The Enhanced Doctor-Chapter 562 Awake Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

The right to choose lies with the patient. However, in many situations, many patients simply don’t have that opportunity.

Between fear and life, what’s the choice? Life, undoubtedly. If you’re scared, just muster your courage. You can make it through; just hold on.

The patient’s chosen method of distraction was playing chess, which posed a challenge for Liu Banxia and his team. They had to put out a wide call to see which medical staff members at Second Affiliated Hospital excelled at chess.

And even that wasn’t the only issue. How could someone play for over four hours straight? It would be demanding not only for the patient but also for the person playing with him.

So, Liu Banxia also found some minigames, since the patient could only play chess on a computer, with Liu Banxia acting as his hands.

After a round of selection, five capable chess players were identified. Following the patient’s round of "interviews," a doctor from the Rehabilitation Department secured the position.

By now, it was already four-thirty in the afternoon.

"Let’s eat dinner, and then it’s off to the battlefield," Liu Banxia announced.

"Although our role is supportive, we still have a very demanding task. Dr. Hu, it’ll be up to you then. Hang in there, and don’t let the patient’s mind wander."

Dr. Hu from the Rehabilitation Department smiled and nodded. "I never thought this little hobby of mine would actually be useful. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely give it my all."

"Excellent! Pig’s trotters for dinner it is," Liu Banxia declared happily.

"Teacher Liu, what about us?" Xu Yino raised her hand.

"You? If you want to eat, buy it yourselves," Liu Banxia replied casually.

"Hey, it’s not about the pig’s trotters! Do we get an opportunity to observe? Even though it’s a coronary artery bypass graft, we have similar surgeries in general surgery; it’s just that the blood vessels are different," Xu Yino said earnestly.

Dr. Hu watched with curiosity. Dr. Liu really did have a harmonious relationship with the interns. He had heard some rumors, but today he was seeing it firsthand.

"Observing is possible," Liu Banxia said. "The patient has already met you all, so that’s not an issue. However, no one can be in the observation room today. Everyone else will have to watch on the computer screens."

"But this isn’t entirely my call. What if a new patient arrives while you’re all inside? This is something we should actually discuss with Dr. Shi and the others."

That was as good as permission. The interns immediately swarmed Shi Lei and Wei Yuan.

This was a rarely seen surgery, practically unheard of even. A coronary artery bypass graft performed while the patient was awake—this was truly an opportunity not to be missed.

Naturally, Shi Lei and Wei Yuan wouldn’t obstruct this. Of course, they expected their share of pig’s trotters for dinner too. It was somewhat of a tradition started by Liu Banxia: nothing comes easy; a "price" must be paid.

This surgery was drawing significant attention, not just within the emergency center, but throughout the entire Second Affiliated Hospital.

However, just as Liu Banxia had said, anyone wanting to watch the procedure would have to do so from a computer screen. The observation room was strictly off-limits; any factor that could potentially disturb the patient had to be eliminated.

"Give it your all," Zhou Shuwen said, having stepped out of the operating room. "Although the surgery’s difficulty level is considerable, it’s not overly challenging for Xuehai. The real difficulty lies with Banxia; you absolutely must keep the patient’s emotions stable."

Liu Banxia nodded. "Don’t worry, Director. The few of us going in are there to keep the patient company. The computer screens are all set up. We just hope Dr. Chen can operate a bit faster."

"It can’t be too fast," Chen Xuehai interjected. "Or would you like to be my first assistant? Your suturing should be faster than Linlin’s."

"I can’t. I can’t manage both ends. Controlling the patient’s emotional state is crucial. Linlin is perfectly capable. She just hasn’t had her moment to truly shine yet. After gnawing on those pig’s trotters, she’s bound to unleash her potential," Liu Banxia said with a perfectly straight face.

Liang Xiaolin wrinkled her nose but couldn’t say anything. He was the chief resident, and she was an intern; there was a clear hierarchy. Just wait until my rank surpasses his, she thought. I’ll definitely get him back.

But she knew it was just a fleeting thought. Liu Banxia’s rise was too meteoric; most people couldn’t stop him.

The three junior residents who had assisted Zhou Shuwen watched wistfully. But it was no use. The patient wasn’t familiar with them, and they had just completed a major surgery; standing for another four hours would be too taxing for them.

Upon arriving at the operating room, the patient was already lying on the operating table.

"Dr. Liu, I’m still a bit nervous," the patient confessed when he saw Liu Banxia.

"It’s normal to be nervous," Liu Banxia said with a smile. "If you weren’t, you’d be unusually stoic."

"We’ll start with chess, and you can also listen to music or watch movies. I even got my wife’s login for her video streaming service, so you can watch whatever you like."

"Oh, that’s too much trouble. Causing so many people to go out of their way just for me," the patient said.

"It’s no trouble at all. Right now, you’re the most important person here. Aside from requesting specific food—which we can’t provide right now—we’ll do our best to accommodate anything else," Liu Banxia said reassuringly.

"Alright, we should get started. The sooner we begin, the sooner we can finish. We’ll start the surgery at five o’clock sharp, okay?"

The patient nodded. "I feel okay now, but I still feel a bit uneasy."

"Haha, I told you, that’s normal. Anyone would feel the same. Just try not to be too tense," Liu Banxia said with a laugh.

Li Liwei was also busy, beginning to prepare the patient for anesthesia.

"How about we start with some music?" Liu Banxia asked. "What kind of songs do you like?"

"I’ve seen foreign operating rooms where it looks like they’re practically having a disco. We can’t be that wild, but what style of music do you prefer? I’ll find it for you."

"Can I listen to BEYOND?" the patient asked.

"Oh, so you have a rock-and-roll soul! Nice. Let’s listen to them," Liu Banxia said, slightly surprised.

"Actually, I like their music too. Some people say Wong Ka Kui faked his death, others say he was murdered. I still don’t really understand what happened."

"People just spread rumors. Who would go to the trouble of faking their death? He fell from such a high platform. If he were still alive, we’d have so many more of his songs to listen to," the patient said with a chuckle.

"It’s not that I dislike the songs by current artists. How should I put it? I listen for a few days, and then I lose interest. But their songs—Beyond’s songs—are fantastic. Even if you don’t understand Cantonese, they just sound so powerful."

"Exactly! That’s what makes them classics," Liu Banxia chimed in.

"You know, if I told these young people this, they might not understand. They only care about looks. Let me tell you, if I weren’t somewhat handsome, they probably wouldn’t even listen to me."

"Dr. Liu, I heard that you and your team once took out all the organs from a child’s abdomen?" the patient asked.

Liu Banxia nodded. "Yes, something like that happened. But it was the result of our entire team working together. I couldn’t have done it alone."

"Just a heads-up, the anesthetic has taken effect. They’ll be starting the procedure soon. So, any sensations?"

The patient shook his head. "I just feel them touching my chest, but it doesn’t hurt."

"Heh heh, I was just teasing you. Actually, they’ve been operating for a little while now," Liu Banxia said with a grin.

"That’s how it is. No matter the surgery, once the anesthesia kicks in, you only feel a little pressure. Our Dr. Hu is ready; shall we start playing chess now?"

The patient smiled and nodded, feeling a slight sense of helplessness. He hadn’t expected Dr. Liu to be so mischievous and playful, not treating him like a typical patient at all.

But he also knew Liu Banxia was trying his best to help him relax. Now, he wasn’t quite so focused on the surgery itself.

The chess game began, and Liu Banxia diligently focused on being the patient’s "hands."

It was a good thing he knew a little about chess; otherwise, he wouldn’t even make a competent "hand." However, he was an absolutely terrible player. Both the patient and Dr. Hu could defeat him effortlessly.

His expression was relaxed, and even with a mask on, the smile in his eyes was evident.

In truth, he was forcing the smile. Smiles can be reassuring. This was only the beginning of the surgery; they hadn’t even started working on the blood vessels yet.

This time, Chen Xuehai chose a small incision approach. The incision was made in the fourth intercostal space on the left side of the chest, utilizing a suspension system that was part of a mainstream minimally invasive thoracotomy setup currently popular in the country.

This approach is less traumatic for the patient but is also a significant test of the surgeon’s technical skill.

Liu Banxia, however, was clueless about this specific procedure. This was a completely different field of knowledge, not something he could grasp just by thinking about it. Unless he dedicated time to practice in the Dream Space, he genuinely wouldn’t master it.

He actually wanted to observe Chen Xuehai’s technique, but he didn’t have the chance since he was committed to being the patient’s "hands."

What worried him slightly was the potential length of the operation. The patient was currently full of nervous energy, but once that initial excitement faded, he might start to overthink things.

"Haha, Dr. Hu, looks like you’ll need to step up your game. That was a fierce game!" Liu Banxia chuckled after one round finished.

"I’m a bit rusty," Dr. Hu said with a smile, "but I feel like I’m getting my old touch back. You’d better be careful this round."

"When I have free time, I play with the old men in our neighborhood. Actually, playing with physical pieces, hearing them click, is more satisfying. Playing on a computer just isn’t quite the same," the patient remarked.

"You’re really good. I only know how to play mahjong, and I can’t even keep score properly. I played once during the Lunar New Year and lost miserably," Liu Banxia said.

"That’s nothing. You doctors are usually too busy; where would you find the time to play these things?" the patient replied.

"It’s my turn now, right? Move the pawn above the right-side elephant one step forward. Don’t underestimate this; my horse can advance quickly, gaining an advantage."

Xu Yino glanced over, quite impressed with Liu Banxia. So far, he was succeeding.