Chapter 125: Chapter 123: The Doctoral Dissertation is Out
In the Emergency Surgery Department.
Huo Yun gathered Jiang Ming, Qin Donglai, and Song Qi for a small meeting.
"Where’s Wu Ting?"
Huo Yun asked Qin Donglai.
"Wu Ting and Dr. Yan Xi went to Jinggang University Affiliated First Hospital to work on Dr. Yan’s thesis project together."
Qin Donglai explained.
Huo Yun sighed. Even though their backs were against the wall, it was understandable for Wu Ting to be performing surgery and working on a research project with Yan Xi.
"What are your thoughts? Any ideas?"
Jiang Ming had already thought of a plan:
"Right now, we can only bite the bullet and push through. After the plaque-unveiling ceremony, we’ll first find some experienced senior physicians we know to help us out. Things will get better once we get through this most difficult period."
"After all, there’s nothing wrong with Wu Ting’s Surgical Technique itself. You could just say the bar for Daytime Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is a bit high. The launch of a daytime surgery program was never going to be smooth sailing; there were bound to be some bumps in the road."
"As long as we get through this phase and the research center gets off the ground, we’ll get a few new spots every year. We can also train another batch of surgeons in tiers over at the Hepatobiliary Surgery department, but that will be a very long-term plan."
"Don’t forget, our research center is backed by three top-tier platforms. If our department really can’t handle it, we can ask the three professors for help and have them assign some experts to come perform surgeries regularly. That should solve some of our problems."
Jiang Ming proposed what he believed to be the most viable plan.
"That’s one line of thinking, but that solution will take too long. Dean Tang is giving us his full support, but we might face resistance from Dean Liu."
"After all, our hospital’s entire budget is limited. It can’t be funneled into our department indefinitely."
"So far, our Laparoscopic Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center hasn’t found its footing. We don’t have any convincing results, no mature research projects, and not even a single related paper officially published."
"It may seem to have a brilliant future, but in reality, it’s still just a castle in the air."
"As for the three platforms, they only noticed Wu Ting’s potential. They’ve helped with influence and publicity, but the tangible support is limited. To someone of Professor Ma’s stature, our research center is just a casually placed chess piece. He won’t invest much attention or energy into it until we prove our worth."
Huo Yun had a very clear view of the current situation.
"The best way to break this impasse is for us to break out of our shell from the inside!"
Just as Huo Yun was discussing with the others, Yasui hurried to the conference room. After knocking and entering, he reported:
"Director Huo, Director Jiang, Dr. Wu and Dr. Yan are back."
Earlier, Jiang Ming had told Yasui to bring Wu Ting over as soon as he saw him.
"Then why didn’t he come with you?"
Jiang Ming was a little confused.
"Well, Dr. Wu and Dr. Yan brought back a new piece of equipment this time. It looks like the latest laparoscopic device. They said they moved it over from a lab at Jinggang University Affiliated First Hospital."
"Dr. Wu said he’s busy right now and needs to install the equipment with Dr. Yan."
"Dr. Wu also said that he and Dr. Yan want to demonstrate a surgery for everyone."
"So, he asked me to come back and invite Director Huo, Director Jiang, Dr. Qin, and Dr. Song to come and observe his new surgery."
"This surgery is a collaboration between Dr. Wu and Dr. Yan. He said it’s an application of Dr. Yan’s doctoral thesis project here in our Emergency Surgery Department."
Yasui relayed Wu Ting’s plan word for word.
Huo Yun didn’t know what to say.
"That brat. We’re over here with our eyebrows on fire, and he’s just leisurely discussing a doctoral thesis project with Dr. Yan."
Jiang Ming and Qin Donglai were also exasperated.
"Well, let’s go see what he and Dr. Yan have accomplished. After their demonstration, we can discuss whether it’s possible to improve the Daytime Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy."
Song Qi agreed:
"He seems to have plenty of energy to spare. Young people are just full of drive!"
The group arrived at the operating room.
The surgery hadn’t been scheduled yet. Wu Ting, Dr. Yan, and one of Dr. Yan’s juniors were fiddling with the new equipment.
When Huo Yun and the others went over, they took a look as well.
"This is?"
"This is our lab’s latest fluorescence endoscopy system. It can perform imaging using indocyanine green."
Yan Xi explained from the side.
Huo Yun nodded slightly. He wasn’t paying much attention to this kind of flashy new technology; he still preferred real, practical clinical surgical skills.
"Huh, this screen looks so detailed and clear."
Qin Donglai was a bit surprised. It was really his first time seeing such an advanced monitor.
"Of course. This is a 4K ultra-high-definition screen. The output resolution reaches 8 million pixels, providing richer detail, and a clearer, cleaner, and more refined image... The entire display is a 55-inch, 4K professional medical-grade screen, which allows for more magnified and detailed anatomical observation. The distribution of microvessels is clearer, enabling precision treatment..."
Yan Xi explained effusively. The upcoming surgery demonstration would directly determine the success or failure of her doctoral thesis, so she was a little nervous and excited.
Soon, the three young people finished the installation and calibration.
"Director Huo, next I will demonstrate a brand-new real-time indocyanine green fluorescence laparoscopy technique for everyone! This Surgical Technique is based on my previous technique, combined with the latest research results from Dr. Yan Xi."
"Everyone, please look forward to it!"
After Wu Ting gave a brief introduction to Director Huo, Jiang Ming, and the others, he began the preoperative preparations.
On the way to City First Hospital, Wu Ting had already contacted Cheng Feng and selected a patient who needed surgery today.
After the informed consent form was signed, the surgery officially began.
"Director Huo, Director Jiang, everyone, the fluorescence endoscopy system uses optical imaging and signal processing technology, breaking away from the traditional concept of endoscopy. The fluorescence camera system, combined with an ICG fluorescent contrast agent, can switch between high-definition white light, native fluorescence, dark fluorescence, and black-and-white fluorescence modes with the press of a button during surgery..."
Yan Xi began to provide professional commentary from the side, while Wu Ting started the procedure in sync.
Compared to a conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy, this surgery involved an intravenous injection of 2.5 mg of indocyanine green via the back of the hand 30 minutes prior to the operation.
What followed was the standard procedure, with the addition of the new extrahepatic biliary tract imaging.
"And now, it’s time to witness a miracle... Dr. Yan, switch to fluorescence mode..."
Yan Xi, somewhat excitedly, began to operate the system in coordination with Wu Ting. She had practiced with this cutting-edge fluorescence laparoscopy system for a long time, and her movements were deft and graceful.
A stunning scene appeared on the 55-inch 4K high-definition screen.
Wu Ting used the grasper in his left hand to lift the gallbladder’s infundibulum, exposing the Triangle of Calot. The ordinary laparoscopic view on the screen instantly switched to fluorescence mode.
"This is!"
"My God!"
The few people observing were all dumbfounded.
In the field of view, only the liver, gallbladder, cystic duct, common hepatic duct, and common bile duct remained, all rendered in blue, while the borders between these structures were yellow.
"Blue-yellow-blue!"
Through the contrast imaging, the distinction between each structure was perfectly clear and easily identifiable.
’Why would anyone need to spend a lot of time and effort to identify them now?’
"Anyone with hands and eyes could do this!"
Even Yasui was eager to give it a try.
Sure enough, in fluorescence mode, everyone watched Wu Ting’s movements. He was dissecting right along the yellow lines.
The Triangle of Calot, widely recognized as the "triangle of death," had been transformed into an oasis.
Wu Ting dissected the cystic artery with ease, followed by the cystic duct. Then, he applied the standard clips and divided it!
Wu Ting continued to pull the gallbladder side of the cystic duct upward and to the right...
The ultrasonic scalpel traced the yellow border between the two blue bands, as simple as drinking water. He quickly completed what was once an extremely painstaking procedure.
In the span of a few breaths, Wu Ting had completely resected the gallbladder.
"Switch to normal mode... Check for any bleeding..."
Following Wu Ting’s command, Yan Xi switched back to normal mode. The crowd followed the camera’s view and observed. The results were indeed astonishing, far more precise than the traditional method.
Soon, Wu Ting placed the gallbladder in a sterile bag and removed it. He then withdrew the laparoscope and the abdominal wall trocars and sutured the small abdominal incisions layer by layer.
A cholecystectomy, perfectly concluded.
"Yasui, you’re in charge of recording the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications, and length of hospital stay!"
Wu Ting finished giving the final orders.
"Everyone, what do you think?"
"This is the improved real-time fluorescence laparoscopic cholecystectomy that Dr. Yan and I have jointly developed!"
"This technique allows for accurate identification of the extrahepatic biliary tract, can significantly reduce the occurrence of iatrogenic bile duct injuries, and can markedly shorten the learning curve for young physicians, making the surgery more precise, faster, and more perfect."
"This is another huge step forward for our Daytime Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy!"
After reporting the advantages of this technique, Wu Ting remembered how anxious Yasui had looked when he came to find him earlier:
"Oh, right. Dr. An just told me Director Huo was looking for me for a meeting. Did some urgent problem come up? Is it solved?"
Huo Yun, Jiang Ming, and the others were momentarily stunned by Wu Ting’s question.
They exchanged glances and then burst into laughter.
"There was a problem before, but after watching your surgery, not anymore."
Jiang Ming said excitedly.
Huo Yun, however, kept a straight face and said coolly:
"What could be the matter? I just wanted to inform you that our Laparoscopic Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center is about to have its plaque-unveiling ceremony. We need to update some of the promotional display boards in our office hallway."
"After this surgery, you and Dr. Yan both need to go get a set of portrait photos taken. We’ll display them on the wall afterward."
Wu Ting let out a soft "oh." ’They needed a meeting just to discuss taking photos?’
...
...
Inside the Hepatobiliary Surgery Department.
Cai Qi announced the hospital’s latest decision with a deadpan expression.
"From now on, we’re changing our plans. Attending physicians and below will no longer undergo special training to be the primary surgeon for the ’Qi Mechanism Ascending-Descending Combined Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy’."
"As for the plan to cooperate with the Emergency Surgery Department’s research center, we need to slow things down..."
As Cai Qi made the arrangements, her heart was bleeding. All they could do was wait until after the plaque-unveiling ceremony and then observe the situation.
’Director Huo, Dr. Wu, you have to find a solution.’
Right now, the Hepatobiliary Surgery and Emergency Surgery departments were bound together for better or for worse. If Wu Ting’s project failed, their plan for an enhanced recovery ward would also be dead in the water.
’Emergency Surgery is probably having the same headache as I am right now.’
...
...
In Emergency Surgery, the successful debut of the surgical technique was officially marked when the patient recovered and was discharged from the hospital.
Yan Xi immediately reported the details of the surgery to Shen Guofeng.
At the same time, she told Shen Guofeng that with Wu Ting’s help, her doctoral thesis was already taking shape and would soon produce results.
"Professor, when you come for the plaque-unveiling ceremony, I should have the first draft of my thesis ready for you to review."
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