Surgery Godfather
Chapter 1140 - 910 Recurrence_2

Chapter 1140: Chapter 910 Recurrence_2

The visit of a Nobel Prize laureate would usually be a grand occasion in any hospital, with a significant welcome ceremony and the hospital’s Dean providing personal accompaniment. However, this time it was different; things were kept simple, as Professor Manstein was visiting privately as a friend of Professor Yang Ping.

Professor Manstein also saw himself merely as a pen pal and admirer of Professor Yang, never flaunting his status as a Nobel Prize winner. For August, it was simply a return visit to his alma mater, so everyone behaved very casually.

When they returned to the hospital, it was already past ten at night. Song Zimo and Xu Zhiliang had been worried about their department running smoothly. But, on enquiring in the ward, they were surprised to find that Teacher Zhang and Teacher Xiao Wu were still performing surgery; these two fellows were really making something of themselves, being so diligent and still working at this hour. It seemed that all the scolding they had endured was not in vain.

At night, after Zhang Lin and Little Five’s surgery was finished, Professor Yang enjoyed some late-night snacks with everyone. Professor Manstein was especially happy to see Professor Yang, not expecting him to be so young, younger even than himself at the height of his worldwide fame.

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The following morning, Song Zimo and Xu Zhiliang started work and officially returned to the team. Professor Manstein and August also attended the morning shift change.

During the morning handover, Little Five and Zhang Lin were accustomed to taking the seats of Song Zimo and Xu Zhiliang, but realizing their superiors were back, they quickly vacated their spots and respectfully returned to their own, allowing their senior doctors to sit.

After the handover was complete, everyone split into groups to make the rounds. Professor Yang saw Sisi at the nurse’s station.

Song Zimo reminded Professor Yang, "Sisi is here for a follow-up today."

Almost forgetting about it, Professor Yang greeted Sisi with the team. Sisi was very well-behaved, refraining from calling him "Big Brother" in public and instead saying, "Good morning, Professor Yang!"

The little girl had grown significantly taller, her hair tied into a ponytail behind her head, appearing denser and darker, with more luster than before.

Her jet-black eyes also sparkled brightly, and since she hadn’t undergone radiation or chemotherapy, her complexion had greatly improved, showing the distinctive rosy cheeks of a young teenage girl.

The bone elongation device on her leg had been removed. After a period of walking with the help of crutches, Sisi could now walk normally. Since she needed several tests done, Sisi would be staying in the hospital for a few days. Her father had already moved some luggage to the ward, and her mother was waiting for a nurse to take her temperature and weight.

Sisi was now attending a public elementary school near the hospital and was in the fifth grade.

"We’re going to see patients now but will come to see you afterward."

Professor Yang went to make his rounds.

"Sisi, you haven’t had breakfast yet, have you? I’ll issue your medical orders now, and you can go get the tests done."

Tang Fei personally took on the role of Sisi’s physician in charge.

"The tests will be quick. I’ve already arranged for you to use the fast track," Song Zimo said to Sisi.

Once the nurse finished measuring vital signs and weight, Sisi’s mother took her to the ward. Sisi, carrying the cactus pot, followed behind, smiling and saying goodbye to everyone.

Entering the ward, she still placed the cactus on the windowsill. The cactus looked plump and fresh green, evidently well-cared for by her.

Sisi was particularly fond of the cactus because of its hardiness, its ability to survive in harsh desert environments.

The little girl was particularly self-reliant, not needing her mother’s involvement; she neatly arranged her belongings on her own. Soon, her things were all in perfect order.

Books and homework she brought were neatly placed in the bedside table, slippers were neatly arranged by the bed, and folded clothes had been neatly stored in her cabinet. Toothbrush and toothpaste were placed in the washroom, again all neatly arranged, which was very pleasing to the eye.

The Head Nurse had given Sisi’s mother a few days off, and the Director of the Security Room at the Surgical Research Institute, Dashun, had also given her father a few days off so that the couple could stay with their child with peace of mind.

Sisi needed regular follow-ups because her osteosarcoma had metastasized, and it was only a matter of time before a recheck was needed. Regular follow-ups were dynamic monitoring for the recurrence of the tumor, with measures taken as soon as a recurrence began.

The family was now very happy. Both parents worked at Sanbo Hospital, their daughter’s condition was under control, and she was attending a nearby elementary school – all thanks to Yang Ping and the doctors at the Surgical Research Institute. Yang Ping had helped arrange their jobs, and Song Zimo had handled the matter of Sisi’s schooling.

Therefore, Sisi’s parents were extremely grateful to Yang Ping, the Surgical Research Institute, and Sanbo Hospital, working diligently as if they were serving their own family.

Sisi’s examination included many tests: there were blood tests, surface ultrasound, and MRI examinations. To minimize Sisi’s ionizing radiation, Yang Ping postponed X-ray and similar tests, opting for surface ultrasound and MRI results first. If these tests indicated a problem requiring further investigation, then Yang Ping would resort to CT, bone scans, and even PET-CT.

There was no other choice. After undergoing extensive radiation and chemotherapy, Sisi’s immune system had been severely compromised, and it was only now beginning to recover somewhat. Yang Ping could only do so much to preserve what little immunity she had left.

When the test results came out, Yang Ping, Song Zimo, Xu Zhiliang, August, and Professor Manstein gathered around the light box.

The tumor had recurred!

Abnormal signals were detected in the liver and lung, signs of tumor recurrence.

The faces of Song Zimo and Xu Zhiliang were solemn. Yang Ping narrowed his eyes and said nothing; August knew that this patient was Professor Yang’s number one patient, and even Professor Manstein could do nothing. This was a malignant tumor, one of the unsolved challenges of human medicine, and it had already metastasized.

In this situation, chemotherapy and various radiation therapies were out of the question for Yang Ping. Osteosarcoma had no suitable targeted drugs; so targeted therapy was not an option – a conclusion that had already been reached after much consideration.

The only viable option left was the Gamma Knife, which utilizes ultrasound. Its biggest advantage was the absence of ionizing radiation. However, the Gamma Knife was not a cure-all; not only was it challenging to focus accurately, but the heat generated during focusing would, more or less, cause collateral damage to normal cells.

Whether tumor cells or normal cells, those treated by the Gamma Knife would be killed by the heat and gradually absorbed, leaving cavities mostly filled by scar tissue. If done repeatedly, over time, scarring would lead to organ scarring, followed by organ failure.

Of course, this wouldn’t happen immediately; it would take a very long time, especially in children who are still growing and have strong regenerative abilities, the process would be slower.

But it was ultimately palliative care, unable to cure the disease.

Professor Manstein flipped through the medical records in his hands and was no longer baffled by the Chinese documentation – a genius with high intelligence could easily grasp the language if they wished to learn.

He had begun to appreciate August’s understanding of Chinese, which was difficult initially but easier later on. Manstein had already mastered over four thousand Chinese characters in reading, writing, meaning, and word formation. He could almost read most Chinese books without any barriers and was actively working towards six thousand to eight thousand characters.

Once you master over four thousand Chinese characters, it’s almost a permanent achievement. There are always those same characters over and over again. As for the meanings of new words, as long as you read and learn them once, they are hard to forget, unlike in English, where expanding vocabulary is a lifetime endeavor.

Professor Manstein was surprised after reviewing the medical records. The little girl’s condition used to be much worse than now, with metastasis to the liver and lungs. Not only had Professor Yang performed bone elongation to restore normal limb function, but the primary tumor and the tumors in the liver and lungs were also eradicated, with no signs of tumors in the post-operative checkup at the time. The device used employed energy focused through ultrasound, not X-rays or any kind of particle beams.

Professor Manstein had some understanding of this treatment technique as he read a wide range of medical journals, despite not having an in-depth knowledge.