Surgeons Episode 7 Recap
> Surgeons Recap
Yang Fan called out Zhuang Shu’s childhood nickname, “Xiao Bin,” remarking on how much Zhuang Shu had changed after so many years, almost making him unrecognizable. Zhuang Shu turned, his expression calm but firm, and requested that Yang Fan refrain from calling him “Xiao Bin” in the future, stating his name was Zhuang Shu. Yang Fan then wished Professor Zhuang good luck. Meanwhile, the daughter of the lung transplant patient waited outside the ward.
Dean Fu Bowen approached to comfort her, noting that while her father made mistakes, he was fortunate to have had the chance to repent and make amends, unlike some who never get such an opportunity. Many decades earlier, a man had vehemently warned Fu Bowen that even if he died, he must take the truth of a medical accident involving a life into his grave.
Later that evening, Chu Jun sat drawing comics of Zhuang Shu, even mimicking his previous criticisms to amuse herself. She was startled when she looked up to find Zhuang Shu standing behind her, silently observing. Flustered, Chu Jun quickly covered her drawings and explained she was not neglecting her studies; she had simply gotten sleepy while reviewing medical records and was trying to perk herself up.
Zhuang Shu acknowledged her efforts, admitting he had been too rash in his judgment earlier and apologizing for misjudging her diligence. Chu Jun humbly accepted her own faults but also pointed out that a teacher who quickly judges a student without truly understanding them is not a good teacher either. Both agreed they could change.
In a thoracic surgery meeting, the discussion revolved around a patient, Zhang Gen Cai, a 65-year-old male who had undergone a left upper lobe lobectomy for high-grade adenocarcinoma and now needed chemotherapy. His family wished to transfer him back to their local hospital for chemotherapy, as it would be reimbursed there, unlike at Renhe. The doctors initially agreed to follow routine procedure and have the family sign all necessary waivers.
However, Yang Fan interrupted, suggesting they formulate a detailed chemotherapy plan in consultation with the Oncology Department before the patient’s discharge. This plan would then be conveyed to the local hospital via long-distance consultation, ensuring the patient's safety while saving them money. This approach also held the benefit of collecting more complete prognostic data for research, which the other doctors readily praised as a valuable initiative. In the emergency room, several men injured from a brawl were being treated.
While Dr. Yang Yu was examining a patient, the two rival groups began fighting again. Lu Chenxi struggled to stop them, but Yang Yu stepped in forcefully, shouting, “Those who want to live should all sit down. Those who don’t, get out!” Her commanding presence instantly quelled the commotion, and the men reluctantly sat down for treatment. Among the injured, one man complained of severe chest pain. Lu Chenxi’s examination led her to suspect a dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysm.
Further rigorous tests confirmed her diagnosis of a barreled aortic dissection, measuring around seven centimeters and posing an immediate rupture risk. Dean Fu Bowen was immediately informed and, after assessing the situation, proposed Zhuang Shu perform the urgent surgery. Zhuang Shu readily accepted and, despite Dean Fu’s initial hesitation that it was not suitable for an ER doctor, insisted on having Lu Chenxi as his first assistant, citing her surgical skills as the best in Renhe.
He even pledged to bear all responsibilities if any issues arose. Dean Fu ultimately granted the unprecedented approval for Lu Chenxi to assist. Passing through the ER, Zhuang Shu overheard Director Zhong instructing a nurse that lidocaine must undergo a skin test before administration. Intrigued, Zhuang Shu asked if this was standard procedure at Renhe. Director Zhong confirmed it had been a rule since Dean Fu assumed office.
Zhuang Shu expressed surprise, noting that lidocaine allergies were rare and not typically subject to skin tests in other hospitals. He mentioned having heard of past patient deaths related to lidocaine in their hospital and requested access to any relevant dissertations or research documents, framing it as personal research interest. Director Zhong agreed to help him look for the archived records. As Zhuang Shu and Lu Chenxi prepared for surgery, the patient's aneurysm suddenly ruptured, causing massive hemorrhage.
Rushing to the operating table, they worked in seamless coordination. Zhuang Shu calmly issued commands while Lu Chenxi expertly performed the required maneuvers, stabilizing the patient after an emergency open-chest procedure and activating extracorporeal circulation. The challenging surgery, involving artificial vascular graft placement, was completed successfully through their concentrated efforts. Meanwhile, Yang Fan spoke with a TV director, Jian, suggesting an interview with Dean Fu Bowen about his recent lung transplant.
Yang Fan subtly hinted that Jian should inquire about any "mishaps" or "difficulties and challenges" encountered during the surgery and how Dean Fu resolved them. He explicitly instructed Jian not to mention his own involvement in arranging the interview. Later, in the parking lot, Yang Fan met with Tang Yunlong from a medical group.
Tang Yunlong, after offering a discreet "birthday present" for Yang Fan’s son, asked about the chemotherapy guidance program Yang Fan proposed at the morning conference, indicating his company's interest in having their drugs covered by insurance. Yang Fan confirmed this initiative was still in its early stages but could expand if the current case of Zhang Gen Cai proved successful.
Tang Yunlong also revealed that his company’s owner had sponsored Yang Fan’s son, Zi Xuan, for overseas studies and an internship, implying a quid pro quo for Renhe to routinely use their anastomosing staplers. Yang Fan remained noncommittal, stating he couldn't disregard Dean Fu's opinion while he was still in office and hinting that Dean Fu was "past glory" and Lu Chenxi’s low complication rates were a comparison challenge.
During his interview, when asked about any "mishaps" during the lung transplant, Dean Fu adamantly denied any, insisting the surgery had proceeded smoothly to protect his reputation and past achievements. After the successful aortic dissection surgery, Lu Chenxi confessed to Zhuang Shu that she had panicked a little during hemostasis. Zhuang Shu reassured her, saying that even experienced doctors feel emotional fluctuations during high-risk surgeries but learn to conceal them.
He then informed her that he would be moving into her apartment today. Lu Chenxi, feeling their relationship had significantly improved, playfully declared that Zhuang Shu was no longer on her "enemy list." To show her gratitude, she promised that Chen Shaocong would handle his room cleaning and also revoked her rule against using the kitchen.
Later, the ER received a pneumothorax patient needing an emergency consult via a phone call to the Thoracic Department, but the thoracic surgery doctors were unavailable. Chu Jun bravely volunteered to go for the consultation. While Chen Shaocong allowed her, some nurses gossiped, remarking that Chu Jun, despite her hard work, was not very bright and tended to complicate simple tasks.
