is also the worst?

“Doctor. Please, I’m begging you. I wandered around in an ambulance for three hours before arriving. If we get 버림받으면 [abandoned] here too, our Ji-min will have to live without a toe.”

The guardian pleaded with tears.

Desperately appealing while grabbing Jung Ji-hoon’s doctor’s gown.

Of course, it was definitely an unfortunate tragedy.

But there was nothing Jung Ji-hoon could do.

There was no professor to perform the surgery.

One went to a seminar, one was in outpatient treatment, and another was in regular surgery.

The Department of Hand Surgery at Shinwon University Hospital was only a Department of Hand Surgery in name.

It was struggling with a chronic shortage of manpower and was eking out a living day by day with only a tattered sense of duty.

Should I just close my eyes and do it?

Making the hospital 돌리는 뺑뺑이 [play roulette] is something I can’t do to the child.

Nor to the guardian.

Jung Ji-hoon briefly burned with a sense of justice as a doctor.

But the heat cooled down in an instant. As if it had never been hot in the first place.

It was an 넘는 주제 [overreaching] act.

Even if the toe was cut off cleanly, it was questionable whether surgery would be possible.

Jung Ji-hoon didn’t have the ability to 집도 [perform] a toe that was cut off so messily.

Was that why?

Jung Ji-hoon, 빠진 무기력에 [fallen into helplessness], felt like he was a rat living in a fancy sewer.

On the outside, he seemed to be wearing a white gown at the hospital and acting quite 멋있게 [coolly].

But if you look closely inside.

There was nothing Jung Ji-hoon could do.

“Guardian. I’m sorry…….”

It was the moment when Jung Ji-hoon was 망설이며 [hesitantly] trying to convey the cold reality.

파바바박! [thump thump thump]

Someone came 헐레벌떡 [rushing] to the bed.

Jung Ji-hoon also knew the face well.

Seo Joon-hoo.

The strongest neurosurgeon who completed the MayU Boost Up course.

A 풍운아 [troublemaker] who always caused a stir inside and outside the hospital.

Who on earth contacted Joon-hoo?

“Doctor. I’ve treated the amputated toe and brought it back.”

At that moment, the nurse also 복귀했다 [returned] to the bed.

In response, Joon-hoo took a quick look at the stored toe and also 훑어보았다 [glanced over] the amputated toe.

It was a 무심한 듯 매서운 [seemingly indifferent but sharp] look.

“This is enough to 접합 [reattach]. Let’s do the surgery right away.”

Joon-hoo was 제멋대로 미쳐 날뛰었다 [running wild on his own].