Chapter 93 – Coal Mine Accident (7)

“I am fine! More than that, we must take this gentleman to the hospital first.”

Kim Ji-hyuk pointed to Jeong Min-su, who was brought out on a stretcher.

Although emergency measures had been taken, it did not mean he was fully recovered. Furthermore, the inflammation in the deep neck had spread down to the mediastinum.

He was a patient who could easily develop sepsis.

In addition, his legs were not sound and he even had asthmatic symptoms, so he had to be transported to the hospital for surgery as quickly as possible.

“Yes! I contacted the provincial hospital, and the ambulance has just arrived!”

It seemed Shin Jeong-eun had taken action as Kim Ji-hyuk requested.

“Have you contacted the hospital?”

“Yes. I believe Professor Jeong Ki-ryeo has taken measures.”

“Good. Then let us go right now! If we do not operate immediately, it could develop into sepsis!”

“Are you going to perform the surgery, Doctor?”

At that, this time Nurse Park In-seon asked tearfully.

“Yes. I am the only one who knows the patient’s condition. There is no time to run various diagnostics. We must operate immediately.”

“Will you really be okay?”

Nurse Park In-seon still had a worried expression.

“Yes. I can still bear it. We must go.”

“Dr. Ji-hyuk, then I will go with you. The anesthesia department at the National Medical Center has barely settled down. There won’t be any special solutions just because it is the provincial hospital. I will enter the operating room with you.”

This time, Shin Jeong-eun stepped forward.

“I will go with you too.”

At that, Nurse Park In-seon also stepped forward, refusing to be outdone.

“You cannot go, Nurse.”

“Wh-why? I also have plenty of field experience. Me going to help would…”

“Then what about those patients?”

“Argh! Oh dear, I’m dying!”

Miners who suffered minor and major injuries from this coal mine accident were lying in a line, groaning.

“Th-that is…”

“They are the people who desperately need your help, Nurse. For now, leave the minor cases and focus on treating patients with severe injuries. The medical staff is severely lacking. Please, Nurse Park! I feel at ease because you are here.”

“Ah, I understand.”

“Yes. Thank you. Please take care of the patients here.”

“Yes. I will do my best.”

Finally, Nurse Park In-seon followed Kim Ji-hyuk’s words.

“Senior! Let us leave. Right now, it is a race against time!”

“Understood.”

*Clatter—*

With that, Kim Ji-hyuk and Shin Jeong-eun loaded the patient lying on the stretcher into the ambulance and headed toward Gangwon Provincial Hospital.

* * *

Gangwon Provincial Hospital.

As the ambulance arrived at the hospital entrance, doctors were out to meet them.

“Are you Doctor Kim Ji-hyuk?”

“Yes. By any chance, did you receive a contact from Professor Jeong Ki-ryeo?”

Before leaving, he had called Professor Jeong Ki-ryeo, and Professor Jeong Ki-ryeo had contacted Gangwon Provincial Hospital to make arrangements so they could prepare for the surgery.

Under the condition that he himself would take all responsibility for the surgery.

Kim Ji-hyuk and Shin Jeong-eun got down from the ambulance with the patient.

“Yes! The operating room is ready! You will perform the surgery yourself, right?”

“Operating.”

“Understood. Then our hospital will support you with residents!”

“Thank you. Where is the operating room?”

“Follow me.”

Thus, Kim Ji-hyuk and Shin Jeong-eun headed to the operating room, guided by the doctor from Gangwon Provincial Hospital.

“Senior, we are going to do a chest surgery!”

“You said it is mediastinitis, right?”

Shin Jeong-eun confirmed the patient’s illness again.

“Yes. That is correct. The patient is not in a good condition. You need to pay special attention.”

“Your condition does not look very good either, Dr. Ji-hyuk. Is it really okay for you to operate?”

Seeing Ji-hyuk’s pale complexion, she did not seem to feel at ease.

“I am fine. I will scrub in, so please prepare.”

“Understood.”

A moment later, the operating room.

As Kim Ji-hyuk entered the operating room after scrubbing, the doctors from Gangwon Provincial Hospital were setting up the surgical table.

“Everyone, I am Kim Ji-hyuk from the National Medical Center. I may be unfamiliar to you, but please take good care of me!”

“Yes, Professor!”

“Ah! I am not a professor… Anyway, today’s surgery will be a bit long. Please work hard!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Senior, how should we proceed?”

“If it is the mediastinum, it will take at least five or six hours, right?”

“Yes, it seems so.”

“We will use etomidate for the drug. I will focus on checking the patient’s vitals.”

‘Since you are by my side, Senior, I truly feel at ease!’

“Excellent!”

As Shin Jeong-eun sent an okay sign, Kim Ji-hyuk showed a bright smile.

*Pfft!*

As Shin Jeong-eun measured the drug and injected it into the line, the patient fell into a deep sleep in an instant.

“Dr. Ji-hyuk! Everything is ready.”

Blood pressure check, respiration check, and even electrocardiogram.

Shin Jeong-eun meticulously examined all the devices wrapping around the patient’s body, then nodded at Kim Ji-hyuk.

It must have meant it was fine to start the surgery now.

“Good! Assist doctor, please start the disinfection now.”

“Yes!”

Once the patient fell into a completely deep sleep, the provincial hospital doctor began disinfecting the patient’s affected area and covered it with a surgical drape.

The manner in which they calmly followed Kim Ji-hyuk’s instructions felt stable.

‘Now, I just need to save the patient.’

Kim Ji-hyuk quickly scanned the operating room where all preparations for the surgery were completed.

“The surgery will proceed with a right lateral thoracotomy! Doctor, please position the patient!”

“Yes.”

The provincial hospital doctor turned the patient’s body to lie on the left side, glancing at Kim Ji-hyuk. It was a look asking if this was the right position.

‘Not bad.’

“Excuse me, but what is your name?”

“Yes. I am Do Jun-hwan.”

“Ah! Do you have a lot of experience with thoracotomy?”

“No. I have performed it about twice.”

“I see. Because you did it so skillfully. Anyway, I will count on you today!”

“Yes. I will do my best to assist you!”

“Please focus. In the patient’s current state, the lungs and pleura will be adhered, and the right subclavian vessels and mediastinum will be packed with pus. If the pleura is damaged, we won’t be able to handle the blood. If it bursts, we have to switch to major surgery from that moment on. Let us finish cleanly as quickly as possible!”

“Understood!”

The surgical team nodded in unison.

“We will access the thoracic cavity through the fifth intercostal space!”

“Yes!”

“Scalpel!”

The scrub nurse placed the scalpel on Ji-hyuk’s hand.

A long diagonal incision line.

As he applied the knife, the cut surface split smoothly and widened.

‘It would be nice if we had a sternal saw…’

However, this was not a situation to expect something like an electric saw.

Kim Ji-hyuk cut the sternum with a bone saw.

“Even if drawn with a ruler, it wouldn’t be that straight, would it?”

The eyes of the provincial hospital medical staff watching that scene widened.

“The tall doctor over there, if you have time, could you come over here and retract the chest?”

“Pardon? Ah, yes. Professor!”

Another doctor ran over, hooked the retractor onto the incision surface and pulled it, and finally, the patient’s lung was revealed.

“Scalpel!”

“Yes, Professor.”

‘Ah, damn, I am not a professor. Nothing I can do. Well, to them, the surgeon is as good as a professor!’

Kim Ji-hyuk began peeling the pleura from the lung without delay.

Separating the adhered pleura without damaging the lung parenchyma is by no means an easy task. It is not something just anyone can easily do.

However, compared to the Busan field hospital during the war, this place was much better, even if it wasn’t a five-star hotel.

*Murmuring—*

“This is insane!”

Like a skilled barber shaving, or a Japanese chef filleting a fish, the surgical team watched with open mouths as if admiring the sight of the pleura surrounding the lung being peeled off.

“Senior, is that even possible?”

The residents began to whisper.

“How should I know? I am seeing it for the first time too.”

“Doctors, I do not think you have time to zone out like that right now?”

The quick-witted Kim Ji-hyuk gave them a look.

“Ah, understood, Professor!”

The medical staff quickly composed themselves.

“Doctor Do Jun-hwan, do you see that?”

Kim Ji-hyuk pointed with his finger to the patient’s thoracotomy site.

“Isn’t that the mediastinum?”

As he cleanly peeled off the pleura, the thickened mediastinum finally revealed itself.

“Take a good look. If the mediastinum has thickened to that extent, it means it is packed with pus inside!”

Kim Ji-hyuk liked Do Jun-hwan’s alert attitude.

“……Then do we incise?”

“Currently, there is no other way. If pus has formed, cutting it open and draining it is the only answer.”

“Ah!”

“Could you give me the scissors over there?”

“Yes! Yes, Professor!”

“Metzenbaum scissors, please!”

“Yes, Professor!”

*Snip, snip.*

From now on, it can be done mechanically.

He just had to cut open the thickened mediastinum and drain the pus filled inside.

“Irrigation!”

“Irrigation!”

“More!”

“Yes.”

“More! More! Hey, bring about 10,000 cc instead!”

“Yes!”

“Stop now!”

Only after pouring 10,000 cc of physiological saline was he finally able to secure a perfect view.

As the pus filled inside the mediastinum drained out, the medical staff’s eyes widened in wonder.

Now all that remained was chest tube insertion.

“Suture!”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Do we just leave the thoracic cavity?”

Do Jun-hwan had many questions.

“If we just insert the chest tube like that, it will move.”

“Ah! So before suturing the thoracic cavity, we fix the chest tube to the pleura?”

“Can you do it?”

“Pardon?”

Do Jun-hwan’s eyes trembled as if in disbelief.

“I asked if you can do it!”

“Me?”

“Why? Can’t you do it? It will be a good opportunity!”

“Yes. I will try.”

“Good. Try it.”

“Yes, Professor!”

Do Jun-hwan, who picked up the needle and suture, took a deep breath and began suturing with a serious expression.

“Do not tie it too tightly, keep it a bit loose.”

‘If I just guide him like this, it is not a very difficult task. He does much better than I thought.’

Kim Ji-hyuk watched Do Jun-hwan with a pleased smile.

“Yes. Understood.”

Do Jun-hwan finally fixed the chest tube to the pleura.

Do Jun-hwan definitely had dexterous hands.

‘He is a guy who can sufficiently do his part. Surely my eyes were not wrong. That fellow is quite covetable.’

Kim Ji-hyuk’s gaze lingered on Do Jun-hwan’s fingertips.

“Phew, is it done now?”

Before long, the surgical cap Do Jun-hwan was wearing was soaked with sweat.

‘He did everything I asked him to. And quite neatly too?’

“You are doing very well.”

‘It is definitely well done, but not perfect. Still, it wasn’t bad, so pass!’

“Thank you. I had a great experience thanks to you, Professor!”

Do Jun-hwan smiled broadly.

“It is not time to relax yet. Since it starts from now.”

“Yes! We must start the left lung too now. Shall we roll the patient to the right?”

“No.”

Kim Ji-hyuk shook his head flatly.

“No? Then?”

Do Jun-hwan looked like he could not understand Kim Ji-hyuk’s action.

“A thoracotomy is sufficient on the right side. I will substitute the left side with this!”

Kim Ji-hyuk held up a single finger.