Chapter 104 Thoracotomy
Doctor Zhang summoned up the courage to ask, "What solution is the emperor talking about?"
"This operation is called thoracotomy, which requires using a fine knife to cut open the narrow blood vessels in the child's heart to ensure blood supply to the heart."
When the couple heard this, their faces turned pale. They had never heard of this method of treatment.
Song Yuzhu continued, "But this method is too dangerous. The child is so young, and there is a high possibility of an accident. You two should think carefully before making a decision."
The woman hugged her child and wept. Due to her husband's health, they had been married for many years without a child. She had finally waited for such a precious baby, but she didn't expect that he would encounter such a disease. As a mother, she wished that she could suffer for her child.
Doctor Zhang couldn't make up his mind either. The problem before him was like a single-plank bridge with abysses on both sides. The only way to get through was to move forward. But how many people could muster up the courage to cross this road?
After a while, Song Yuzhu sighed and took her sister to return to the palace.
Madam Zhang suddenly let go of the child, knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, can this method really cure my son?"
"There is a chance." Song Yuzhu was not completely sure, after all, there were no modern medical facilities here.
"I beg Your Majesty to treat my son."
Doctor Zhang looked at his wife in surprise: "If it fails, the child will be..."
"I know, but if we don't treat the child, he will leave us sooner or later. I don't want to leave any regrets!"
Doctor Zhang kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, please save my son's life."
Song Yuzhu said: "Since you two have made up your mind, I will try my best. Whether it will succeed or not depends on his luck."
The couple looked at each other and nodded firmly.
The little boy sitting on the bed didn't know what fate was waiting for him. When he saw Song Yutong making a face at him, he also stuck out his tongue. The two little guys smiled innocently.
"When can we do... a thoracotomy?" Doctor Zhang asked.
"There is no rush for surgery. Tuantuan is still very weak. You should rest in Beijing for a few days and wait until he has recovered enough before you do the surgery."
"good."
Song Yuzhu sent people to accommodate them in an inn in the city, and took advantage of this time to prepare the things needed for the operation in advance.
*
It was already late outside, so Song Yuzhu took her sister back to the Song Mansion.
My father and second uncle went back to their hometown together, and now Jiang Rong is the only one at home.
"Mom, mom!" Song Yutong ran in front.
"Run slower and don't fall. Did you go crazy having fun outside?" Jiang Rong picked up her little daughter and put her on the bed. She took out a handkerchief from her arms and wiped the dirt off her face.
"No, my brother and I saved someone today!"
"Rescue? Rescue who?"
Song Yutong had a very strong ability to express himself. He told Jiang Rong in a serious manner what had happened today. When Jiang Rong heard the horse galloping over and almost trampled on their heads, she was so scared that she covered her chest and screamed.
"Zhu'er, are you okay?"
Song Yuzhu smiled and shook her head: "It's okay, the horse was stopped by someone and didn't hit us."
Jiang Rong pretended to be angry: "You two are so naughty, you actually dared to run out of the city to play!"
"Mother, why don't you ask who we saved?"
"Oh, who did you save?"
"I rescued a kid named Tuan Tuan, who is about my age."
Song Yuzhu said: "The child suffered from heartache and fainted after being frightened. I happened to be next to him, so I helped him."
Jiang Rong doesn't know much about medical matters, and if Song Bai were here, he would definitely ask her questions.
"Go wash your hands and prepare to eat. Mommy fried some crispy lotus root dumplings for you."
"Wow!" Song Yutong, the little foodie, immediately ran to wash her hands, leaving Song Yuzhu and Jiang Rong looking at her back lovingly.
"Will you stay in the mansion tonight?"
"good."
Jiang Rong looked at her son who was a head taller than her and patted his hands. It was a pity that he had such a problem and there was no one around him who knew whether he was warm or cold.
There is a courtyard for Song Yuzhu in the Song Mansion. Everything inside has been prepared in advance and servants clean it every day, making it convenient for him to stay there at any time.
Li Dehai was sent out by him to do some work, and Song Quan came to serve him.
Although the master and servant have not been together for a long time, their feelings for each other have not diminished at all.
Song Quan was still his simple and honest personality. After helping Song Yuzhu finish washing up, he moved a stool and sat aside to chat.
Song Yuzhu was lying on the table, writing and drawing. He was arranging the surgical procedures. Although he had performed countless thoracic surgeries in his previous life, he had only done it a few times in this life for fear that his techniques would become unfamiliar.
Song Quan couldn't understand what he wrote, so he talked about some trivial things that happened in the mansion: "Master, do you still remember that Ping'er was kidnapped a few years ago?"
"Remember, what's wrong?"
"Since she was kidnapped, the girl's personality has changed. She used to be shy and introverted, but now she doesn't like to talk anymore. She only smiles when she's with the young lady."
Song Yuzhu stopped writing and said, "I'm afraid she's frightened. You and your wife should take some time to take her out for a few days to relax. It should help."
"I thought so too, but Xiaomei is too heavy to walk far. Let's wait until she gives birth."
Xiaomei is pregnant again. This is Song Quan and her second child. The first child died at birth. The couple was sad for a long time. This year, she finally got pregnant again. She has been taking good care of herself and is now seven months pregnant.
"By the way, when will General Zhao be back? He's been gone for almost half a year, right?"
"It will take at least two years to come back."
Song Quan was surprised: "It will take so long!"
Song Yuzhu smiled bitterly. She didn't feel much when she asked him to leave, but now she can feel what it means to miss him. When she thought of him drifting on the sea thousands of miles away, her heart felt like it was being held in someone's hand, aching terribly, fearing that he might meet with an accident.
Song Quan saw that the young master was not feeling well and consoled him, "General Zhao is a cautious man, and he has great skills, so I'm sure he will return safely."
"Yes." Song Yuzhu lowered his head and continued to write the surgical procedures.
Song Quan stopped disturbing him and moved the candle wick to make the candlelight brighter.
This operation is different from previous ones. First, the patient is young and his body cannot compare to that of an adult. The operation needs to be performed with the smallest incision, otherwise it will affect the subsequent recovery of the child's body.
In the past, due to the poor conditions in Jiangcheng County, surgery relied entirely on the patient's good physical fitness. Now thinking back to the time when I performed that operation on Zhao Xiao, it was really thrilling. If he had gotten an infection after the operation, I'm afraid even the immortals wouldn't have been able to save him.
But things are different now. He is the emperor now, and if he wants a sterile operating room, it is just a matter of words.
He first ordered people to make a set of surgical knives. The material was the sharpest fine iron. Three experienced blacksmiths worked overnight and it was completed in less than two days.
The operation was scheduled to be performed at the Medical School of the Research Department.
The Medical Department has always been in a tepid situation among the three departments of the Scientific Research Department. There are many reasons for this. First, the influence of traditional Chinese medicine is too deep, which limits their imagination and makes it impossible to innovate technology. Second, modern medicine requires a lot of advanced equipment, which is difficult to develop rapidly in ancient times when the industry is backward.
People in the Medical School have been studying the task assigned by Song Yuzhu - extracting penicillin. Now they have become proficient in extracting penicillin from rotten and moldy food, and then after carbon absorption and distillation and acid-base washing, they can extract a penicillin solution with a relatively high concentration.
These solutions were mainly supplied to the military, but some also flowed into pharmacies in the capital, where they were very expensive.
The Medical Department is also researching Chinese patent medicines, which are distilled and refined, mixed with starch, and then pressed into tablets. This can not only improve the efficacy of the medicine but also make it easier to carry and eat.
Seeing that the other two departments were being used by the emperor, He Zhinian, the Imperial Censor of the Medical Department, was extremely anxious. But they really had nothing to show for it. Even the method of refining Chinese patent medicine was given by the emperor, and they just put their hands on it.
Upon learning that the emperor was going to have an operation here, the people at the Medical Institute were so excited that they almost cried. They ended their vacation early and quickly cleaned out the most spacious and brightest room in the entire mansion for the emperor to use.
The decoration here was done according to Song Yuzhu's requirements. The floor was paved with clean floorboards, and personnel were required to wear clean dust-free clothes and shoe covers when entering and leaving. The room had large glazed windows and a skylight on the roof. The whole room was exceptionally clean and bright, making it very suitable for surgery.
*
Everything was ready three days later. Song Yuzhu sent someone to bring Zhang and his wife and their young son to the Medical College.
Before the operation, Song Yuzhu said, "Think carefully. It's not too late to regret now. If you wait until the operation starts, you will have no chance."
Even though the couple had made a lot of mental preparations in advance, their legs were still so weak that they could not stand when they heard these words.
Mrs. Zhang couldn't help asking, "Will this operation hurt? Will the baby cry?"
"Don't worry, I will use needles to seal his acupuncture points. Tuan Tuan doesn't seem to feel any pain."
"That's good, that's good. Can I...can I watch from the side?" Doctor Zhang asked cautiously. He had also studied medical skills and was particularly curious about the thoracotomy that the emperor mentioned. He wanted to see how it was performed.
Song Yuzhu said: "Of course you can, but the operation is very bloody and requires a strong psychological quality. If you are not absolutely sure, try not to watch it."
Doctor Zhang thought for a moment and said, "I want to take a look. Even if I fail... I want to know what disease my son has."
Song Yuzhu nodded, and looked at this man with a new respect. After changing into dust-free cotton coats, putting on hats and masks, and washing their hands with alcohol, the group walked into the operating room.
Although it is called an operating room, there is actually a table more than one person long in the middle, covered with sterilized sheets.
There are also many spare candles in the house, in case the weather outside gets dark, candles can be lit in time for lighting.
Two of the best subordinates in the medical school were transferred to serve as Song Yuzhu's assistants, responsible for helping to pass tools, stop bleeding and suture wounds.
Doctor Zhang changed his clothes and walked in with his son. Looking at the spotless operating room, he was so nervous that he had difficulty breathing. He touched his son's hair over and over again, feeling mixed emotions.
Song Yuzhu waved to Xiao Tuantuan: "Do you still remember me?"
"Remember, you are Tongtong's handsome brother."
Doctor Zhang was shocked and scolded his son, "Tuantuan, don't be rude!"
"It's okay, don't scare the child, you can just lie down on that bed and have a good sleep later, okay?"
"Okay." Tuantuan walked obediently to the operating table and the assistant carried him up.
The child was extremely sensible. He said nothing while the acupuncture was being performed. He clenched his fists tightly and forced a smile for his father.
Acupuncture took effect quickly. The child's eyelids began to droop, and he mumbled a few words in a daze before falling asleep.
Song Yuzhu called his name several times, but seeing that he didn't respond, she pricked his fingertips with a needle, but he still didn't wake up.
"Okay, get ready to start the operation."
"yes!"
(End of this chapter)
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