The Surgeon's Studio

Chapter 357: A Goose Egg In The Belly

After peering through his memories, Zheng Ren had taken an interest in Department Chief Sun’s tricky patient.

He had little knowledge about peritoneal loose bodies, so he called for the professor, “Lil Fugui, come take a look.”

At the mention of his Chinese name, Professor Rudolf Wagner pulled his eyes away from the computer screen. The diffusion-weighted MRI scans were on display. “Boss, you interrupted a fantastic idea I had.”

“You’ll get it again.” Zheng Ren pointed at the X-ray scan and asked, “Peritoneal loose bodies, what do you know about them?”

Professor Rudolf Wagner glanced at the scan, then shook his head and said, “Oh, I’ve little interest in that.”

The golden bob shimmered in the light.

Department Chief Sun was startled at the name. Lil Fugui? The esteemed German professor had taken up a Chinese name that was very traditional.

It was very disturbing.

“Peritoneal loose bodies are benign so there is no value in treating it,” Professor Rudolf Wagner said impatiently.

He would have shouted at the person who interrupted his thoughts but he had respect for Zheng Ren.

Department Chief Sun asked cautiously, “Are you sure it’s peritoneal loose bodies?”

Professor Rudolf Wagner ignored him and said to Zheng Ren, “Boss, there’s nothing to treat here. Leave it for years and it’ll still remain unchanged in the body.”

Zheng Ren had his left arm folded while his right hand cupped his cheek. He was studying the X-ray scan.

“Boss, trust me, this does not even count as a disorder. We should not waste our time on this,” the professor argued.

“Professor, can you guarantee that it’s benign?” Department Chief Sun asked again despite the earlier rebuff.

“Are you sure you thought through your question before asking?” Professor Rudolf Wagner spat. He tapped his fingers on the viewer that held up the X-ray scan. Just as he was going to say something more sarcastic and derogatory, Zheng Ren cut in.

“Lil Fugui, hold back.”

Like a trained dog, Professor Rudolf Wagner heeded Zheng Ren’s call. “Yes, boss.”

“Department Chief Sun, I agree with the professor’s assessment but if you’re worried, an abdominal CT scan should confirm it. As for surgery, it’s optional as it’s a benign mass. Peritoneal loose bodies are very unlikely to cause any complications,” Zheng Ren said to Department Chief Sun and the patient.

The middle-aged woman had a concerned look. “It’s not a malignant tumor?”

“Based on the scan, it’s unlikely,” Zheng Ren said.

“Then how was the mass formed?” the woman asked. She was still unconvinced.

“There are many factors. For example, inflammation of the adipose tissue surrounding the intestines could have led to its detachment from the peritoneal wall. As the adipose tissue builds up, it appears as a floating mass,” Zheng Ren said as he gestured at the scan.

“Detachment?” The disbelief in her tone was palpable.

Was the doctor saying she was overweight and her fats had fallen off? In some ways, this remark was equally devastating as the news of her possibly having cancer.

At this moment, she saw Zheng Ren as the devil.

“If we open up the abdomen, we’ll see a mass similar to a goose egg with whites and yellows. But this is, without a doubt, a benign mass. We can perform the surgery if you’re concerned. It’ll be a very simple procedure. I don’t advise laparoscopic surgery as we want to remove the whole mass. A 5cm incision is required for complete removal,” Zheng Ren explained.

The patient still looked wary, perhaps due to Zheng Ren’s tender age or the fact that he was quite soft-spoken.

She turned to look at Department Chief Sun.

Prior to consulting Zheng Ren, Department Chief Sun already had his suspicions. Zheng Ren and Professor Rudolf Wagner’s views supported his initial diagnosis.

In response to the patient’s searching gaze, Department Chief Sun said reassuringly, “Let us do some additional tests to confirm the diagnosis. Then, we can discuss your options with your spouse. If it worries you, we’ll proceed with the surgery.”

Department Chief Sun’s summary left out the details, not confirming the exact diagnosis and treatment plan.

Zheng Ren’s phone rang.

It was Su Yun calling.

“Hello,” Zheng Ren answered.

“That’s great. The patient is stable. One more night and we should be able to remove the breathing tube,” Zheng Ren said

“Alright, you keep an eye on the situation.”

Department Chief Sun gestured to Zheng Ren that they were leaving. Zheng Ren waved goodbye.

The department chief and the middle-aged woman left the room.

“I’ll inform the family on the patient’s progression. Yang Lei and I can handle the surgery, and the professor can assist with the interventional surgery,” Zheng Ren said into the phone.

“You’re the key to her recovery. You carried the heaviest burden here.”

“I’ll treat you to dinner for this.”

At that, the call ended.

In the ICU, Yang Lili’s condition stabilized after intravenous and intramuscular injections of vitamin B1.

They had stopped administering the intravenous sedative and she did not show any signs of struggles like she had previously. She was able to communicate with Su Yun through simple writing.

They had the System to thank for this miracle.

As a doctor, Zheng Ren knew a vitamin deficiency would be the last thing considered when a patient was sent in with multiple stab wounds.

It would require a degree of creativity to reach such a conclusion.

This case highlighted the System’s reliability when it came to diagnosis.

Zheng Ren was glad Yang Lili was recovering well.

The time they spent resuscitating and rescuing Yang Lili was more than the usual emergency rescue. They had tried their hardest to keep her in the mortal world.

The flash of steel would always stay in Zheng Ren’s mind. The cruel knife had done so much damage on that cold, snowy day.

‘Live on, you brave and kind soul. You have a reason to live.’

“Boss, I have some new ideas about the diffusion-weighted MRI,” Professor Rudolf Wagner spoke up after he saw Zheng Ren hang up. He brought Zheng Ren back to the computer screen and pointed.

“Chief Zheng, hi,” a familiar voice echoed.

Zheng Ren’s brow furrowed as he turned around to look. It was a woman.

He knew it was a woman, but who was she? He knew she was familiar but could not recall the her identity.

Behind the woman was a crew carrying cameras and various equipment. Recognition flashed across Zheng Ren’s face. The woman smiled and said, “Chief Zheng, I’m Tang Xiu from Sea City Metropolis Daily.”

Oh! Zheng Ren remembered now.

They had met twice, once when Tang Xiu’s father required an emergency rescue due to a ruptured hepatic artery. The second encounter was in Imperial Capital, when Tang Xiu came to interview him but was turned down.

Despite that, Tang Xiu successfully made a documentary about Zheng Ren’s medical endeavors. His impression of her was above average.

This was their third meeting. He should be able to recognize her in the future now, he hoped.

“Hello, Lead Editor Tang.” Zheng Ren stood and greeted her with a smile. He reached out for a handshake.

“Boss, we’re in the middle of a medical breakthrough but this... It’s rowdier than a Bavarian—” Professor Rudolf Wagner ranted.

Zheng Ren interjected, “Okay, Lil Fugui. Just give me two minutes.”

The professor sighed and kept his mouth shut.

Zheng Ren shook hands with Tang Xiu. “Who are you here for today?”