Counterattack (6)
Choi Ki-seok cut out the malfunctioning part of the heart with a scalpel.
Empty!
The relevant part made a clear sound as it fell on the bench.
As always, the cross section of the cut part was straight as if it had been measured with a ruler.
The highlight of surgery starts now!
The difficulty and time of surgery are determined by how the artificial blood vessels and tissues are connected.
Choi Ki-seok, who was looking down at the heart, suddenly used three-dimensional mode.
[Stereoscopic mode is the ability to reconstruct invisible areas. If you select an object that is not fully visible, reconstruction begins. As the level increases, the detail of the reconstructed image increases.]
[The heart has been selected as the target for stereoscopic mode.]
The field of view changes with slight dizziness.
Horizontal and vertical lines were tangled dizzyingly, as if looking at the world through graph paper.
How much time has passed?
As the three-dimensional mode illuminated, the original image was superimposed on the severed heart area.
“Preparation of artificial blood vessels and artificial tissues.”
Choi Ki-seok received the necessary treatment tools from the virtual staff and quickly assembled them.
Now he could see the perfect heart shape.
Based on this, it was not impossible to recreate the cut off part.
The suturing skills that had been honed over a long period of time paid off and the rest of the heart was created.
I tried adjusting the artificial heart, which was being stretched, to a place configured in three-dimensional mode to see if its shape would become strange.
If there were any protruding parts, they were shaved off.
If there were any gaps, new ones were added.
He looked like a sculptor as he created a new heart using artificial blood vessels and tissues.
“Phew….”
I sighed and put down the surgical tool.
After a lot of hard work, the remaining part of the heart that had been cut off was reborn.
When I matched the part to the heart, it fit like a puzzle piece.
In an instant, an exhilarating feeling of pleasure ran through my entire body.
Additionally, memories of the hardships I endured to complete the surgery flashed through my head like pages from a novel.
I did it.
I finally did it.
Using this method, the teacher’s renal surgery could be completed without any problems.
‘As expected, the problem was the change in thinking.’
Choi Ki-seok nodded slightly.
The key to this surgery is simple.
This procedure restores the function of the heart by cutting out a part of the heart that is not functioning properly and suturing artificial blood vessels and artificial tissue to that area.
Important point here.
That is, the thing used in this surgery is artificial tissue, not biological tissue.
It was difficult to arbitrarily change the shape of the body tissues received from donors.
Because there was a high possibility of tissue damage occurring during the deformation process.
On the other hand, artificial blood vessels and tissues were relatively easy to obtain and could be easily modified.
It is the latter that Choi Ki-seok focuses on.
If you are suturing with artificial tissue, is there a need to go through the process from start to finish?
How about using 3D printing like other surgeries?
Wouldn’t it be possible to reduce the time and difficulty of surgery by simply connecting the cut part to a pre-made heart?
“Start suturing.”
Ki-Seok Choi connected the heart model he made to the patient’s heart and began suturing it.
It was not easy to connect the 0.3 millimeter-sized blood vessel with the deduced tissue, but I gritted my teeth and overcame it.
Because I know very well that no matter how great his pain is, it is nowhere near the pain of heart disease patients and their guardians.
click!
The suture broke with the sound of scissors.
Ki-Seok Choi checked for leakage at the anastomosis site with saline solution and closed the surgical site.
[Master’s new surgery has been completed. The patient died. The final rank is C.]
A notification sounded and my vision returned to normal.
Even though the virtual patient died, Ki-Seok Choi was not disappointed.
On the contrary, the determination in their eyes became even more firm.
During the surgery, a long time was wasted creating an artificial heart in three-dimensional mode.
If it weren’t for that, the patient wouldn’t have died.
Choi Ki-seok filled his hunger with snacks and logged onto the training room again.
The teacher’s new surgery always slipped out of his grasp at important moments when it seemed like he could not catch it like the stars in the sky.
It is now just around the corner.
* * *
The next day.
After the morning meeting and rounds, Choi Ki-seok went around the ward and checked on his patients.
“CAP (maximum number of patients per doctor) is full.”
I muttered to myself and smiled bitterly.
Because we were managing so many problematic patients, we rarely had time to take on new patients.
In addition, CAP finally reached its peak yesterday when we received a patient with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
It would have been better to discharge the patient quickly so as not to be a burden to my colleagues, but when I thought about the patient, I did not want to do that.
With all sorts of thoughts in mind, I arrived at the pediatric thoracic surgery intensive care unit.
Choi Ki-seok collected treatment tools from the station, took an air shower, and entered the isolation room.
Kelly, who suffers from June syndrome, was sleeping peacefully in the world.
So, I manipulated the retractor as carefully as possible and inspected the enlarged ribcage.
The rib cage expanded after surgery by approximately 18 millimeters.
This figure is slightly more than half of the target of 28 millimeters.
Since I have not suffered any aftereffects, including infections, so far, it appears that there will be no major problems in the future.
The only thing left to do is Benson’s imitation of Rambo.
Ki-Seok Choi then examined the patient who had undergone CABG surgery with his colleagues and stood in front of an isolation room.
In the isolation room, a man was lying with his limbs tied.
The main character is Victor.
“Mr. Choi. “You came first.”
At that moment, Lucy, a psychiatrist, stood next to him and spoke to him.
“Are you worried because your patient tried to commit suicide and was tied up?”
“yes. “This is my first time seeing a patient like this.”
“Looking at the condition yesterday and today, fortunately, it seemed to have calmed down a lot compared to the first time. By the way, Mr. Choi, what do you think about the patient’s respiratory problem?”
“The stage of treatment in thoracic surgery is over. “After removing ECMO, there is no need to do anything special.”
“Then please transfer the patient to the psychiatric department.”
“All right. But before that, I want to ask you one thing.”
Ki-Seok Choi looked around and conveyed his thoughts to Lucy, and Lucy listened to his story in silence.
As the story went on, the wrinkles on Lucy’s forehead deepened.
“Isn’t the leap too extreme? It can’t be that bad….”
“There is a saying that movies and novels cannot keep up with the cruelty of reality. “You need to try.”
“Hmm… I’m not completely without doubts either… Okay. Let’s give it a try. “The consultation time is scheduled around the end of work.”
“There is one more thing I would like to ask you. “Can I provide patient consultation?”
“Are you Mr. Choi?”
Lucy’s eyes widened.
“First of all, he was my patient and he attempted suicide when I was in charge of him. “I think it would be possible for me if it were just a brief consultation rather than treatment.”
“….”
“If you don’t like my counseling method, Lucy can quit at any time.”
“what. “Under those conditions, it’s not bad.”
“Thank you Lucy.”
Ki-seok Choi finished talking with Lucy and left the intensive care unit. Then, we visited Rahul’s hospital room one by one, waiting for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and a heart transplant.
“Dr. Choi. “A strange couple came to visit last night.”
Sanjay spoke first.
“He said he also had a child in the hospital and wanted to see my child for a moment. Then he looked at Rahul for a while in silence and then walked away. “Do things like this actually happen?”
“It almost never happens. There is one thing I can guess…”
“What is it?”
“I will tell you when the time comes. “It’s much better not to know right now.”
After finishing speaking, Choi Ki-seok looked at Rahul.
Rahul’s ventricular assist device stimulation points were gradually increasing.
This means that the child’s condition is worsening.
“Dr. Choi. How long will our Rahul have to wait? “I’m going crazy with frustration.”
Rai, who was next to Sanjay, burst into anger.
“I came all the way from India, believing only the story that I could receive treatment. Nothing has changed from before. “Can you imagine how I feel watching my child die every day?”
“honey. That’s not Dr. Choi’s fault. stop it.”
“But…”
Rai hesitated before continuing.
“I think my stomach will turn if I don’t talk about it like this. “I can’t take it anymore.”
“We considered many ways to make Rahul healthy, but there was no answer other than a heart transplant. “We sincerely apologize for the unavoidably long wait.”
“It’s done. Heaven and earth know that Mr. Choi did nothing wrong. “My wife is sensitive these days, so please understand.”
Rai remained silent as Sanjay intervened.
“Then I’ll see you again tomorrow.”
Choi Ki-seok greeted the couple and left the hospital room.
* * *
That afternoon.
Choi Ki-seok took some time to visit the conference room on the second floor.
When I went inside through the wide open door, I saw several cameras and people from the broadcasting station. This conference room was where the interview Yasada mentioned was conducted.
“By any chance, Dr. Choi?”
“yes. you’re right.”
“nice to meet you. “My name is Vanessa, a reporter at ABD station.”
A woman dressed in a suit approached me and offered to shake my hand.
“I’m at work, but I don’t know if I interrupted you for no reason.”
“no. Thanks to you, I got some time to rest. “I almost want to bow down to thank you.”
Vanessa smiled brightly at his joke.
“You’re a happier person than I thought. “Usually, when you think of a doctor, you think of him as being rigid and authoritative.”
“Doctors are people too. “Just as people are different, so are doctors.”
“If you are ready, may we begin the interview?”
“Sure.”
Choi Ki-seok sat across the table from Vanessa.
“hello. This is Vanessa, the host of ‘I’m Curious About This Doctor.’ Today’s protagonist is thoracic surgeon Ki-Seok Choi, a rising star at MHC who is receiving a lot of attention from the public despite being a first-year resident. “Please say hello to the viewers.”
“hello. My name is Ki-Seok Choi and I am training as a cardiothoracic surgery resident at MHC. nice to meet you.”
“Before the interview, I checked Dr. Choi’s footsteps. It was quite impressive, right?”
I couldn’t keep my mouth shut as I looked through the materials Vanessa had prepared.
“During my training at Meijo, I handcuffed my own wrists to stop a suicidal patient, got caught up in a shooting incident, and became the first assistant in a live surgery for conjoined twins. At MHC, I controlled the emergency room during a code blue, and when a fire broke out on a cruise ship. …”
Vanessa spent a tremendous amount of time explaining his accomplishments(?).
Because what he went through was so spectacular.
“Why do you think you have experienced things so many times that other doctors cannot even experience once?”
“well. “I think it’s heaven’s will for me to grow through various experiences.”
“Your thoughts are quite positive.”
“I thought it would be better to give it meaning in this way rather than saying it was unlucky or unlucky.”
Choi Ki-seok responded as a joke.
The interview lasted nearly two hours.
The reason Choi Ki-seok chose thoracic surgery, the differences between the Korean training program and the American training program, the joys and sorrows of being a thoracic surgeon, etc.
As we talked about various topics, time passed by as if it had been stolen.
“Then, if you have any last words, please say them.”
“I would like to thank my family, my teacher, Deputy Director Song Myeong-jin, and all the colleagues around me. “I would never have gotten to this point on my own. And let me just say one last thing.”
“….”
“I love you, Seolhwa.”
Choi Ki-seok drew a heart with his arms raised above his head.
