Chapter 240: Pre-surgery preparation

Any highly difficult surgery would require the support of multiple different hospital departments. Superintendent Ouyang wouldn't directly give orders regarding this, as she wasn't a surgeon. She preferred to leave professional details up to the professionals themselves. If this matter had been related to cardiology or internal medicine, Superintendent Ouyang would have instead instantly made the decision herself as she was knowledgeable in such topics and confident that she could make the correct decision.

However, she didn't have such professional knowledge about surgery. Although Superintendent Ouyang really trusted Zhang Fan, this wasn't a special emergency surgery, so there was no need to take such risks. Chasu City Hospital had a vice superintendent who was in charge of surgery. Superintendent Ouyang simply needed to express her attitude. It was actually really important not to pretend that you understood something that you actually didn't in the medical field.

There was a small office in the hospital that was especially for the hospital leadership to have meetings. This was Zhang Fan's first time in the office. He sat at the very end of the table as he listened to Superintendent Ouyang start the meeting.

"Comrades, a department's development depends on both comrades as well as young people with ambition. Today, I'm quite relieved that no matter what, even if they're not mature yet, the youngsters in our hospital are growing up. Our proctology department's acting director has given us a tough question today. It's rectal cancer surgery! This should have originally been a proctology surgery, but for various reasons, the general surgery department has always performed this surgery instead. Now, I'd like to ask, is there still a need for the proctology department to exist then? Let us set that matter aside for the time being as we take a look at our young acting director's surgery plan. All of you are experts, so let us take a look and be his teachers who ask him questions!"

Superintendent Ouyang then told Zhang Fan, "Go ahead and begin."

The three vice superintendents of the hospital, the hospital secretary, the general surgery director, and the three vice directors of general surgery were the others present at this meeting. Zhang Fan was no longer afraid of meeting with hospital leadership, due to all the training that Superintendent Ouyang had given him over the past year.

"Leaders, the proctology department has received a 43-year-old male patient who is a classical rectal cancer patient. After a preliminary diagnosis followed by more detailed checkups after hospitalization, it's absolutely confirmed that he has rectal cancer." Zhang Fan didn't waste any time with getting to the main topic.

"How are the patient's vitals and nutritional state?" the surgeon vice superintendent asked after Zhang Fan introduced the basics.

"They're alright. He's ready to undergo surgery."

"What is your plan for this surgery?" asked general surgery director Zhao Quanping.

"Reconstruction. Not only will I perform anal reconstruction, I also intend on performing urinary tract reconstruction! My analysis of the patient's PET-CT scan and MRI scan is that the patient's tumor has already been confirmed to have invaded the pelvic cavity."

"In that case, this surgery will truly be incredibly major. This will be several times more difficult than an ordinary rectal cancer surgery," commented general surgery director Zhao Quanping.

In Chasu City Hospital's general surgery department, there truly were many talented doctors. The three vice directors and the director were all roughly equal in skill level.

Normally, none of the vice directors would really listen to each other or to the general surgery director. However, they suddenly discovered that the world had changed around them. Things were already at the point where a resident doctor could so easily discuss the reconstruction of the anus and urinary tract, the two most important final portions of the digestive system? The three vice directors glanced at each other, and could tell that each felt this was inconceivable. This highly difficult rectal cancer surgery wouldn't only be about general surgery and proctology, as urology would also be involved. If the patient had been female, then gynecology would have been involved as well.

That was why highly difficult surgeries were usually the work of various departments working together. But right now, a youngster who seemed like he was in his early 20s was confidently speaking about such a topic. His expression was resolute, and his tone was filled with confidence. This gave the vice directors an immense amount of pressure, especially because he was so young!

The general surgery director proudly looked at his three vice director subordinates who were always so rebellious. He felt really satisfied at this sight!

It wasn't that he was satisfied that Zhang Fan was slapping their faces, but rather because this particular type of rectal surgery was incredibly difficult. General surgery director Zhao Quanping knew that the proctologists in the proctology department were still quite inexperienced, which meant that his opinion would definitely be sought regarding such a highly difficult surgery. Zhao Quanping also knew that Zhang Fan's personality was that the latter wouldn't care about anything at all as long as he was allowed to be the primary surgeon. This meant that Zhao Quanping would get to pick all of the remaining surgeons for this surgery. This was a chance for him to finally do something about his three rebellious vice director subordinates!

"It will be somewhat difficult, but there won't be any problem!" Zhang Fan spoke quite confidently to the hospital leadership and expert doctors. He wasn't facing the patient's family right now, and now was the time to show off. Otherwise, if he didn't even show any self-confidence, how were others supposed to support him?

"Vice Superintendent Wang, what do you think?" Superintendent Ouyang asked the surgeon vice superintendent.

"If this surgery succeeds, this will elevate our hospital's proctological treatment by more than just one level. Although it will be difficult, I trust in our doctors, so I agree to this surgery!" The surgeon vice superintendent had agreed!

"I agree as well," said the hospital secretary when Superintendent Ouyang looked at him. The hospital secretary's status was rather weak since he was a government official who didn't know anything at all about medicine, especially since Superintendent Ouyang was a powerful leader.

Basically, the hospital secretary's only job was to be a rubber stamper. He felt really aggrieved with his job. For instance, during this medical conference, he couldn't really understand a single thing about the proposed surgery, so he had no idea what was going on! Yet, he was still forced to participate in this meeting! So, he would say that it was a good idea if he saw that everyone else was saying good, and vice versa!

"What about the doctors who will work on the surgery?" Superintendent Ouyang asked Zhang Fan.

"Since I'm rather young, and this surgery will take quite a long time, I'll shamelessly ask for the position of primary surgeon. I leave the leaders to decide everything else," Zhang Fan claimed while pretending to be embarrassed about making such a request. Although it sounded like he was taking care of others' feelings, the general surgery vice directors still felt rather uncomfortable!

"Director Zhao, what do you think?" Superintendent Ouyang nodded because she was quite satisfied with how Zhang Fan knew not to ask for too much.

Zhao Quanping felt so sweet inside as if he had just drunk honey, but he did his best to refrain from smiling. "Doctor Zhang has planned this surgery quite excellently. I shall shamelessly request to be the primary surgical assistant in hope that I can help Doctor Zhang." Zhao Quanping then glanced at the three vice directors sitting next to him while raising his eyebrows! "As for the secondary surgical assistant, I recommend that the urology department chooses a doctor since this surgery also involves urology," Director Zhao humbly spoke to Superintendent Ouyang.

"Alright. Tell this to the urology director after the meeting," Superintendent Ouyang told the hospital administration director, who was also present at this meeting.

"As for the third surgical assistant, I recommend Vice Director Chen." Director Zhao ignored the pleading gazes from the other two vice directors, and chose a vice director who had a slightly better relationship with him. Although one surgery wouldn't represent much, being able to participate in such a highly difficult surgery was recognition of one's skills by the hospital leadership. Director Zhao intended to kill two birds with one stone here. He could already foresee the vice directors' rebellious alliance against him shattering!

"Director Zhao is highly experienced in this matter," agreed the hospital administration vice superintendent.

"Alright, it's settled, then. You members of the surgery should have a meeting amongst yourselves to discuss the surgery in more detail. The entire hospital will support you fully and be your shield. Bravely dare to try something new, but also proceed with utmost caution. This meeting is adjourned."

Superintendent Ouyang left after saying this. Everyone else then left in order according to highest ranking within the hospital, so the hospital secretary left first after her, followed by the vice superintendents.

"Director Zhang, Old Chen, let's all go to my office now. We should also call Old Director Li of urology. I have some good tea in my office. Let us discuss the surgery while drinking tea together. This surgery will make new history in our hospital," said Director Zhao.

The other two vice directors of general surgery left with grim expressions. "What's the director so proud of? It's not like he's the primary surgeon!" one vice director commented to the other vice director.

"Sigh! The times have really changed." The other vice director's tone sounded really lonely.

"I know! Just how old could this Zhang Fan even be?"

"Sigh!"

Those who understood you the best would be your coworkers rather than your friends!