129: Chapter 129 Varicose Veins in the Right Lower Limb Accompanied by Skin Ulcers
Zhou Xiaoman didn't know how to respond for a moment; she glanced at the Middle-aged man's calf.
After the pant leg was rolled up, there was indeed a distinct blackened area on the skin of the inner calf.
It was about the size of a palm, with fluid seeping from the edges and signs of ulceration in the center.
The bulging veins on the calf were twisted and tangled into clusters, looking quite frightening indeed.
Zhou Xiaoman pressed the intercom.
"Red Zone, there's a surgical patient here at the Triage Desk. Can someone come take a look?"
Lu Chen had already walked over.
"I'll do it."
He walked to the front of the Triage Desk and first checked the Middle-aged man's complexion.
His complexion was okay; although dark, it wasn't that sickly dullness, and his mental state seemed normal.
Then his gaze fell upon the calf.
[Eye of Truth] activated automatically.
In Lu Chen's field of vision, the patient's right lower limb was quickly covered by a layer of pale blue holographic imagery.
The entire venous system of the right leg emerged clearly.
The Great saphenous vein extended from the groin all the way to the ankle; the main trunk was significantly dilated and tortuous, with the thickest part reaching more than three times the normal diameter.
The positions of the Venous valves were marked one by one, with all five valves below the knee joint showing in red.
Loss of function.
The ulcerated area on the inner calf was boxed out by the system, with clear annotations written beside it.
[Eye of Truth scan complete]
[Patient Information: Male, 52 years old]
[Chief Complaint: Varicose veins of the right lower limb with skin ulcers, course of disease exceeding ten years]
[Eye of Truth Diagnosis: Great saphenous varicose veins (CEAP classification C6), extensive valvular insufficiency of the main trunk and branches of the Great saphenous vein, Venous ulcer on the inner right calf (area approx. 4x5cm), surrounding skin pigmentation and lipodermatosclerosis changes]
[Risk Level: Moderate (non-malignant lesion, but risk of secondary infection and deep vein thrombosis exists)]
[Current Symptoms: Skin ulceration of the right calf, pigmentation, mass-like dilation of superficial veins, feeling of heaviness and soreness in the lower limb]
[Recommendation: Surgical treatment, High ligation and stripping of the great saphenous vein or Endovenous laser closure, postoperative pressure bandaging and standardized dressing changes for the ulcerated wound]
[Warning: Non-malignant lesion, but long-term venous hypertension has led to severe skin nutritional disorders; surgery is required as soon as possible to relieve venous reflux, otherwise the ulcer will continue to expand and will be difficult to heal]
Lu Chen finished reading the system's diagnostic results.
He already knew what to do.
It wasn't cancer.
"Uncle, please sit down first."
Lu Chen brought over a chair and helped the Middle-aged man sit down.
The girl was still wiping away tears, and the Middle-aged woman was also sobbing nearby.
"Don't cry just yet."
Lu Chen squatted down and began to carefully examine the patient's right calf.
He first used his fingers to gently press the bulging venous masses; they were soft in texture, shrank when pressed, and slowly refilled after release.
Then he examined the ulcerated wound; the borders were clear, there was a small amount of seepage at the base, but no obvious cauliflower-like hyperplasia or irregular protrusions.
The surrounding skin pigmentation was obvious and felt hard to the touch, but this was lipodermatosclerosis caused by long-term venous congestion, not tumor infiltration.
"Uncle, how many years has your leg been like this?"
The Middle-aged man spoke in a low voice.
"Over ten years. I had it when I was young; at first, it was just bulging blue veins, then they got thicker and thicker, and in the last two years, the skin started to rot."
"What kind of work do you do?"
"Farming. During the busy season, I stand for over ten hours a day."
"Have you seen a doctor before?"
"I have. The town health center said it was varicose veins and told me to wear compression stockings. I wore them for a while but stopped when they didn't seem to work."
"When did the skin start turning black?"
"About three or four years ago. It was just a small patch at first, then it got bigger and bigger. It started rotting after New Year's this year and hasn't healed since."
Lu Chen nodded.
He stood up and looked at The girl who was still crying.
"You said just now that the villagers said this 'rotten leg' turns into cancer?"
The girl nodded with a sob.
"Several elderly people in the village said so. They said once the leg rots and turns black, it's turned into cancer and can't be cured..."
"Who said that?"
The girl froze for a moment.
Lu Chen's tone was flat, but very firm.
"What your father has is not cancer."
As these words landed, the family of three raised their heads simultaneously.
"Not... not cancer?"
The Middle-aged woman's voice was trembling.
"No."
Lu Chen took a pair of gloves and put them on, then squatted down again, pointing at the bulging veins on the patient's calf.
"Uncle, look at these bulging blue veins on your leg. This is called varicose veins. There are things inside the blood vessels of the legs called valves."
"Normally, their job is to make sure blood can only flow up and not fall back down."
"Your valves are broken, so the blood flows backward and piles up in your leg."
"Over time, the blood vessels are stretched thick and bulge out."
The Middle-aged man only half-understood, but a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes.
"Then... then what's with the rotting skin?"
Lu Chen thought for a moment and changed his explanation.
"Uncle, you're a farmer, so I'll use an analogy you'll understand. If the irrigation ditches in your fields are blocked and the water can't drain out, won't the seedlings rot in the stagnant water?"
The Middle-aged man nodded immediately.
"Yes, yes, yes. If the water can't drain, the seedlings will definitely rot."
"It's the same principle with your leg. The blood in the vessels can't go back, it piles up in the leg and can't get out. Over time, the nutrition under the skin can't keep up, so it rots and turns black. But this rotting isn't cancer; it's a problem with blood circulation."
"Then... then can it be cured?"
"It can be cured."
When Lu Chen said those four words, his voice wasn't loud, but the family of three heard them clearly.
The girl suddenly grabbed Lu Chen's sleeve.
"Doctor, can it really be cured? My dad really doesn't have cancer?"
"Really, he doesn't. Your father's illness is Great saphenous varicose veins plus a Venous ulcer. Once we deal with this section of damaged blood vessel and blood circulation returns to normal, the ulcer will slowly heal."
Upon hearing this, the Middle-aged woman's tears came pouring down.
But this time, they were tears of joy.
"Oh Heavens, as long as it's not cancer, as long as it's not cancer..."
Lu Chen took off his gloves and stood up.
"But it can't be delayed any longer. Your father's condition has reached the most severe level, and the ulcer area is still expanding. If it's not handled, secondary infection or deep vein thrombosis are possible, and then it won't be as simple as just some rotten skin."
The girl quickly asked.
"Doctor, then how should it be treated?"
"Surgery, to remove the damaged veins."
At the mention of the word surgery, the expressions of the family of three changed again.
The Middle-aged man lowered his head and fell silent.
The Middle-aged woman took her daughter's hand; her lips moved, but she didn't speak.
The girl's eyes turned red again.
Lu Chen saw their reaction and roughly guessed the reason.
"Don't worry yet. I'll first order some tests for you. We'll do a Vascular ultrasound of the lower limbs to confirm the specific situation, and then we'll talk about the surgical plan."
He wrote out the test order and asked Shen Xiaoning to take the family for the ultrasound.
When Shen Xiaoning walked over and saw The girl's red eyes, her heart immediately softened.
"Come with me. The ultrasound room is just ahead, not far."
She helped the Middle-aged man walk slowly forward, whispering comforts to The girl as they went.
"Don't be afraid. If Dr. Lu said it's not cancer, then it definitely isn't. His diagnosis is more accurate than a machine's."
The girl wiped away a tear and nodded.
Lu Chen stood where he was, watching the backs of the family of three.
The Middle-aged man walked with a limp, each step with that right leg carrying obvious hesitation and pain.
The Middle-aged woman's hair was more than half gray, and she wore a jacket that was pilled beyond recognition.
The girl looked to be in her early twenties; the plastic bag she clutched had a broken corner, and several lab slips peeked out, crumpled.
This was a family that had come from the countryside.
Lu Chen didn't overthink it and turned back to the Treatment Area.