My Medical Skills Give Me Experience Points Chapter 1415 - 564: Calming the Situation, A False Alarm

After a meticulous examination of the ailing man, Zhou Can searched for any possible avenue to salvage his life.

In truth, when the lungs sustain severe harm, even the application of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation might not guarantee a positive outcome. ECMO is not a panacea; its function is merely to temporarily substitute for the heart and lungs, aiding the patient in respiration and circulation.

It cannot sustain cardiopulmonary function indefinitely.

Beyond ECMO, even a basic ventilator cannot be utilized for extended periods. Prolonged use can lead to the body becoming reliant on the machine, and the susceptibility to infection escalates significantly.

For an individual who has undergone a pneumonectomy on one side, their lung capacity is immediately halved post-surgery. Consequently, both the respiratory and circulatory systems are subjected to immense strain. It's akin to two individuals sharing a 100-kilogram load, and one abruptly abandoning their share; the remaining person would be worked to exhaustion.

Therefore, the mortality and complication rates following a unilateral pneumonectomy are exceptionally high.

In contrast, the partial removal of a lung lobe presents a considerably lower risk.

Furthermore, the quality of life for a patient post-pneumonectomy is substantially impacted. What was once a simple ascent to the third floor might now leave them breathless and fatigued after merely half a flight of stairs.

If the patient is still young, they might even find themselves unable to lead a normal married life.

When Zhou Can initially devised the surgical strategy for this patient, he had deliberated with utmost care. Faced with no viable alternatives, he made the difficult decision to resect the left lung to preserve the patient's life.

The surgery was conducted two days prior, marking today as the third postoperative day.

Currently, the patient's complexion and lips exhibit a cyanotic hue, and even the nails show an unnatural bluish-purple tint—clear indicators of hypoxia.

The patient is experiencing respiratory distress, evidenced by copious amounts of frothy pink sputum, and their heart rate has escalated dramatically, reaching 150 beats per minute.

Blood oxygen saturation has plummeted to critical levels, far below the minimum warning threshold.

A blood oxygen saturation below 95% typically causes noticeable discomfort to patients and alerts medical professionals. This patient's current saturation has fallen below 80%, even after the implementation of various resuscitative interventions.

Zhou Can's expression remained serene, while the attending chief physicians in the ICU observed him with grave concern. Lacking any further solutions, their hopes were entirely placed on him, anticipating whether he could devise a method to save the patient.

"Sister Yan, may I borrow your stethoscope for a moment?" Zhou Can addressed Director Xue Yan.

A reflex hammer and stethoscope are standard instruments for Cardiothoracic Surgery doctors, habitually carried due to their immediate usability. However, this is a sterile environment, and outside items are not permitted without proper protocols.

Director Xue Yan's stethoscope would be one designated for use within the ICU.

Despite each breath the patient took appearing perilous—presenting a terrifying spectacle—Zhou Can maintained an unshakeable composure. Taking the stethoscope, he placed it over the lung area on the patient's chest and proceeded with auscultation.

"There are abundant moist rales and bubbling sounds within the lungs. Coupled with the patient's current array of symptoms and signs, this undoubtedly indicates pulmonary edema. He was stable on the first postoperative day, suggesting the pulmonary deterioration began yesterday or perhaps even this morning. Kindly provide the IV and medication records."

Zhou Can's pharmacological differentiation skill has now ascended to Level 6. When attending to critically ill patients like this, he is equipped to approach the situation from multiple perspectives.

This includes considerations of pharmacology, pathology, and clinical presentation.

Previously, when faced with treatment orders and medications, particularly for patients with complex regimens, he often felt inadequate and unable to contribute effectively.

The distinction between an associate chief physician and a chief physician, though seemingly minor in rank, represents a chasm in capability.

This disparity is especially pronounced in the core disciplines of pharmacology and pathology.

Prior to the advancement of Zhou Can's pharmacological differentiation, he was, in certain aspects of drug application, actually less proficient than Nurse Jiang Wei.

Director Xue Yan has consistently demonstrated an exceptional theoretical grasp; her pharmacological differentiation reached Level 6 a considerable time ago. Even now, Zhou Can remains slightly behind her.

At most, it can be said that Zhou Can now possesses the standing to "discuss the Dao" with her.

Broadly speaking, they are now on a comparable level, with her holding a slight edge.

Although Xue Yan, Vice Director Hee, and the others had already finalized the patient’s IV and medication directives, Zhou Can still desired to re-examine them. Even if no discrepancies were uncovered, this review would grant him a more profound comprehension of the ongoing treatment and drug administration.

The specific pharmaceuticals administered, their respective dosages, and the observed effects—all of this information would serve as invaluable feedback for Zhou Can.

Upon concluding his review, the furrow on his brow not only eased but visibly diminished.

“The primary resuscitation methods employed thus far consist of oxygen administration via a face mask and sedative injections administered intramuscularly.”

Possibly due to divergent diagnostic perspectives, no one had ventured to administer more potent medications without absolute certainty.

“Zhou Can, judging by that expression, have you already identified the root cause of the patient’s pulmonary edema?”

Having collaborated with him for an extended duration, Director Xue Yan possessed an acute awareness of his particular behavioral patterns.

Observing the dissolution of the crease between Zhou Can’s eyebrows brought a significant sense of relief to her own heart.

This represented a profound level of trust fostered through sustained professional collaboration.

Within the critical domain of emergency care, Zhou Can typically adopts such an expression only when he perceives a substantial probability of a successful outcome.

“More or less.”

Zhou Can offered a slight nod.

“Truthfully, following our discussion just moments ago, we too leaned towards the strong possibility of pulmonary edema. However, upon noting the presence of pink-tinged sputum and lacking a definitive clarification of the underlying pathophysiology, we hesitated to proceed with aggressive measures, hence our conservative resuscitation strategy.”

A subtle undercurrent of self-preservation, a desire to maintain face, was discernible in Vice Director Hee’s statement.

After all, within the specialized field of Thoracic Surgery, he was regarded as a veteran of the department.

For a considerable period after the unfortunate passing of Director Hu Kan, he had implicitly considered himself the preeminent figure in Thoracic Surgery.