Chinese Medicine: Starting with Daily Intelligence

That afternoon, Li Xu went to the hospital ward to check on the elderly Zhang Lianquan, who was scheduled for surgery the next day.

Although the old man was in low spirits, his will to live was strong.

He gave a slight nod when he saw Li Xu enter.

"Sir, let me take your pulse."

Li Xu said gently, "We are now the Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Oncology. Our treatments, naturally, will focus on combining both approaches."

"Surgery is surgery; it cuts out or burns away the lesion. But the body's fundamental constitution must be supported by internal medicine. It's like fighting a war. The surgery is the charge on the front lines, while internal conditioning is the logistical support. You can only win the war if your supply lines are strong."

Zhang Lianquan's mind was still clear. He nodded repeatedly. "Yes, that makes sense. I'll be in your hands, Dr. Li."

As he spoke, he shakily extended a hand that was as thin as dry firewood.

Li Xu extended three fingers, placed them on the cun kou pulse point, and focused, holding his breath.

The pulse was thready, rapid, and wiry, with the chi pulse being particularly faint. It was a classic sign of liver and kidney yin deficiency with internal disturbance from deficiency-heat.

Furthermore, due to the long-term suffering from pain, qi stagnation and blood stasis were also very evident.

Regarding the internal treatment of tumors, although Li Xu had the advantage of his "intel" and some insights, he was still a ways off from achieving true mastery down to the finest details.

This so-called mastery meant not only making an accurate diagnosis but also being able to keenly perceive the subtle changes in qi and blood flow around the patient's lesion, and even predict the activity of tumor cells, then employing an extremely precise—one might even say "targeted"—herbal medicine treatment plan.

The human body is an integrated system; pull on one thread, and everything is affected.

All aspects of internal medicine had to be thoroughly integrated to treat diseases effectively.

Becoming the vice dean in charge of the entire oncology department was an excellent opportunity for him to test and refine his skills through extensive clinical practice.

After taking the pulse, Li Xu pondered for a moment before writing a prescription primarily aimed at "nourishing yin to reduce fire and invigorating blood to resolve stasis." He also specifically added a few herbs to calm the spirit and settle fright, laying the groundwork for the next day's surgery.

Leaving the ward, Li Xu spoke to Luo Xiangnan, who had been waiting at the door. "Director Luo, let's prepare for the surgery. We'll start promptly at nine tomorrow morning."

Luo Xiangnan glanced at Li Xu, looking as if he wanted to say something but held back. In the end, he just nodded. "Okay."

...

「The next day.」

At 8:30 in the morning, the atmosphere outside the neurosurgery operating room of the Feng City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine was exceptionally tense.

Many doctors had arrived early to wait outside the OR, the hallway crowded with figures in white coats.

Even Dean Song had come in person.

This operation was not just an ordinary pallidotomy for Parkinson's or a Hifu Knife ablation; it was a groundbreaking event.

It would determine whether Li Xu could truly implement the theory of "acupuncture anesthesia," whether he could genuinely integrate the oncology department, and win this crucial first battle.

Dean Song, along with a few other hospital leaders and several specially invited guests, took a seat in an all-glass observation room situated above the operating theater.

The room's location was superb, offering a bird's-eye view that allowed them to see the entire operating room clearly, even down to the surgeon's slightest movements.

In a corner, a young photographer was carefully setting up his equipment, his palms slick with sweat.

"Don't be nervous!"

A veteran reporter standing beside him advised in a low voice.

The photographer gave a wry smile. "Chief, this... how am I supposed to film this? What if..."

"What if what?" The veteran reporter shot him a glare. "I told you, film everything you're supposed to. Not just film it, but get it clearly, and capture the details."

"But... if it fails, you keep the footage. That's professional integrity, and it's also a sign of respect for the deceased."

"If it succeeds, this footage will be a historical testament. Only then will it be worth publishing. It could even become a national sensation!"

"After all, this is the first attempt at such a difficult integrated Chinese-Western medicine surgery. Anything is possible."

The photographer nodded quickly. "Right! But... there are a lot of big shots here today!"

The veteran reporter followed his gaze and said in a low voice, "Watch your mouth. Remember, the camera lens is your eye. Don't look anywhere else, and definitely don't film anything you're not supposed to."

Indeed, the lineup outside the operating room was nothing short of star-studded.

It wasn't just experts from the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. After hearing the news, industry authorities like the neurosurgery director from the City People's Hospital and the anesthesiology director from the medical school's affiliated hospital had all dropped their work to come and observe in person.

This surgery was both a bold experiment and an extremely rare learning opportunity.

Those invited to observe were all renowned neurosurgery and anesthesiology experts from Feng City and the surrounding regions.

Nine o'clock sharp.

The doors to the operating room slowly closed.

Li Xu, Luo Xiangnan, along with two other assistants and a scrub nurse, entered the operating room in full surgical attire.

Under the shadowless lamp, 66-year-old Zhang Lianquan was already lying on the operating table.

Due to his Parkinson's, even while lying down, the old man's hands still trembled violently and uncontrollably. The tremors were so severe they caused his entire body to shake slightly.

This was precisely the greatest difficulty of the surgery: how to get the patient to remain still and cooperate with the stereotactic targeting without using general anesthesia and muscle relaxants.

The final preoperative checklist was quickly completed.

Luo Xiangnan took a deep breath, his gaze shifting to Li Xu.

Although he was still full of uncertainty, at this point, he had no choice but to trust him.

"Dean Li, prepare the anesthesia!" Luo Xiangnan said in a deep voice.

Li Xu nodded and walked to the head of the patient's bed.

In that instant, everyone's eyes—including the titans of medicine in the observation room—snapped to focus on Li Xu.

'Li Xu... is the Anesthesiologist?!'

The experts from outside the hospital were shocked, even dumbfounded.

They naturally knew of Li Xu's fame as the rising star of the TCM world.

But Li Xu had always appeared in the role of a traditional Chinese doctor who took pulses and wrote prescriptions.

A TCM doctor participating in the anesthesia for such a high-tech, cutting-edge neurosurgery?

A question echoed in many of their minds: 'Can this possibly work? Isn't this just sheer nonsense?'

A dozen or so neurosurgeons held their breath, their eyes glued to the screen.

The surgery officially began.

Under everyone's watchful gaze, Li Xu didn't touch the complex anesthesia machine, nor did he pick up a syringe. Instead, he took out a cloth pouch from within his coat.

He opened it to reveal rows of fine needles, glinting with a cold light.

The sight instantly stunned the surrounding group of experts.

'What the hell... What is he planning to do?'

Acupuncture?

This is a craniotomy!

Even if it's a minimally invasive stereotactic procedure, you still have to drill through the skull!

'What are you doing pulling out acupuncture needles?'

'Does he really think he can use that for pain relief?'

For a moment, it wasn't just the experts in the room staring at each other in disbelief; even the people in the observation room outside couldn't help but break into a flurry of discussion, their voices filled with doubt.

"What... what is he doing? Acupuncture anesthesia?"

"You've got to be kidding, right? What era is this? Who still does that? That's a relic from the sixties and seventies—it was phased out long ago!"

"Exactly! A Parkinson's patient already trembles severely. If you don't give him muscle relaxants, how can he possibly cooperate? You can't perform the surgery like this!"

"Let's just watch and see. What if a miracle really happens?"

"Unlikely! It's far too risky!"

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