The Enhanced Doctor

Chapter 1267: Chapter 1267: Heavy Drinking Truly Harms the Body

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"How’s the condition of the tetanus patient from last night?"

Early the next morning, Liu Banxia rushed to the emergency center and then upstairs.

"There were two episodes of full-body spasms yesterday, and intubation was given after the second episode," Liu Yiqing hurriedly said.

"Currently, he’s sweating quite a lot, but his vital signs are still stable. His heart rate is a bit fast, but lung sounds are normal. He’s somewhat anxious emotionally, and his wife has been by his side all along."

"Did you stay up all night?" Liu Banxia asked.

"I rotated shifts with Li Hao, and today it will be Su Wenhao and Huang Bo. Teacher Liu, it’s really quite painful when he’s spasming," Liu Yiqing said.

Liu Banxia nodded, "Full-body spasms are no easy ordeal. Encourage his wife more; she’s his sole mental support right now; the rest of us are just bystanders."

"Leave it to them upstairs; we still need to go downstairs to attend to the patients. More patients are coming in; it’s only the second day of the new year, but I saw several people waiting when I came up."

"Oh... I thought it would be quiet until the fifth day," Liu Yiqing sighed.

"This is already quite leisurely; normally, at this time, we’d be so busy we couldn’t find the time to rest," Liu Banxia said with a smile.

He felt everything was quite relaxed now, given the holidays. After the Spring Festival, there’s likely to be a busy period.

After leading a round in the ward, aside from the tetanus patient, everyone else was doing well.

The only trouble was the families of patients who rushed in yesterday.

During the festival, there’s no other place to go, and they dislike staying at the employee dormitory, so they can only gather at the hospital.

Even Zhou Qian can’t manage this strictly; she can only try to dissuade them.

After all, it’s not just them staying in the hospital; other patients need rest too.

One can show sympathy for patients involved in car accidents, but their families are disrupting the hospital’s normal order, which is unacceptable.

Just after the rounds were finished, his phone rang.

"Brother Wang, is there a need for a consultation?" Liu Banxia asked after answering the call.

"Yes, come down. There’s a patient with liver cirrhosis combined with liver-kidney syndrome; see if there’s a chance for surgery," Wang Huan said.

"Okay, I’ll head down now," Liu Banxia replied, then hung up the phone.

"Teacher Liu, what’s the condition?" Miao Rui asked curiously.

"Liver cirrhosis combined with liver-kidney syndrome," Liu Banxia said.

"Oh boy, if it’s reached this stage, surgical intervention might be unlikely," Huang Bo said.

"Yeah, if there’s nothing else, let’s all go down and take a look," Liu Banxia nodded.

At this stage, it’s often end-stage liver cirrhosis. The good news is that liver cancer hasn’t developed on top of this condition, or there would be almost no chance at all.

Heading downstairs and seeing the patient’s condition, Liu Banxia sighed inwardly.

The patient is in his fifties and is lying on the diagnostic bed. His abdomen is distended, and the situation with ascites is severe. Jaundice, needless to say, is visible without close inspection.

His family waited eagerly beside him, filled with anxiety.

"Take a look; here are today’s related test reports," Wang Huan said.

Liu Banxia took them and studied them carefully, also reviewing the ultrasound and MRI results.

"Why has it been dragged on this long? Simple surgical intervention is unlikely; the only option is liver transplantation. Is the sole cause alcohol consumption?" Liu Banxia asked after reviewing.

There are many causes for liver cirrhosis, such as hepatitis, medication, industrial toxins, bile stasis, schistosomiasis, and so on.

However, these causes would have some manifestation in tests, and the patient’s current test results are consistent with alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

Liver function test results are at the decompensated stage, and kidney function is affected too. Ultrasound shows numerous round or roughly round low echo nodules scattered across the liver, small and uniform.

If liver cirrhosis is caused by hepatitis, it tends to be more scattered, and larger. Additionally, with hepatitis-induced liver cirrhosis, the liver edges often show serrated patterns and signs of liver size reduction.

"Doctor, can’t surgery treat him?" the patient’s son asked.

Liu Banxia nodded, "Given the current situation, the only remaining option is liver transplantation, and he needs hospital adjustment now while urgently seeking a donor."

"If I explain these test indicators to you now, it might confuse you. But from the current test results, I can tell there’s definitely a long history of alcohol consumption."

"Moreover, he may have shown signs of liver cirrhosis before but just didn’t take it seriously. You guys really should have intervened more; now we can only maintain his condition."

This doesn’t need to be said behind the patient’s back. The whole family is gathered here, so they must have already known.

"Has there been no barium meal test or endoscopy done?" Liu Banxia asked Wang Huan.

"We were just waiting for you to come down and see if he needs to be admitted for treatment," Wang Huan replied.

"Doctor, if it’s a liver transplant, can my dad be saved? Is my or my brother’s liver suitable?" The patient’s daughter spoke up at this point.

"Children can be donors, but they need thorough examinations; it’s not guaranteed that all children can be donors," Liu Banxia answered.

"Given your father’s current condition, a liver transplant is still a valid option, and it is the only effective treatment for him right now."

"After all, it is a major surgery, and no one can guarantee success after the transplant. There will be many issues to consider after the transplant, such as liver rejection and others."

"But you also need to think carefully; this is equally a major surgery for you. Furthermore, it will affect your lives in the coming time."

"As doctors, we must clarify all situations for you. Liu Yiqing, you can talk to them about alcoholic liver cirrhosis and the related issues of a liver transplant surgery."

"Okay, Teacher Liu."

Liu Yiqing responded quickly and guided the patient’s family to a side room, with the patient also moved there.

"How about it, do you have confidence in handling this surgery?" Wang Huan asked.

"You’re planning to let me do it? I’ve never been the primary surgeon; I’ve only watched," Liu Banxia replied.

"What’s the problem with that? You’ve done many liver surgeries and have experience in organ transplants. I think if you push yourself a bit, you should be fine," Wang Huan said.

"The challenge level is too high, it’s not easy to handle," Liu Banxia said with a bitter smile.

"But why did this patient take so long to come here? His symptoms are quite obvious, right? Normally, he should have accepted treatment a long time ago."

"The patient was a salesman before and drank heavily for business as a young man. He knew he had liver cirrhosis but later managed to control it," Wang Huan explained.

"Three years ago, his wife passed away, and the children work outside the city, leaving him to pick up drinking again. He thought his ascites was just due to getting fat from drinking and eating meat."

"But at least his daughter and son have the intention to donate a liver to their father. We still have to see if they can successfully match; relying on outside donors is too difficult."

Liu Banxia nodded in agreement, acknowledging the truth. Therefore, he had Liu Yiqing explain everything to them, as whoever provides the liver would have a significant impact on their lives.

But how about their father’s condition? There’s not much time to wait for a suitable donor.

There are also many patients needing liver transplants, and the first thought is always donor provision from relatives. Only when there’s no other option, they wait on the transplant list.

"Once they make a decision, I’ll ask the director about it. For the sake of caution, it would be better for the director to lead the surgery," Liu Banxia said.

"What’s up? This doesn’t quite seem like your usual style," Wang Huan asked curiously.

"Well, I’m trying to be practical; a liver transplant is not like liver resection. It involves too many aspects and issues. Completing these two surgeries would probably take about fifteen hours," Liu Banxia replied.

"If it were in my younger days, maybe I would impulsively take it on. But now I can’t do that; I’ve matured and must consider it carefully."

"But really, alcohol is something that everyone should be advised to drink moderately. Its harm is too significant; this problem directly stems from heavy drinking."

Wang Huan was at a loss for words; saying he’s young sounds as if he’s quite old.

Liu Banxia was joking but also speaking from the heart. Transplants are a completely different concept from routine resection.

With resection, you just go according to the patient’s actual situation, but with transplants? You need to plan for the surgery ahead when extracting the donor tissue.

If it weren’t for this, he would have already gotten started.

He has participated in transplant surgeries and naturally knows how high the difficulty level is.

Such surgeries do not allow even the slightest mistake, as one small error could affect the entire transplant operation.

No matter what others would think, this is how he feels.

Of course, if Zhou Shuwen considers it afterward and thinks he could attempt this surgery, that would be another aspect to consider.

This would be leadership’s affirmation, and he would have to courageously take on the responsibility.

However, whether the surgery can proceed in the future would depend on whether the patient’s children can successfully match. Thinking too much now is not very useful.

Liu Banxia didn’t chat much more about this and went outside to continue handling patients. Only after the patient makes a decision can the subsequent matters be settled.

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