Chapter 1002: Chapter 1002: Miao Rui’s Growth
(Thanks to the rural guard, speak gently to me, and HM for the monthly ticket encouragement)
"Teacher Liu, the CT results are out, there’s slight edema, and it has been reported to Teacher Zhang."
After waiting for a while, Miao Rui pushed the patient back.
"Doctor, does this require a craniotomy?" the driver asked nervously.
"We still need to hear the opinion of the neurosurgeon," Liu Banxia said.
"Doctor, the family has been contacted and are on their way. Also, the person in charge of their outsourcing station is on their way too," the traffic police officer said after hanging up the phone.
Liu Banxia nodded, "That’s about right. If there’s a problem, don’t just avoid it. Dr. Zhang, are you aware of the situation? How do we handle it?"
"Currently, the extent of the edema can be treated either surgically or conservatively. Has the family arrived? Let’s seek their opinion," said Zhang Xiao, who had just arrived.
"That’s basically the situation. It depends on the family’s decision," Liu Banxia said, looking at the traffic police officer.
The traffic police officer also nodded, mainly to understand the actual situation.
"Teacher Liu, the blood oxygen of that CVID patient dropped a bit yesterday, now it’s 90," Huang Bo said as he walked over.
"Ah... Murphy’s law, keep a close eye on it. If it doesn’t work, we’ll have to put him on a ventilator. Have there been any neurological symptoms?" Liu Banxia asked.
"The family reported none. But as the disease progresses... it’s hard to say," Huang Bo hesitated before speaking.
The aim was actually to save the patient money by not sending him directly to the ICU. But now the patient’s symptoms have progressed; the disease is advancing faster than the medication can take effect.
Moreover, the repair and enhancement of the immune system function is not something that can be fixed immediately with medication. It is a process, and during this process, the disease will advance.
"Let’s observe until noon. If there’s no improvement, send him to the ICU for safety. His immune system is too weak, so safety comes first," Liu Banxia said after thinking for a moment.
"OK, I’ll go explain to the patient’s family," Huang Bo said as he rushed to the ward.
The driver next to him was curious after watching all this; the doctor seemed to be extremely busy without a moment’s rest due to constant consultations, indicating he must be extraordinary.
"Please wait here for a while. When his family arrives, we’ll communicate with them," Liu Banxia said to the traffic police officer.
"Alright, you can go ahead, there’s this doctor here," the traffic police officer hurriedly said.
It was evident that Liu Banxia was indeed very busy. No wonder the emergency responders knew him; upon hearing the description and situation, they brought him directly.
"Doctor, was that doctor just now your boss?" the driver asked curiously.
"Yes, he’s the deputy director of our emergency center. Despite being young, he’s proficient in many surgeries. He even made the news for performing surgery at a marathon site," Miao Rui said.
"Oh, I remember that. It was quite a big deal, but I wasn’t on duty on that section," the traffic police officer said.
"Did Teacher Liu encounter it on his way to work?" Miao Rui asked curiously.
"Indeed. Initially, I thought he was just watching, but later found out he’s a doctor," the driver nodded.
"He only came to the hospital after checking thoroughly, and it was remarkable. By the time the ambulance arrived, the young guy was in bad shape but survived,"
Miao Rui chuckled, "That’s quite normal for Teacher Liu. He’s saved several patients easily. He always says not to shy away from helping when patients need medical assistance."
The driver nodded again, "Despite being so young, he’s truly extraordinary."
Listening to the driver’s words, Miao Rui was also delighted.
Although not as fond of hearing praises for Liu Banxia as Qiaoqiao, he was still proud inside.
Looking further out, not even mentioning Binhai City, there isn’t a second doctor with Liu Banxia’s skill and age within the province.
And Liu Banxia? It’s not that he’s too busy, mainly overseeing.
At this time, the number of patients requiring debridement increased, and just having Li Hao and Su Wenhao wasn’t enough; he needed to safeguard as well.
After a while, the delivery guy’s family and the outsourcing station manager also arrived, and Liu Banxia walked over again.
"Liu Hui’s condition is relatively stable, but there’s some edema visible on the scans," Miao Rui said.
"There are two treatment options currently. A shunt surgery can be done to drain the edema and reduce intracranial pressure, or conservative treatment can be tried to see if the body can recover on its own."
"If we opt for conservative treatment, we’ll need to monitor the patient in the ICU at all times. Brain edema can cause intracranial pressure to increase suddenly, which is very dangerous and could be life-threatening."
"Doctor, what if we go for surgery? Is it also risky?" the patient’s family member asked.
Miao Rui nodded, "Any kind of craniocerebral surgery carries certain risks. Currently, we’re considering that there is still a possibility of self-repair, and the edema isn’t too severe."
"However, every condition progresses, so we need to seek your opinion. If there’s a sudden change in the ICU, we’ll need to perform emergency surgery."
"Doctor, what do you suggest we do?" asked the patient’s family member.
This question stumped Miao Rui, who couldn’t help but glance at Liu Banxia nearby. But Liu Banxia didn’t respond at all, leaving Miao Rui to make the judgment.
"If it were up to me, I’d consider conservative treatment," Miao Rui said after a slight hesitation.
"Although there are certain risks and some costs associated with ICU care, the fact that we can avoid craniotomy or surgical intervention seems worthwhile."
"But you should also be aware that such head injuries can often cause the edema to continue enlarging, increasing pressure in the ventricles and compressing the brain, so the likelihood of needing surgery is quite high."
"In other words, conservative treatment does involve some gambling, but it offers better future outcomes for the patient. The downside is potentially higher costs and still possibly needing surgical intervention."
"You’ll have to make this decision. We can only offer suggestions, and you’ll need to consider your situation. ICU care is certainly much more expensive than a regular ward, but the results can be better."
"Then... let’s send him to the ICU first. Director Huang, could you advance us some money? We’re in urgent need and can’t gather enough funds," said the patient’s family member.
The head of the outsourcing company nodded, "I’ll go handle the procedures then."
The rest was up to Miao Rui to communicate thoroughly with the family about potential developments and responses. It was also the time for the traffic police to explain the accident, but the final decision depended on the parties involved.
However, Liu Banxia was getting a bit anxious since Xu Yino and Liu Yiqing had wheeled the patient away and hadn’t returned yet.
In a little while, the patient’s husband would return. Given his previous emotional state, wouldn’t he come asking for his wife?
Who knows how these two girls are communicating. If it works out or not, they should just let us know quickly.
Just as feared, the male patient came over while clutching the ultrasound report, right when thinking about it.
"Doctor, the doctor upstairs said I’m fine. How’s my wife? How’s her CT?" the male patient asked.
"I didn’t pay attention as I was dealing with an emergency admission just now. CT results take a while, probably still in progress. Why don’t you sit for a while? Do you have any headache, dizziness, or thirst?" Liu Banxia replied.
"Uh... not hurting or dizzy now, just a bit thirsty," the male patient said.
"Chen Dongmei, get this patient a cup of warm water; he’s having some post-concussion symptoms," Liu Banxia casually mentioned.
It was all to buy time. What else could be done? He was indeed asking for his wife, but where am I supposed to find her for him?
Although the male patient was genuinely thirsty and missing his wife, after drinking he headed toward the CT room guided by the sign.
Liu Banxia didn’t dare delay, quickly texting Xu Yino to update her on the situation. The reply came promptly with just two words, "Wait."
Liu Banxia found it frustrating; these two girls were too inefficient. Whether it’s working out or not, why can’t they just be straightforward?
Praying that even if the male patient couldn’t find his wife, he’d remain calm and communicate peacefully with him.
"Teacher Liu, was my communication with the patient’s family okay earlier?" Miao Rui asked, approaching.
Liu Banxia nodded, "Absolutely acceptable. While the decision is ultimately up to the patient, it’s our duty to clearly explain the actual situation so the family can make a reasonable judgment."
"Ordinary people don’t know what brain edema is, nor understand the potential risks it poses to the brain."
"Also advise them to secure prior authorization if possible. This will save a lot of time if the situation worsens in the ICU, as it can deteriorate very quickly."
Miao Rui nodded, "I’ve already mentioned that, but specific surgical details still need the neurosurgery department’s explanation. We’ve done a pre-op blood test just in case."
"Good job, give yourself some confidence. As long as we provide patients with objective and impartial information without any biases, we can proceed boldly," Liu Banxia affirmed.
Miao Rui smiled and nodded, feeling as though he’d grown significantly at that moment.
Just now, he was genuinely nervous, fearing that he’d unintentionally influence the patient. Though conservative treatment offers better prognosis, it carries high risks.
He reiterated this point to the family, ensuring they truly understood.
After all, life is at stake here, unlike choosing between a regular or a tension-relieving suture for a wound.
