Dr. Shin Seonhan: The Doctor Who Sees The Future [EN]: Chapter 208

#208 Eagle Eyes, a Woman’s Touch, a Lion’s Heart (11)

As silence fell between us, the PR team leader, who had been watching the filming, tilted his head, puzzled.

‘Strange. He’s been like that since the car earlier… Why is he so fixated on pediatric heart disease?’

‘He’s probably thinking that,’ I thought.

Some of the staff were also looking at me with questioning eyes.

It was such an irrelevant question.

Regardless of the interview’s context, why suddenly talk about surgical methods for pediatric heart patients?

Of course, unlike them, Professor Baek Ui-sin would understand.

That this question was an extension of the conversation we had in the car an hour ago.

“Existing surgical methods and new surgical methods… It depends on the patient. At least, you need to know the patient’s age and echo [echocardiogram] findings to discuss it, Mr. Shin, don’t you think?”

After a moment of hesitation, Professor Baek Ui-sin continued.

“There’s a reason for the methods that people have chosen in the past. You can’t always say that something new is good. By whose judgment does this new surgical method have a high chance of success?”

His words were absolutely correct.

Is the new surgical method truly better? Is the probability of success actually higher?

No one can be sure.

But I know the future.

That if we stick to the existing method, Lee Seul-gi will die.

So I can’t give up.

With the surgery less than two days away, Professor Baek Ui-sin is the only card I have to change the future.

“Assuming that the existing surgical method isn’t perfect, I wanted to ask how you would approach it if there was a new method.”

“Acquiring and developing the experiences of our predecessors is a common part of all disciplines. That’s why we publish research and share experiences. That research comes together to form textbooks.”

He took a sip of water from the glass on the table and continued.

“There are countless studies in the world that don’t make it into textbooks. The point is that you shouldn’t accept new research unconditionally.”

Everyone in the studio was focused on the final exchange of this interview.

And Professor Baek Ui-sin concluded his answer to the question.

“I want to answer your ambiguous question ambiguously. As you guys say, ‘it depends.’ You have to consider the best treatment method for each patient case.”

It’s the standard answer.

A textbook example of a wise answer to a foolish question.

But it doesn’t matter. My goal right now isn’t to defeat Professor Baek Ui-sin with logic.

I spoke to drive the final nail in.

“Come to think of it, I remember something Professor Baek said in the past. That surgery doesn’t start in the operating room, but from the first time you examine the patient.”

He tilted his head at my words.

I’m probably the only one.

The only person who knows Professor Baek’s minor sayings one by one like this.

“Did I say that?”

“Yes. You said that in a Medial Daily interview 10 years ago.”

“You remember that?”

Professor Baek let out a dry laugh.

“Okay. It’s something you can only know by seeing it directly.”

“Yes.”

“So you want me to see that patient directly? Are you done with what you wanted to say?”

*Taak!*

Professor Baek suddenly flicked my forehead.

I thought a hole was going to be drilled in my forehead.

“Ouch!”

“Don’t mess around. I can see what you’re trying to do.”

His sudden action released the tension in the filming studio.

People stared at us blankly, not knowing what was going on.

Professor Baek got up from his seat, looked around, and said.

“Let’s stop here and edit out the scene. I don’t want to be known as a professor who uses violence against his students.”

The filming staff, who had been momentarily flustered, quickly organized their equipment and shouted.

“Yes, thank you for your hard work!”

My head was blank.

Because I got hit?

No, that wasn’t the only reason.

.

Professor Baek definitely said that just now.

It felt unfamiliar, yet ticklish.

As far as I know, Professor Baek wasn’t someone who used that word often.

* * *

The filming was over.

Outside, a thin layer of snow had accumulated on the parked cars.

As Baek Ui-sin got into the car, the PR team leader said to Seon-han.

“You have to go back to the hospital, right? I’m going to take Professor Baek to his next destination.”

Recently, Baek Ui-sin’s schedule has been filled with external activities.

“Yes, my intern colleague is dying because he’s doing my work too. I’ll take a taxi back. And…”

Seon-han added, raising his voice a little.

“There’s also a meeting about the pediatric heart patient Lee Seul-gi scheduled for this afternoon, so I need to go quickly to finish my intern duties and attend that meeting.”

A meaningful tone.

As if giving some kind of hint.

Then Baek Ui-sin, who was listening through the window, couldn’t help but laugh.

I don’t know how long it’s been since I felt joy and laughed in a conversation with someone.

‘What an interesting guy,’ Baek Ui-sin thought.

Ambition, a spirit of challenge, competitiveness…

Those mindsets have an expiration date.

As you get older, the light in your eyes disappears and the focus blurs.

The shoulders that were initially full of dreams also become weighed down by the reality after working in the hospital for about a year.

Baek Ui-sin had met countless people like that.

But the guy in front of him seemed a little different.

‘Shin Seon-han…

He lives up to his name [Seon-han means “good and bright”].’

Is it because he’s only in his first year?

The light in his eyes is alive. Like a lively, leaping fish.

I even felt a subtle sense of challenge towards me.

As he was thinking that, Seon-han caught a taxi and left.

“Team Leader Hong, was the next schedule an event invited by the Vice Minister of Health?”

As the car driven by the PR team leader was about to leave the filming location, Professor Baek Ui-sin opened his mouth.

“Yes. Even during the filming earlier, I got a call from him, badgering me about when Professor Baek would arrive…”

“I’m not going to attend.”

“Yes?”

At the sudden declaration, the PR team leader was startled.

“Tell them that an important patient has suddenly come up that I need to see.”

“But, still, it’s the Vice Minister…”

“Whether it’s the Vice Minister or the Minister, hospital work is more important.”

At Baek Ui-sin’s firm words, the PR team leader made a distressed face.

“Let’s go to the hospital.”

There was a sense of determination in the voice that said that.

The wind blew.

The sedan carrying Baek Ui-sin broke through the snowy road and headed to Yeon-guk University Hospital.

* * *

That day, late in the afternoon.

Two days before Lee Seul-gi’s surgery.

The second conference was held.

I had finished the interview and rushed back to finish my hospital work, so I was a little late entering the conference room.

‘I shouldn’t have been too late…’

The large conference room was full.

As before, pediatric and thoracic surgery professors were sitting at the table.

Judging by the atmosphere, they seemed to be talking about another patient.

‘Thank goodness, I’m not too late yet!’

I carefully sat down on a chair in the back of the conference room.

And after a while.

It was Lee Seul-gi’s turn.

“The next patient is Lee Seul-gi, whom I mentioned earlier. TGA [Transposition of the Great Arteries], VSD [Ventricular Septal Defect], PS [Pulmonary Stenosis], scheduled for surgery in two days, currently…”

Pediatric fellow Jung Man-seop briefly briefed on Lee Seul-gi and displayed the echocardiogram video taken today on the screen.

“Dr. Ahn, have you thought about it?”

Hospital Director Professor Lee Yoon-jung asked Professor Ahn Young-wook for his opinion.

“I think the Nikaidoh procedure is the most suitable.”

Professor Ahn Young-wook pushed for the same opinion as the previous meeting.

No one could disagree with the words of Professor Ahn Young-wook, who was the most senior in this conference room.

With the exception of a very few, everyone was naturally agreeing.

My heart was getting anxious.

Hoping someone would come, I was counting down the seconds in my mind.

“Then…”

At the moment when they were about to conclude the discussion on the treatment plan and surgical method.

The door opened.

At the unexpected appearance, dozens of people all turned their heads.

“Hmm, arrived just in time.”

Professor Baek Ui-sin.

Everyone was surprised by his appearance.

The atmosphere in the conference room seemed to change in an instant.

There’s probably only one person. The only person who can command such a presence.

“Professor Baek Ui-sin?”

Hospital Director asked, widening his eyes.

“Isn’t this time you should be somewhere else?”

“Ah, I canceled it.”

“Yes?”

“I think I need to talk about that patient. You’re talking about that echo, Lee Seul-gi patient, right?”

*Dureureuk-*

He glanced at the screen, then sat down in a chair and looked around the room.

“Are you discussing the surgical method?”

Silence-

A silence flowed through the conference room.

No one could easily open their mouths in this atmosphere.

After a long time, it was Professor Ahn Young-wook who slowly opened his mouth.

“…I was thinking of doing Nikaidoh, but what do you think, Professor Baek?”

Older than Baek Ui-sin, but Professor Ahn Young-wook, who had been with Yeon-guk University Hospital as it grew.

They couldn’t help but listen to Baek Ui-sin’s opinion.

“Dr. Jung Man-seop, one more briefing…”

Cutting off the Hospital Director’s words, Professor Baek Ui-sin waved his hand.

“Ah, I’ve seen it all, so skip the briefing.”

What kind of solution has Professor Baek Ui-sin prepared? Will he agree with Professor Ahn Young-wook?

“Difficult and complicated surgeries are not always better surgeries.”

Judging from the first sentence that came out of his mouth, it doesn’t seem to be the Nikaidoh procedure.

Then that means it doesn’t match Professor Ahn Young-wook’s opinion… What method is he suggesting?

“In the case of Nikaidoh, the coronary artery has to be moved, so you can’t say there’s no risk. Of course, I think Professor Ahn is the best in this field, so I think he’ll do well.”

Unexpectedly, he shows respect for his elders.

He wasn’t talking down to Professor Ahn Young-wook.

At the same time, I could feel his will to push forward with his firm opinion.

“In this patient’s case, I think it would be better to approach it with a simple method rather than Nikaidoh, which has the possibility of complications.”

“A simple method?”

“What is it?”

Everyone’s eyes turned to his mouth, anxiously waiting for the next words.

“Let’s go with Pulmonary Root Translocation.”

The conference room is buzzing.

There seem to be people in this room who are hearing that word for the first time.

Professor Heo Jun-im asked in surprise.

“Professor Baek, are you perhaps talking about Da Silva’s PRT [Pulmonary Root Translocation]?”

PRT.

A new surgical method announced by Da Silva of Brazil in 2000.

From 1994, they collected PRT cases performed on patients with congenital heart disease of TGA, VSD, and PS, and announced the results in 2000.

If we consider each of the surgical methods mentioned in the past…

-Candidate #1, Rastelli: 1969

-Candidate #2, REV [Réparation à l’Étage Ventriculaire]: 1981

-Candidate #3, Nikaidoh: 1984

PRT, which was mentioned now, was announced in 2000, so it is the most recently developed surgical technique.

Perhaps that’s why it’s a surgical method that hasn’t been performed in Korea yet.

‘Yes. With this surgical method, the future might change!’

I watched the meeting process, biting my lip slightly in tension.

At the unfamiliar surgical method that suddenly popped out of Professor Baek’s mouth, Professor Lee Yoon-jung, who was next to him, also touched his chin and said.

“I heard him present at the conference in London last time…”

He also hasn’t seen a PRT patient directly, so he doesn’t finish his sentence.

“According to what Da Silva’s group in Brazil announced, early death (early death, early death after surgery) is not uncommon. Do you think it could be a better choice than Nikaidoh?”

In response to the question directed at him, Professor Baek Ui-sin nodded.

It was a confident expression.

Professor Ahn Young-wook, who had been listening quietly, opened his mouth.

“…Professor Baek, as you know, there isn’t a single person in our hospital who has experienced that surgical method. The same goes for searching all of Korea.”

The old professor’s gentle scolding.

It was a nuance that he had already made his decision, so wouldn’t he withdraw his statement?

But Professor Baek said immediately, as if he had expected it.

“I’ll do it.”

My heart was pounding.

The professors’ faces turned white.

The residents held their breath and looked at each other’s expressions.

Song Yu-ju’s eyes widened, and Ma Dong-seop and Ahn Gyeong-sik covered their mouths at the same time.

“The words ‘no one has ever done it’ and ‘no one can do it’ are different.”

With everyone’s eyes on him, Professor Baek Ui-sin said again with emphasis.

“I will perform this surgery.”