The Surgeon's Studio

Chapter 33: Equipment Purchase in The System

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

After making several phone calls in a row and arranging everything accordingly, Old Chief Physician Pan spoke to Zheng Ren with a serious expression, “Go to the endoscopic unit and search for Chief Surgeon Shi. Check if there are any missing instruments and try to allocate them if possible. If you can’t, we don’t have a choice either. I’ll wait for you in the office, so give me a phone call as soon as the surgery is a go.”

A soldier always carried out his tasks swiftly. Zheng Ren understood Old Chief Physician Pan’s instructions and knew that he was willing to wait in the office just to save some time.

Like a soldier hiding within enemy lines, Old Chief Physician Pan was waiting for an order to launch a surprise attack.

Zheng Ren nodded in silence.

Verbal responses were pointless. The only thing Zheng Ren could do to repay him was to complete the surgery without making any mistakes.

Zheng Ren quickened his pace to the third inpatient department and finally reached the endoscopy unit at a trot.

Chief Surgeon Shi suppressed his surprise and cooperatively asked what equipment Zheng Ren needed.

Since the Sea City General Hospital endoscopy unit was going to invite a professor from Imperial Capital to perform an ESD procedure in the near future, all the preparations had basically been completed in advance.

Basic instruments—hook knife, injector, dissecting forceps, endoscopic electric knife—were available, but the most important instrument required to resect the inflamed appendix—the endoclip—was missing.

Chief Surgeon Shi had no need for an endoclip since he had merely wanted to perform submucosal dissection.

Gritting his teeth tightly, Zheng Ren left the room by making an excuse of going to the washroom and went to a deserted, quiet location before entering the System.

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He went to the Shop and started searching for ESD-related instruments.

Zheng Ren’s heart shattered immediately when he saw the price tag—16000 experience points—below the full set of ESD equipment. That was too expensive and currently way beyond his affordability.

Helpless and dejected, a light bulb suddenly went off in his head. Maybe he could purchase the instrument separately.

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He then clicked on the endoclip and was delighted to find out that he actually could!

However, Zheng Ren had mixed feelings when he noticed the price tag—2200 experience points—under the endoclip.

He was happy as he would be able to proceed with the surgery with the missing instrument located.

A sense of loss gnawed at him at the same time, too. He had been poor since childhood and spending almost all his “savings” to purchase a surgical instrument directly was a huge deal to him. In fact, he almost had a myocardial infarction when he thought about it.

He had no choice but to spend the money to repay Old Chief Physician Pan’s trust.

Enduring the intermittent heartache, Zheng Ren clicked “Purchase” and watched his savings instantly change from the 2332 to 132 experience points. Damn... he was as poor as a church mouse now.

After the purchase, an endoclip simply appeared in his hands, and the nickel-titanium alloy gave him the illusion that it was worth a king’s ransom.

How should he take it back to reality? The confused Zheng Ren asked the System loudly and as expected, there was no response from the cold, insensible System.

Perhaps he should give it a try and head back to reality. Grasping the endoclip firmly like a drowning man clutching at a straw, Zheng Ren summoned his mind back to the real world.

Zheng Ren felt something hard and cold in his hands the moment he opened his eyes.

Good. He could bring any instrument he purchased in the System back to reality.

Chief Surgeon Shi was stunned when he noticed Zheng Ren return with the endoclip and asked out of curiosity, “Little Zheng, do you have friends working in a medical device company? Johnson & Johnson or Philips?”

Domestic manufacturers had not started producing this sort of medical instrument yet due to limited applications within the country and the lack of considerable profit. Thus, international companies, with Johnson & Johnson leading the market, would produce them and import them to China.

Medical sales representatives would never discuss this sort of advanced medical instrument with Zheng Ren, who was presumably a junior doctor judging by his age. Even chief residents were not qualified to initiate discussions with sales representatives on this issue.

The only people qualified for the usage of newly developed equipment or technology was a senior consultant or at least a deputy chief of the medical team.

Zheng Ren had come back with an endoclip after a few moments of absence, so logically speaking, he must have had a friend who was working as a medical sales representative in one of those international companies.

Chief Surgeon Shi’s speculation was reasonable, but he would never have guessed the existence of a medical System in Zheng Ren’s mind—a System that would become enraged easily at trivial matters and threatened to erase its host from the face of the earth when provoked.

“No. I went to a conference last time and was interested in it, so I bought it afterward,” replied Zheng Ren perfunctorily.

Chief Surgeon Shi remained doubtful. Who would purchase a single piece of expensive instrument that was meant to be used in a surgical device? What was he going to do with it when it served no function in a surgery when used alone? Take it back home and enshrine it?

However, it was obvious that Zheng Ren had no desire to tell the truth. Left with no choice, he gave the brand-new, polished and delicate endoclip an envious stare while slobbering in jealousy.

“Chief Physician Pan, all the equipment is ready. When can we start the surgery?” Zheng Ren dialed Old Chief Physician Pan’s phone number and reported the situation.

“Okay, I’m on my way.” Old Chief Physician Pan hung up immediately after Zheng Ren gave him the news.

Zheng Ren’s cell phone rang a few minutes later. It was Old Chief Physician Pan, who instructed him to prepare for the surgery and informed him that the patient was already on her way to the endoscopy unit.

Chief Surgeon Shi of the endoscopy unit also received a call from the chief of the medical administration division, as the hospital management placed a high value on this patient and wanted the endoscopy unit to prepare everything in advance. The chief even informed Chief Surgeon Shi that Secretary-General Chen was currently on his way to Sea City General Hospital to observe the surgery along with the director of the hospital.

The endoscopy unit was turned upside-down instantly as everyone started making preoperative preparations as soon as they could.

Old Chief Physician Pan was the first to reach the scene. He merely stood beside Zheng Ren silently like a firm and steady anchor without asking Zheng Ren again if he was confident about the surgery.

After the chief of the medical administration division brought the chief anesthesiologist to the endoscopy unit, the atmosphere in the room started to turn gloomy.

The surgeons from the general surgery department arrived at the scene along with the female patient who was lying on the stretcher trolley with her feet hanging off it. The lady was just too tall.

Chief Surgeon Liu had a dark expression. He had a bad feeling about this—Zheng Ren knew how to perform the surgery proficiently.

Like an arrow on a tensed bowstring, it was too late for Chief Surgeon Liu to voice his objection.

The patient was lying on the endoscopy operating table, and preoperative informed consent documents had to be signed by the director of the hospital and Secretary-General Chen, so anxiety was pointless at this moment.

Zheng Ren glanced at the countdown timer on the upper right corner of his vision—four hours and fifteen minutes left.

Ten minutes later, Director Xiao and Secretary General Chen arrived at the endoscopy unit.

Despite being the surgeon in the upcoming surgery, Zheng Ren was sitting at one corner of the office without any hint of presence.

On the left-hand side of the long table sat Xiao Keming, the director of the hospital, Fu Guangshi, deputy director in charge of clinical work, Old Chief Physician Pan, and various consultants from the general surgery, endoscopy, and anesthesiology departments. On the right-hand side of the long table sat Secretary-General Chen, the office director, and the patient’s agent and assistant.

DIrector Xiao was the first to initiate the discussion

“The city places a high value on the patient, so Chief Surgeon Liu from the general surgery department will explain her condition.”

A short sentence, but it was spoken powerfully.

“The patient is diagnosed with simple acute appendicitis. She has undergone three days of conservative treatment which has been ineffective. Tenderness noted on the right iliac fossa region and we’ve found rebound tenderness this morning, which is suggestive of an increased severity and a possibility of perforation.” There were dark circles underneath Chief Surgeon Liu’s bloodshot eyes, which made him appear low-spirited and disheartened.

Only a few of them knew his condition was a result of an overnight battle with Zheng Ren. Those unaware of it thought that he had actually worn himself out for the sake of the patient.

Chief Surgeon Liu hesitated for a while and said regretfully, as if possessed by a drama queen, “The general surgery department had discussed this case many times and we’ve come to the conclusion that conservative treatment isn’t a viable option anymore. She has to undergo surgery as soon as possible.”

“Chief Surgeon Liu, may I ask what is your plan for surgery?” asked a well-mannered middle-aged man with a pair of spectacles on the right.

“We can perform an open appendectomy or laparoscopic appendectomy.” Chief Surgeon Liu made no attempt to mention Zheng Ren’s surgical technique. “Judging by the patient’s condition, I recommend an open appendectomy. Since her subcutaneous layer is thin, we can make an approximately three to four-centimeter incision and she’ll be able to walk around after one day of rest. Recovery can be expected after five to six days.”

“Er...” The expected time of recovery had exceeded the requirements given by the organizing committee of New Idea Model Contest, but this was an expert’s medical opinion. They had to listen to him.

Most of them had a proper sense of priorities. An outburst of temper at this moment would do the patient no good.

The patient’s agent and Secretary-General Chen had the same thought in mind—it would be a pity if the patient missed the final.

“We can do a woundless appendectomy without delaying the patient’s recovery process. She can still participate in the final three days later.” Old Chief Physician Pan interrupted Chief Surgeon Liu abruptly with a thunderous voice and an aura that overwhelmed everyone in the room, like a ferocious tiger descending from the mountaintop.