Because some adjacent tissues that appear normal may already have tumor cell metastasis.
The harm of inplete surgery is very significant.
The patient will relapse quickly.
The vast majority of malignant tumors grow more aggressively when stimulated.
It’s a typical case of "the higher the wall, the taller the devil."
The excision of the lesion was standard, no issues there.
Zhou Can focused his attention on the subsequent chest wall reconstruction surgery.
Since the patient didn’t have an infection pre-surgery, artificial materials were chosen for the reconstruction.
They chose acrylic boards.
After the chest wall reconstruction, Xinxiang Hospital placed a drainage tube at the incision site per surgical requirements.
For such large postoperative defects, drainage tubes are certainly needed.
Only with small chest wall defects can the incision be directly sutured without drainage.
"Could the problem lie with the artificial materials?"
Zhou Can, with his abundant surgical experience and insights from Director Hu Kan, quickly pinpointed the most likely cause of postoperative infection based on the patient’s symptoms.
He found the attitude of Xinxiang Hospital’s medical staff to be somewhat perfunctory.
The possibility of infection caused by non-standard postoperative care couldn’t be ruled out.
He decided to visit the ward and further diagnose the patient.
Upon arriving at the ward, he saw the patient, a male, in his forties.
The patient’s medical records indicated he was 48 years old.
Fifty being the age of knowing one’s fate.
At 48, one is neither young nor old; at this age, the body’s metabolic rate and recovery ability aren’t as good as those of younger individuals.
The patient’s chest incision clearly showed signs of infection.
Due to the continual use of antibiotics, there was redness and swelling but no obvious pus.
The situation was relatively ideal.
When the cardiothoracic department accepted this patient, he likely passed muster. They wouldn’t take on a patient likely to die soon after admittance.
"How are you feeling now?"
Zhou Can inquired after checking the patient.
Since ancient times, diagnosis has enpassed observing, listening, questioning, and feeling. Asking the patient’s feelings assists the doctor in better understanding the patient’s condition.
Why is pediatrics difficult to treat?
Because many children under the age of three cannot clearly express where they are hurt or unfortable.
They only know they feel unwell.
Doctors find diagnosing in such "silent departments" more taxing and demanding.
"Pain! Fever, can’t eat..."
The patient spoke with great difficulty, showing a rather painful expression.
Speaking involved movement of the chest wound, causing pain.
If the wound wasn’t infected and was gradually healing, this issue wouldn’t occur.
"Doctor, regardless of any questions, you can speak to me in the office. My dad is feeling particularly unwell right now, and any symptoms have already been expressed to your ward doctor and Director Xue. I kindly ask you to understand and avoid repeatedly asking the same questions."
The patient’s daughter wore a fur coat, high heels, and black tight leggings.
Even while caring for her father in the ward, she was made up with drawn brows and bright lipstick.
She seemed rather young, probably around twenty-four or twenty-five.
Her face was delicate with an angled chin, clear-cut features, and large eyes; she was remarkably beautiful and charming.
She spoke impolitely, ing off as quite assertive.
"The patient’s condition is ever-evolving, symptoms will vary. Our daily inquiries regarding the patient’s recent feelings might seem like the same mundane questions, but they are meant to ensure patient safety. Any changes can be promptly detected."
Zhou Can was long accustomed to dealing calmly with sharp-tongued relatives.
"Fine, fine, I can’t argue with you. If there are any changes in my dad’s condition, I’ll promptly inform the ward doctor or Director Xue during her rounds. Please refrain from disturbing my dad’s rest. You can question me anytime."
The woman said impatiently.
She clearly regarded Zhou Can as an ordinary doctor, unaware that he was a more formidable presence than Director Xue.
"Got it!"
Zhou Can nodded and left the ward.
Arguing with relatives is a very unwise approach.
Some relatives believe they have some grasp of hospital hierarchy, and during their family member’s hospital stay, they are cautious not to offend the attending physicians. They also try to ingratiate themselves with the ward doctors.
However, they couldn’t care less about the nurses and other doctors.
After all, it wouldn’t affect the patient’s treatment.
When dealing with such snobbish relatives, nurses and other regular doctors often feel particularly aggrieved, subjected to silent grievances. But rarely does anyone fuss over it.
These days, not only are those who owe money considered masters, but also those collecting debts are considered servants.
In hospitals, some patients and relatives hold plaints as trump cards, genuinely being the hospital’s masters.
Because they believe consumers are gods.
They spend money on treatment and naturally expect to be treated like deities.
The truth is, healthcare should never be seen as a service industry, but as a resource. A life-saving, health-restoring precious resource for when the patient is ill.
Expecting healthcare workers to wele patients and relatives with the smiles and subservience of restaurant staff would ultimately be a bleak reality for all patients.
In developed countries, there’s now a new trend in healthcare: private medical teams.
If a patient can afford it, these teams provide top-notch medical services, guaranteeing professionalism. The only drawback is the cost is quite steep; even in the U.S., a single treatment could bankrupt a middle-class family.
Many people fall ill and prefer to wait at home for death rather than undergo expensive treatment.
It’s simply too costly and unaffordable.
Zhou Can returned to his office to continue pondering the cause of the surgical patient’s postoperative infection.
"If my inference is correct, it’s likely the problem arose from using artificial materials during the chest wall reconstruction, which hampered healing. Coupled with inadequate care, this led to a postoperative infection."
[Pathological Diagnosis Experience Points 1, Reward Pathological Diagnosis Experience Points 100.]
Indeed, that was the case.
His gaze became notably sharper.
At this time, Director Xue finished her surgery and, upon hearing Zhou Can had arrived, actively sought him out in the big office.
"Zhou Can, I heard you just visited the ward to check on the patient in bed 73. This patient was transferred from Xinxiang Hospital after surgery and developed postoperative infection. Do you have any progress?"
After divorcing her husband, she focused on her work, using strong work pressure to navigate through her saddest times.
Zhou Can and Director Le, aware of her divorce, have extended considerable care to her.
Only, it’s said that her husband is truly a scoundrel, fiercely fighting over property post-divorce. He even wanted to seize their sole home, leaving Director Xue now having to rent a place.
When women confront men, they still stand at a disadvantage.
The man occupied the house, and with the woman’s parental home devoid of male kin, reclaiming it was difficult.
If she dared to try reclaiming it, she’d likely face assault.
The only route was legal resolution, but that took time.
Director Xue Yan discussed this matter with Zhou Can, and she intended to forgo fighting over the house as long as she could truly sever ties with him. What matters now is winning custody of the children.
That was her private life, and other than showing respect, Zhou Can could only extend some feasible assistance.
"There has been progress. I suspect the postoperative infection is likely due to artificial materials used in the chest wall reconstruction, which plicates wound healing pounded by improper postoperative care."
Indeed, any plication in wound healing is unfavorable.
Even with proper care, it exponentially raises infection risk.
"I also suspect the artificial materials are the cause. But I worry that removing them and opting for a simple soft tissue reconstruction may lead to instability in the patient’s thoracic cage. Do you have a good solution for this?"
Director Xue Yan, like Zhou Can, was a favored student of Director Hu Kan, possessing equal petency in cardiothoracic diagnostic skills.
"There is a solution. Since a second surgery is necessary, why not consider a more extensive procedure? This time we can use an autologous bone for reconstruction. The rib is actually quite an ideal material."
Zhou Can proposed a surgical plan.
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