Chapter 100

Chapter 5 of Episode 100: I'm All Set (5)

"Are you ready?"

Park Jeong-nyeol, who was in the position of the chief surgeon, scanned the residents with his eyes.

His gaze was as piercing as I remembered from my previous life.

I had heard that Park Jeong-nyeol, like most surgeons, had a tiger-like style.

Outside the operating room, he was as warm as a neighborhood uncle, but once inside, he transformed into a beast.

The atmosphere in the operating room became even more chilling with Park Jeong-nyeol's appearance.

I easily noticed that the residents were even more tense.

I could also imagine what kind of terrifying accident might unfold if I made a mistake or acted sluggishly during the assistance.

"Yes, I think it's fine to go in right away."

"That's just your opinion."

Park Jeong-nyeol responded skeptically to Oh Chang-seok's answer.

He meticulously checked the patient monitoring devices and the patient's condition.

Suddenly, Park Jeong-nyeol's attention turned to me.

It was a bit, no, a very awkward situation.

After all, it was rare for a chief surgeon to pay attention to an operating room assistant.

"Yes, Professor."

"Give me a brief on the patient you'll be assisting today."

Oh Chang-seok and Ha Sang-tae lowered their heads, clearly believing I wouldn't be able to answer.

I had skipped the morning pediatric thoracic surgery conference and only took over the intern shift late in the morning.

However, contrary to their worries, I knew the patient's information inside and out.

Park Jeong-nyeol, a master of pediatric thoracic surgery.

I couldn't afford to miss the opportunity to observe and assist in his surgery up close.

Naturally, I had to prepare.

"The patient's name is Im Eun. She came to the emergency room a week ago with chest pain and breathing difficulties."

"..."

"Through cardiac echo, ECG, and chest X-ray, she was diagnosed with atrial septal defect with mitral valve regurgitation."

I continued the briefing calmly.

There was no reason to be nervous or afraid in front of the professor.

A student who trembles during an exam is one who hasn't studied.

A student who has studied thoroughly looks forward to the exam.

'Maybe this is for the best...'

I even enjoyed the situation, showcasing my smooth speech.

A tiger-type chief surgeon would harshly scold an assistant who made a mistake or did something wrong.

But that wasn't the only aspect.

If the assistant performed well, they would be praised as if they had given their liver and gallbladder.

Just like how Professor Yang took care of me during my medical school days.

"At least we have a competent intern this time. The one last month was a complete disaster."

After listening to my briefing, Park Jeong-nyeol nodded in satisfaction.

I finally felt relieved.

"Even as an intern, you should know what's wrong with the patient you're assisting and why they need surgery. Am I wrong?"

"No, that's a given."

"By the way, what's your name?"

"My name is Lee Min."

"Lee Min, just do what you're doing now. If you stick to the basics, you won't get criticized anywhere."

"Yes, I will keep that in mind."

With my answer, the curtain rose on the surgery for atrial septal defect with mitral valve regurgitation.

Would Eun recover her health?

How impressive would Park Jeong-nyeol's surgical skills be?

The answers to these many questions were unfolding right before my eyes.

* * *

Beep. Beep.

The dry mechanical sounds from the patient monitoring devices.

The clinking of surgical instruments on the dressing cart.

The shadowless light from the operating lamp above the operating table.

The pungent smell of disinfectant.

I was thoroughly immersed in the sensory experience the operating room provided.

The place where I could shine the most, the place I loved the most, the place where I was the most passionate.

The operating room was a place with various meanings to me, impossible to define in a single word.

Reflecting on my life, I had gone through many twists and turns to return to the operating room.

So, I must do my best to live up to the trajectory of my past life.

"Lee Min, chest dressing (chest disinfection)."

"Yes, Professor."

I disinfected Eun's chest and covered it with a drape, following Park Jeong-nyeol's instructions.

But as I followed the instructions, a question popped into my head.

If I were the chief surgeon, I would have given a different order from Park Jeong-nyeol.

There was something about Park Jeong-nyeol's order that I couldn't readily understand.

"Professor, may I ask a question, even if it might be presumptuous?"

"Go ahead."

"I'm curious if you plan to perform a median sternotomy on the patient."

Park Jeong-nyeol's eyes twinkled as if my question was amusing.

A median sternotomy involves making a vertical incision in the sternum and spreading it apart.

Many people mistakenly think that all thoracic surgeries involve a median sternotomy, probably due to the influence of TV dramas.

"Why? What would you do if you were in charge?"

"I think a lateral thoracotomy would result in a smaller incision and a faster recovery."

I expressed my opinion confidently.

If I were the chief surgeon, I would have definitely performed a lateral thoracotomy.

From the patient's recovery and cosmetic aspects, a lateral thoracotomy had many advantages.

Of course, it would be more challenging for me.

"You seem to have studied. Mentioning a lateral thoracotomy."

Park Jeong-nyeol chuckled, and I perked up my ears.

Why did we have different opinions?

"Lee Min, you seem to be worried about the post-surgery. But the most important thing is the surgery itself."

"..."

"If the surgery is botched, what good is a good post-surgery recovery?"

"That's not what I meant. I was just..."

I tried to explain, but Park Jeong-nyeol cut me off.

"I'm saying that in certain situations, it can be interpreted that way. If it were a simple atrial septal defect, I would have done a lateral thoracotomy too."

"..."

"But the patient has an atrial septal defect with mitral valve regurgitation. You can't forget that."

"..."

"Can you properly perform mitral valve repair with a lateral thoracotomy?"

Park Jeong-nyeol's question hit me hard.

I had overlooked the most important aspect.

Upon reflection, the optimal incision for Eun was a median sternotomy.

A clear view provided by a median sternotomy was necessary to properly address both the mitral valve regurgitation and the atrial septal defect.

I had been overly focused on the advantages of a lateral thoracotomy.

Surgery is supposed to succeed, so considering the post-surgery in the incision method seemed like the best approach.

But that was arrogance and a misjudgment.

I had been pointing at the moon, but I failed to see the moon itself.

'Indeed, the master of pediatric thoracic surgery is different.'

I marveled at Park Jeong-nyeol's insight.

A master is someone who can see what others cannot.

Choosing pediatric thoracic surgery as my specialty was not in vain.

If I could absorb Park Jeong-nyeol's knowledge and expertise in this way, I would surely become a thoracic surgeon of a higher level.

"My judgment was wrong. I apologize for disrupting the surgery when you're busy."

I surrendered gracefully.

But despite surrendering, I felt light and happy.

"No, you did very well. I like you more and more."

Surprisingly, Park Jeong-nyeol praised me.

"Oh Chang-seok, Ha Sang-tae."

"Yes, Professor."

"Both of you should learn from this guy. A true learner always questions and asks."

"..."

"Following orders blindly has its limits in growth. Understand?"

"Yes, Professor."

Park Jeong-nyeol's praise of me and criticism of the senior residents made me feel awkward.

I had inadvertently put Oh Chang-seok and Ha Sang-tae in a difficult position.

This was a common issue with tiger-type chief surgeons.

Their temper during surgery, regardless of rank or relationship.

"10-blade."

With the pre-surgery procedures completed, the main surgery began.

Park Jeong-nyeol led the surgery with charisma, like a conductor of an orchestra.

I also joined in, using all my senses to assist.

Of course, the tasks of an intern in the operating room were not as grand as the preparation, but they were important.

The assistant's tasks in the operating room can be categorized into three main roles:

1. Using retractors to secure a clear view.

2. Suctioning blood and other fluids.

3. Cutting sutures.

The tasks were not difficult, but they were essential.

Thus, I could influence the surgery's atmosphere and flow to some extent.

Based on my knowledge and experience as a thoracic surgeon in my previous life, I provided flawless assistance.

The surgical view secured after the median sternotomy was so perfect that it was embarrassing to describe.

The timing for suction was impeccable.

When Park Jeong-nyeol sutured the area with the atrial septal defect, I cut the suture to the optimal length and tied the knot.

What are you?

Why are you so good at this?

Oh Chang-seok, Ha Sang-tae, and even Park Jeong-nyeol occasionally looked at me with such thoughts in their eyes.

Each time, I barely managed to hold back the urge to smile and say, "I was an associate professor of thoracic surgery in my previous life."

Regardless of their admiration, I steadily pursued my goals.

I absorbed Park Jeong-nyeol's surgery with my whole body.

Just as I had initially questioned his median sternotomy.

I continued to question and ask about various aspects of the surgery.

Why did he perform that procedure there?

Why did he do this here?

Instead of passively watching the surgery like a TV show, I actively observed, gaining a mountain of knowledge.

I realized once again that the attitude of the learner is as important as the teacher.

"Now, everyone, stay focused. This is the most critical part."

Park Jeong-nyeol warned in a low voice.

As he said, the surgery was approaching its climax.

All the previous procedures were just preparation for this moment.

"Perfusionist, is the artificial heart-lung machine connected properly?"

"Yes, it's connected properly. Proceed."

In response to my question, the perfusionist nodded.

With the artificial heart-lung machine connected, Eun's heart stopped beating.

The artificial heart-lung machine was taking over the heart's function.

This was not a simple surgery, given the use of the artificial heart-lung machine.

But it was a good thing for me, as I was there to learn.

Swoosh.

Park Jeong-nyeol's 10-blade cut into Eun's left atrium.

Now it was my turn to step in!

I used the atrial retractors in both hands to spread Eun's cut left atrium apart.

If I applied too much force