In surgery, the most feared accident is not the gallbladder-cardiac reflex. Why? Because both the surgeons and anesthetists are experienced in this, knowing that patients are at risk and can take early precautions. Even if an accident is discovered, they indeed know how to handle it swiftly.
For a common surgical accident like gallbladder-cardiac reflex, as long as doctors prepare well in advance, the success rate of resuscitation is quite high.
"Senior Tao has planned accordingly, if necessary, during the surgery we will adopt a blocking thod, freezing the vagus nerve here, to prevent gallbladder-cardiac reflex," Xie Wanying stated the arrangents of the Chief Surgeon, to reassure Dr. Zhang from anesthesia.
For soone like Tao Zhijie at such a deputy senior level, it’s a minor case on how to avoid these predictable surgical risks. It’s too easy to solve.
Zhang Tinghai is aware of the plans Tao Zhijie has made. Moreover, as an anesthesiologist with vast experience, he can completely handle these kinds of surgical issues with ease.
The patient requires routine injections of atropine in the ward before surgery to calm the vagus nerve, and in the operating room, applying a full mask for oxygen inhalation and general anesthesia thods further stabilizes the patient’s vagus nerve activity.
If complications arise during surgery, he will prepare ergency dication in advance before the surgeon works on the special area, and also knows which dications will be needed at that ti; it’s not scary.
With all plans clear in mind, Zhang Tinghai’s worry isn’t about this. He wondered, "Teacher Lu has a weak heart; could it be related to gallbladder-cardiac syndro?"
Gallbladder-cardiac syndro and gallbladder-cardiac reflex are quite different, although both affect the patient’s heart, the causes are different. The latter, as ntioned before, is a vagus nerve reflex triggered by the surgeon’s operation. While the gallbladder-cardiac syndro is an inherent disease of the patient, a cardiac issue initiated by chronic conditions like cholecystitis.
This leads to further discussion on the anatomical relationship of the human heart and gallbladder. The human heart is controlled by the T2-8 spinal nerves where T stands for thoracic vertebrae. The common bile duct is influenced by the T4-9 spinal nerves. Thus, seeing this, nerves that influence both cross at T4-5.
Where there is an intersection, one problem inevitably affects the other.
Inflammation of the gallbladder, increased pressure in the bile duct, through the crossed nerve reflection to the heart, causes coronary artery contraction, reducing blood flow, undoubtedly presenting typical cardiac symptoms, akin to a heart attack.
Regarding Teacher Lu’s condition, the departnt has discussed it multiple tis. Xie Wanying said, "Yes, we have considered this possibility. Thus, during surgery, it’s likely that the gallbladder will be removed, even if there’s no cancer cell infiltration because Teacher Lu’s gallstones are quite severe."
Ending the discussion here, removing the patient’s gallbladder appears to be a radical treatnt for gallbladder-cardiac syndro, therefore, it seems unrelated to the nightmare he had.
Zhang Tinghai sighed, unclear about what his nightmare really ant.
"Dr. Zhang," Xie Wanying could feel his inner anxiety, all teachers and seniors were anxious before surgery because the patient is Teacher Lu, it’s understandable. She reassured Dr. Zhang like the last ti she comforted Senior Cao with candy, saying, "Have sothing sweet to feel better."
Zhang Tinghai wanted to roll his eyes at her; if it were a dical student, who wouldn’t be worried about the teacher’s concerns and extrely nervous, yet there she was, calmly urging people to drink sweet and eat spicy.
Narrowing his eyes, Zhang Tinghai recalled many words senior doctors had said to the younger doctors: A good doctor must have an exceptionally strong heart.
User Comments
0 comments from readers