Surgery Godfather-Chapter 610 - 555: Sesame and Watermelon

Back in the ward, Cui Xubing’s wife, Guo Liu, quietly asked, "How did it go?"

Cui Xubing mysteriously returned with a smile, "It’s a done deal."

Both husband and wife were relieved, for they had feared that their child’s surgery would be performed by an intern. Regardless of how successful the surgery might have been under an intern’s hand, they believed that it wouldn’t achieve the best possible result.

They had somehow heard rumors suggesting that, without a bit of persuasion, the surgery might be left to an intern.

But which hospital would ever allow an intern to be the chief surgeon?

In the entire country, it was unlikely that any hospital would permit an intern to independently perform an operation.

Not to mention chief surgeries, in major tertiary hospitals, even the opportunities for interns to be official assistants are scarce.

The hospital’s surgical grading management is extremely rigorous. Even a prodigious talent like Yang Ping would have to follow the process to get surgery rights and perform high-level surgeries.

One method is to have a qualified doctor endorse them. This was how Yang Ping used to progress. He would be the chief surgeon, but Director Han’s name would be on record. Director Han would sign to verify, and would be held completely responsible should any issues arise during the surgery.

Another method, as is the case now, is to follow the ’low-position, high-hiring’ process. This involves a shortcut to obtaining a high professional title, followed by authorization of corresponding maximum surgical permissions based on the title.

The idea of an intern performing the surgery was a mere illusion in Cui Xubing’s mind.

Those relatives and friends who claimed to be in the know, earnestly suggesting such a possibility, only deepened this delusion in their minds.

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Cui Shukai had scoliosis, a large C curve that reached 176 degrees.

Dealing with such severe scoliosis in a six-year-old who was still growing could lead to significant complications if not handled correctly.

By using the innovative spinal external fixation technique, many difficult problems could be easily solved.

Yang Ping sat in his office, facing his computer screen. The three-dimensional reconstructed image of Cui Shukai’s spine floated on the computer screen as he planned the surgery details.

Traditional surgery could only select a few key osteotomy points, reassemble the spine through osteotomy, and then prompt the vertebrae to re-knit at the site of osteotomy.

It was like trying to straighten a curved and inflexible rod by cutting it into pieces and using wedge-shaped osteotomy at the connection points to remove the excess parts on the convex side. This way, the deformity could be partially corrected when the pieces were reassembled.

However, Yang Ping’s new method treated every deformed vertebra as an osteotomy point.

It didn’t require removal of excess bone from the convex side, nor complete severance of the vertebra for re-knitting.

This method required incising the concave side of each vertebra, without excising any bone, and then attaching the external spinal fixation device. Utilizing Ilizarov’s principle, the osteotomy site underwent distraction osteogenesis.

The location for vertebrae osteotomy had to be such that distraction osteogenesis was possible, with minimal damage to the growth plate.

Essentially, the curved rod did not need to be broken and reassembled. It could be molded, slowly straightened, with the concave side gradually lengthening under the control of the external fixator. Consequently, the spine would gradually straighten. The entire process was dynamic.

The Ilizarov theory was extensively used in limb orthopedics. It enabled satisfactory correction for limb deformities that traditional surgeries couldn’t address. Now Yang Ping had successfully applied this theory to spinal orthopedics.

If the chief surgeon relied on experience to find the osteotomy line and the locations and directions for vertebrae root screw insertion, they would need lots of experience.

Delegating this task to a computer and surgical robot made this critical step of the surgery foolproof.

Through computer simulation and calculation, the exact location of the osteotomy line and the position and direction for vertebral root screw insertion could be determined and then loaded into the surgical robot’s host.

During surgery, the surgical robot could perform precise positioning according to real-time fluoroscopic images, ensuring safety, speed, precision, and minimally invasive surgery.

President Huang personally delivered the instruments. He used a trolley to transport two large boxes of instruments to Yang Ping’s office, allowing Yang Ping to perform pre-surgery checks.

The two boxes of instruments were opened on Yang Ping’s desk.

One set contained percutaneous vertebral root screws. These screws would be inserted into the vertebral root through the skin and into the vertebral body.

Each screw protruded slightly from the skin, serving as a connection point for the external fixator.

The other box contained equipment for the external spinal fixator, which were a large frame with many small brackets.

The large frame and small brackets worked in conjunction to perform bone transport, also known as distraction osteogenesis.

Turning the control knob on the large frame would initiate bone transport at all osteotomy sites simultaneously. Turning the knob on a miniature bracket would only perform bone transport at one osteotomy site.

The clever design of large and small frames allowed them to work together, spreading the corrective process across all the deformed vertebrae.

After the surgery, Cui Shukai will have regular X-ray check-ups, which can be used for adjustment, controlling the speed of bone relocation at each area, scanning commands to accurately move the spine along the expected pathway.

Usually, bone relocation begins 7-10 days after the surgery by rotating the knob, proceeding at a speed of 1 millimeter per day. In a month, a bone can be relocated by 3 centimeters.

This method distributes corrective forces across all the responsible vertebrae, so even the greatest degree of bone relocation is no more than 3 centimeters.

Taking into account the rest period during relocation and consolidation after the relocation, it’s estimated that the straightening of the spine can be completed in about three months.

So, in three months, a C-shaped spine can be straightened, with the lowest possibility of neurologic complications, as the adjustment is done gradually. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

Looking at the exquisite devices on his desk, Yang Ping himself felt that the design was brilliant.

"Cui Shukai’s CT scan data has been sent to Professor He, we’re waiting for his data packet. As soon as it’s ready, we can input it into the surgery robot’s mainframe, and the robot can use this data for navigation."

President Huang Jiacai also has full confidence in this set of equipment, the key product of Ruixing and a robust weapon to combat big competitors.

"Professor, in order to quickly open up the market, I am prepared to fully disclose the patent of this equipment and allow worldwide free use." Huang Jiacai proposes tentatively.

Yang Ping continues to play with the equipment: "What you decide, on business matters, I don’t understand, and I don’t want to be involved."

"Understood. So, I’ll make the decision. Actually, only by making the patent free, can manufacturers big and small participate. As long as everyone participates, our technology and products will quickly become widespread. Once our products are widespread, why should we worry about not making money?"

While Huang Jiacai helps give Yang Ping the equipment, he says.

Although Yang Ping is not interested in these matters, he still needs clarity. This significant decision must include the explanation of his rationale.

Yang Ping is his back-end boss after all. He should definitely give a clear account to the boss.

Yang Ping continues to assemble the equipment, seemingly not paying attention.

"Professor, did---you---hear---what I just said?"

Huang Jiacai asks.

Yang Ping looks up: "I’m listening; you continue, oh, hand me the screw from over there."

After speaking, Yang Ping buried his head back into assembling the external fixator.

"Professor, I mean, I will open up the patent of your spinal external fixator to the whole world. Do you have any objections?"

Huang Jiacai has no choice but to repeat himself.

Yang Ping doesn’t have time to bother about him: "Tell Professor He to hurry the data pack over."

"Professor?"

Huang Jiacai has not received a response yet and persists.

"You say, you say---" Yang Ping is a bit annoyed by him.

"Professor, I will make the patent for the spinal external fixator free to the whole world!" Huang Jiacai says for the third time.

Yang Ping says impatiently: "Such a trivial matter, and you’re still asking me? You’re the president, can’t you just decide it yourself? Do something meaningful. Pass me the cup of tea."

Huang Jiacai looks at the tea cup on the other side of the desk and immediately brings it to him.

The boss, I’m talking about a business worth billions, and it’s not as meaningful as your cup of tea?

Huang Jiacai wanted to cry but had no tears. He decided to avoid bothering him with these sorts of matters in the future. Huang Jiacai just stood by his office desk, passing him things.

For over an hour, President Huang worked up a sweat, just handing things over.

Yang Ping assembled and disassembled the external fixator over and over again, testing for more than an hour.

After finishing, Yang Ping sat in his chair drinking his tea, while Huang Jiacai helped clean up and put the equipment back in their boxes. Only after wiping down the desk did he leave the office.

This set of equipment will unveil a new Chapter in the treatment of scoliosis. Is it really just a tiny sesame seed in Professor Yang’s eyes?

If this is just a sesame seed, then what is a watermelon?

Anyway, Huang Jiacai didn’t dare think about what was occupying Yang Ping’s mind. Yang Ping’s ideas were just too out of the box.