76: Chapter 76 How do you know that location is safe?

Three seconds. Found it.

A three-centimeter-wide channel, oriented towards the lower posterior thoracic cavity.

Both sides of the channel were dense adhesions, but the interior of the channel was clear.

Lu Chen carefully probed his index finger along this channel.

At a depth of six centimeters, his fingertip touched fluid.

A large amount of accumulated blood. Direction confirmed. Depth confirmed. Safe.

He slowly withdrew his index finger, simultaneously using his finger to guide the Closed Thoracic Drainage tube, sliding it in along the exact same path.

The tip of the drainage tube navigated between the adhesive bands.

One centimeter to the left was an adhesion. One centimeter to the right was an adhesion. There was only a three-centimeter channel in the middle.

The drainage tube had to stay right in the middle at all times. Any deviation would be fatal.

Lu Chen's hand was incredibly steady. The drainage tube went in centimeter by centimeter.

Wu Fan's heart was about to jump out of his chest. His palms were full of sweat.

"It's there." Lu Chen's voice was very calm.

The drainage tube was in place. Depth: seven centimeters.

Dark red blood gushed out in large quantities along the drainage tube and flowed into the water-seal bottle.

"Drainage is clear!" Shen Xiaoning reported, staring at the water-seal bottle.

The liquid level in the water-seal bottle was rising rapidly. Blood was being drained. Gas was also being drained. Continuous bubbles could be seen in the water-seal bottle.

Lu Chen quickly performed Suturing to secure the drainage tube and connected the tubing for the water-seal bottle.

The entire process, from skin incision to the completion of securing the drainage tube, took four minutes and thirty-eight seconds. Four minutes and thirty-eight seconds.

A patient with extensive thoracic adhesions, abnormal blood coagulation, and tension hemopneumothorax.

An extremely high-difficulty procedure that required precise tube placement within a three-centimeter safety window.

Four minutes and thirty-eight seconds. Wu Fan looked at the secured drainage tube, unable to speak for a long time.

He had seen the director of the Department of Thoracic Surgery perform Closed Thoracic Drainage.

For a normal patient without adhesions, it took about five to six minutes. For complex cases with adhesions, fifteen to twenty minutes was the norm.

Four minutes and thirty-eight seconds. This was not a speed humans should have.

The numbers on the monitor were changing. Blood pressure began to rise. Systolic pressure: 72, 75, 79, 82. Blood oxygen was climbing. 81%, 83%, 86%, 89%. Heart rate was dropping. 132, 125, 118, 112.

The degree of tracheal deviation was decreasing. The mediastinum was returning to its position.

The patient's complexion changed from cyanotic to ashen, and then slowly regained a hint of color.

Breathing also changed from rapid and shallow to a slightly deeper and more rhythmic pattern.

"Vital signs are recovering." Shen Xiaoning's voice trembled noticeably. But it wasn't because of fear. It was because of excitement.

Lu Chen looked at the numbers on the monitor and nodded.

"Continue to monitor the drainage volume and record it every fifteen minutes. If the hourly drainage exceeds 200 milliliters, notify me immediately."

"Okay!"

"Notify me when the coagulation results are out, and administer an additional dose of Vitamin K1."

"Received."

"When the plasma arrives, transfuse it first, AB type."

"Understood."

Lu Chen took a step back and took off his gloves. Wu Fan only just recovered at this moment.

"How did you do it?"

"How did I do what?"

"How did you know that position was safe? When your finger probed inside, how did you know where the adhesive bands were, where the channel was?"

Lu Chen glanced at him. "Touch." "Touch?"

"Yes, the texture of adhesive tissue is different from normal tissue. The places where adhesive bands are attached to the parietal pleura feel thickened and indurated, while places without adhesions are smooth. You just need to follow the smooth direction."

Wu Fan opened his mouth. He knew that what Lu Chen said was correct. Theoretically, that was indeed the case.

But the problem was, in actual practice, a person's index finger reaching into a thoracic cavity filled with blood and adhesive tissue, having to distinguish the path of the adhesive bands and the location of the safe channel through touch within a few seconds. This wasn't just technique. This was talent.

Wu Fan confirmed one thing again. Lu Chen could not be measured by common sense.

"You really are a monster." "Thank you." "That wasn't a compliment." "I know, but I choose to take it as one."

Wu Fan was amused by his response.

Meanwhile, in the Medical Affairs Department office, Section Chief He Zhongfeng's phone rang. It was Dr. Ma Xu's call.

"How is it?" Section Chief He Zhongfeng answered. "Something happened." "What do you mean?" "He's finished."

Section Chief He Zhongfeng was stunned for a moment. "Who finished?" "Lu Chen. He performed the Closed Thoracic Drainage himself. He finished, and the patient has stabilized."

"How long did it take?" "I just asked a Nurse in the Red Zone, and they said it was less than five minutes."

Section Chief He Zhongfeng's mouth twitched. "Less than five minutes? That patient has adhesions. How did he do it?"

"I don't know either, but the result is that he finished, the drainage is clear, and the patient's vital signs are recovering."

The office was quiet for a long while. Section Chief He Zhongfeng adjusted his glasses. "What kind of background does this kid have..."

"Section Chief He, what should we do about this?" "What to do? What else can we do? Tell President Peng."

"I don't really dare to say it." "If you won't say it, should I?"

The other end of the line fell silent as well. Section Chief He Zhongfeng hung up and sat in his chair for a while.

He suddenly felt that the plan this morning was a bit stupid. He originally wanted to dig a pit for Lu Chen, but the result was that before the pit was even dug, the person just flew right over it.

Not only did he fly over it, but he flew over it beautifully. Section Chief He Zhongfeng sighed, stood up, and walked towards the Administrative Building. What needed to be reported still had to be reported.

In the Red Zone, Zhang Ge's wife had been waiting in the hallway for nearly ten minutes. When Lu Chen pushed open the door and walked out, she rushed forward.

"How is my husband!" "The drainage is finished, and his vital signs are recovering. He is temporarily out of the most dangerous stage, but follow-up observation and further treatment are still needed. His rib fractures and pulmonary contusion both need to be treated."

"Is he okay? Is he really okay?" "He is currently stabilized."

The woman's legs went weak, and she almost collapsed to the ground. Shen Xiaoning quickly supported her.

"Auntie, please don't get agitated, sit down and rest for a moment." "Thank you, thank you both, thank you Doctor..."

The woman grabbed Shen Xiaoning's hand, tears falling continuously. "I, what I said just now, I'm sorry. I was too anxious, I didn't mean it..."

"It's okay, Auntie, I understand." After saying this, Lu Chen turned around and returned to the Resuscitation Room.

He still had things to do. The drainage tube needed continuous observation. The coagulation results needed to be awaited. A follow-up treatment plan needed to be formulated. Moreover, the consultation from the Department of Thoracic Surgery would come sooner or later.

As he walked into the Resuscitation Room, a system prompt flashed in his mind.

[Ding! Host successfully completed high-difficulty Closed Thoracic Drainage!]

[Trigger condition assessment: Extensive thoracic adhesions + abnormal blood coagulation + tension hemopneumothorax, comprehensive difficulty rated as S-level!]

[Over-level operation assessment successful! Triggered experience critical hit: Ten times!]

[Skill experience calculating...] [Emergency Surgery Skill Enhancement Card effect activated, additional 50% experience gain!]

The corners of Lu Chen's mouth curled up slightly. S-level difficulty. Ten-times critical hit. Plus the 50% bonus from the enhancement card. He had made a huge profit on this one.

He suppressed the satisfaction in his heart and continued to immerse himself in the follow-up treatment.