Chapter 235: Chapter 236: The Soul of Surgery (Extra for 4000 monthly votes)
Chen Cang, performing surgery, suddenly remembered something Qian Liang had said!
It was during the time they were taking the establishment exam when Qian Liang commented either on Zhou Xiaodong or Li Shijian.
He had said that his surgery lacked a soul!
At the time, Chen Cang didn’t understand at all what that meant. He thought the comment was pretentious, lacking any real substance, but now! Chen Cang had an epiphany!
What does it mean to lack a soul?
It means not thinking!
Not delving deeply into the thought process, into the connotations and purposes of surgery.
It’s like sculpture, following a template without your own thoughts and understanding, lacking sufficient knowledge about your work.
So, what is the soul of surgery?
Chen Cang furrowed his brows, faintly sensing he was onto something.
Chen Cang felt that the soul was something a surgery, from any angle, using any method, must achieve certain goals, with the soul being the effectiveness.
For example, in Tendon Suture Surgery, how can you give the suture a soul?
Anyone can perform a tendon suture, just as anyone can sculpt—it’s the same principle.
Then, the soul should be how you view the tendon as a living thing, trying every means to put yourself in the tendon’s place, thinking about how to enable a more effective and rapid healing.
At that moment, Chen Cang seemed to feel it!
He looked thoughtfully at the tissue surrounding the tendon.
The peritendinous tissue is rich, including the internal and external membranes of the tendon, tendon sheath, and vincula. When repairing a tendon, one should avoid damaging them; they provide the blood supply for tendons, maintaining the integrity of the tendon’s gliding mechanism, and reducing adhesion after surgery.
Therefore, Chen Cang took special care to avoid surrounding tissue during suturing to prevent any damage.
Chen Cang was already considering any factors that could affect tendon adhesion, thinking about how to minimize these factors.
For example, in the choice of suturing material, Chen Cang purposely chose the micro-bridge thread; its antimicrobial coating could effectively reduce the inflammatory response, thus avoiding adhesions.
Protecting the peritendinous tissue can also effectively lessen the response between peritendinous tissue and the tendon.
…
With every step, Chen Cang considered every angle, from how to handle the ends of the tendon, to choosing a suturing method, to the precise alignment of the tendon, to the treatment of scars around the incision.
Steel wire was supposed to be used for tendon suturing, but Chen Cang didn’t use it because it was possible to increase the toughness of the micro-bridge line through special suturing techniques.
The advantage of the Kessler suture method was its firmness and strength; the suture site was not prone to splitting. Chen Cang combined these advantages with his suturing method but also ingeniously incorporated his own concepts.
This time, Chen Cang’s suturing took much longer than usual.
But there was much more thinking involved!
After the surgery, Chen Cang advised the patient, including postoperative recovery and exercise, which was standard practice.
After the patient left, Chen Cang fell into deep thought. However, as much as he thought, he couldn’t pinpoint what was different.
One surgery was too short a time to summarize. Perhaps after 500 tendon sutures, he could really create a method not inferior to the Tang method for treating flexor tendons, a suture method for extensor tendons.
By that time, he could name a surgical procedure after himself, called the Chen Suture Method, and once the theory and treatment principles and surgical methods were established, the zones of the extensor tendon would be known as “Chen’s zones”!
Thinking of this, Chen Cang couldn’t help but feel more anticipation and eagerness to try!
A person without goals lacks motivation.
The most important thing now is to concentrate efforts, do more research, think more, and summarize more.
Seeing Chen Cang deep in thought, Qin Yue didn’t dare interrupt, clearly sensing that Chen Cang was taking much longer than usual this time.
Suddenly, he thought that he should bring the camera he recently bought for the next surgery; a standard operating theater camera was clearly not precise enough to capture such intricate work.
Chen Cang suddenly turned around, looking at Qin Yue, “Qin Yue, hey, this time, let’s do something big!”
Qin Yue was startled, staring at Chen Cang in astonishment, “What big thing?”
Chen Cang smiled, “You know about the Tang Suture Technique, right?”
Qin Yue nodded, “Of course, it’s a technique by our national hero. The Tang Suture Technique is recognized worldwide for the suturing of flexor tendons. Even the zones of the flexor tendon have been named Tang’s Zones. This achievement has been celebrated as the most epoch-making in the field of hand surgery in 70 years!”
Chen Cang smiled slightly, “Ever thought about creating a ‘Chen’s Zones’ and a ‘Chen Suture Technique’?”
Qin Yue was stunned, his mouth agape, “Chen Cang, wake up. What are you daydreaming about?”
Chen Cang didn’t say a word and walked out, taking off his gloves, “Just you wait and see!”
Watching Chen Cang’s confident and determined look, Qin Yue couldn’t help swallowing hard. It wasn’t that he doubted Chen Cang, but the goal was just too ambitious.
Challenging the Tang Suture Technique, you’ve really got some nerve!
Just as he left the operating room, Chen Cang suddenly heard the system’s prompt sound.
[Ding! A special challenge mission has been triggered: Establish the ‘Chen Flexor Tendon Suture Technique,’ summarize experience, and research a new method for flexor tendon suture surgery recognized by the ‘European Journal of Hand Surgery’ to receive rewards: 1. Tendon Suture Surgery skill automatically upgraded to perfect level; 2. Open a hand surgery job transfer certificate (purple); 3. +20 skill points. 4. One piece of customized hand surgery equipment. Time limit: 3 years. Task failure warning: Your hand surgery job transfer will not be unlocked.]
[Ding! From now on, your Tendon Suture Surgery skill cannot be upgraded to the perfect level through skill points. It can only be improved through ongoing experience enhancement by tackling difficult cases and breaking through the shackles!]
Following the two consecutive prompts, Chen Cang suddenly froze.
I… I was just boasting a little, big brother, do you have to take it so seriously?
Looking at the system’s prompt, Chen Cang stood there somewhat dumbfounded.
Although the task was challenging, the rewards were indeed rich.
Not to mention anything else, the opening of the hand surgery job transfer certificate, and that purple mark was indeed tempting.
A direct 20 skill points—that’s equivalent to leveling up 20 times.
Plus one piece of customized hand surgery equipment.
Three years of time!
Chen Cang smiled slightly, it wasn’t impossible. Professor Tang was only in his fifties now, and he was quite young when he discovered the Tang Suture Technique. Nothing is impossible.
After returning to the emergency department, Chen Cang found the head nurse: “Head nurse, if there’s a tendon suture case, call me. I’ll be there anytime, no matter when.”
Tian Xianglan was astonished, “Have you gone mad?”
Qin Yue followed behind and said, “He says he’s going to do something big!”
The head nurse was stunned, for a second, wondering what big thing could be done?
ps: For today, a temporary five updates, thank you.