I, Aki Tomoya, will not be a simp.

Once you've secured such an opportunity, you'll naturally want to do it again.

Aki Tomoyuki couldn't comment on whether Nishikino and Majima needed to make a concerted effort to seize the opportunity.

But for him personally, he must, and very much wants to, constantly strive for opportunities.

This time, his wish came true; he made the decision, and he will have more opportunities to perform surgeries in the future.

The surgery was finally scheduled for next week, and a comprehensive preoperative examination was required for the child before then.

When Aki Tomoya asked Dr. Sagara what he needed to do as the fourth assistant, the answer was exactly what Aki Tomoya expected.

"There's nothing complicated, but there won't be too many things either."

Aki Tomoya was not disappointed by this answer.

To be honest, with Sasaki Ichiru, Sagara, Nakagawa, and Moriyama, there's really not much he needs to do.

But it's not that it doesn't exist, it's just that there aren't many.

There will be things that go through his hands, but this is ultimately his first time joining the surgical team.

Take it slow; you can't get fat overnight.

For Aki Tomoya, this event was significant because it marked the beginning of something new.

Everything is difficult at the beginning, but once you get started, things will go much more smoothly afterward.

Or rather, it's a logical progression?

In any case, his first time entering the operating room as part of the surgical team gradually increased his presence in the department.

"Surgery is not as simple as the anatomy lab in school. This is a good learning opportunity. Watch carefully, stay focused, react quickly, and most importantly, stay calm."

The person on the operating table isn't a cadaver; they're a living patient.

The patient's life is in their hands, so caution is the top priority.

"I understand this."

The surgery was scheduled to begin at 11:00 AM on Tuesday of the second week.

With everything prepared, Aki Tomoya, as a member of the surgical team, did the same pre-operative preparations as them, then changed into surgical scrubs and entered the operating room.

"Now we will begin the ventricular septal defect repair, mitral valve flap resection, and mitral and tricuspid valve repair. Please give me your feedback."

The chief surgeon, Sasaki Ichiru, got everyone into the zone with just one sentence.

Chapter 445 A Good Start

The surgery is underway, utilizing extracorporeal circulation provided by a cardiopulmonary bypass machine.

"Incise the annulus of the tricuspid valve..."

A magnifying glass has been pulled down from the glasses. The heart, which had stopped beating under extracorporeal circulation, has had its atria carefully cut open, and the next step is underway.

The tricuspid valve annulus was opened through the orifice of the tricuspid valve. Throughout the entire process, I held my breath and focused intently, with each step under Sasaki's complete control.

Inside the operating room, the chief surgeon, surgical assistants, and circulating nurses were all working together to ensure the successful completion of the surgery.

This was Tomoya Aki's first surgery.

Strictly speaking, this was the first real surgery he had ever performed as a surgical team assistant.

Even if he is only the fourth assistant and cannot be said to be of great importance, as a member of the surgical team, this is still his surgery.

Up close, with the magnifying glass down, they followed the instructions of the chief surgeon, Sasaki Ichiru, while Aki Tomoya was also learning.

"Defect exposed..."

A defect with a diameter of approximately 20 mm has been exposed in the field of vision.

Sasaki didn't stop for a moment; his thinking had already been simulated many times before the surgery.

After longitudinally incising the atrial septum through the fossa ovalis, clefts in areas A2 and A3 of the anterior mitral valve leaflet are visible. A septum-like structure is also present, with one end connected to the septal side of the left ventricular outflow tract and the other end connected to the edge of the anterior mitral valve leaflet via a thin chord.

"Beginning the removal of the mitral valve patella...wiping sweat..."

"Your movements are as fluid as ever, Dr. Sasaki."

After watching Sasaki remove the mitral valve flap, Dr. Sagara sighed.

In fact, the atmosphere in the operating room was not as tense or rigid as Aki Tomoya had imagined.

This made Aki Tomoya think of a joke.

In the operating room, if all the doctors are completely silent, then things are really serious; the more relaxed the atmosphere, the less likely there is a problem with the surgery.

As things stand, the atmosphere is alright, and it's fair to say that Sasaki Ichiru has it all under control.

"After all, there are medical students undergoing training, and younger generations are learning from them."

Nakagawa said softly.

Sasaki Ichiru did not answer, perhaps because he was used to it, perhaps because he was completely absorbed in the surgery, or perhaps because he was the surgeon in charge of the operation.

The mitral valve flap was removed and the mitral valve defect was sutured with interrupted multiple stitches.

Smooth...

Sasaki Ichiru's technique was so skillful that Aki Tomoya felt very comfortable and at ease throughout the entire process, from the start of the surgery.

There are no wasted actions, and even the occasional pause is short-lived, with the next action taking place immediately.

He was also directing everyone in the operating room, including the doctors and assistants, to help him complete the surgery.

As the chief surgeon, he did everything he was supposed to do.

Only then did Aki Tomoya truly understand why Dr. Sagara had chosen Sasaki Ichiru as the lead surgeon.

He had previously watched Sasaki Ichiru's surgeries in the observation room.

However, the feeling of being in the observation room and being in close contact with the operating room is completely different.

That feeling of peace of mind was a rare experience for Aki Tomoya.

"Initiate ventricular septal defect repair."

The pericardium was taken from the patient, treated with glutaraldehyde, cut to the appropriate size, and then continuously sutured to close the ventricular septal defect.

"The rest of the stitching is up to you."

After repairing the ventricular septal defect, Sasaki Ichiro raised his head with a sigh of relief and then glanced at them.

The surgery lasts for several hours and requires intense concentration; surgery is both physically and mentally taxing.

No one objected to Sasaki Ichiru leaving the operating room first, and the remaining suturing could be left to the rest of the staff.

"I'll take over, Aki-kun, your second teacher is on stage."

Dr. Sagara took over from Sasaki Ichijin and began suturing the atrial septum and the right atrium incision in sequence.

"It's a pity that I've had you tie so many surgical knots, but I can't put them to use yet."

Dr. Nakagawa jokingly remarked, seemingly wondering if Aki Tomoya would have the same idea of ​​wanting to show off his skills the first time he entered the operating room.

Unfortunately, he's not ready yet. This is the first surgery he's actually been involved in as a surgical assistant, and he has a long way to go.

After suturing was completed and it was confirmed that there were no abnormalities after the restoration of autologous circulation, the chest was closed.

The lights during the surgery were finally turned off shortly afterward, and the child who had completed the surgery was then transferred to the ICU for postoperative observation.

After the surgery, Aki Tomoya walked out with Dr. Sagara and the others.

The other two doctors originally wanted to tease Aki Tomoya, who was entering the operating room for the first time as part of the surgical team, and ask him how he felt. However, Dr. Sagara wanted to take him away at this moment to meet his family members outside.

"Please rest assured, the surgery went smoothly. We will then transfer her to the ICU..."

Dr. Sagara and Tomoya Aki patiently explained to the child's parents that the surgery had been successfully completed, putting their minds at ease.

After the nurse led them away, Sagara breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled and asked Aki Tomoya, who was standing next to him, "How were you feeling?"

"...It's all under Dr. Sasaki's control. Although I haven't done anything particularly remarkable, it would feel good to be like Dr. Sasaki someday!"

After considering it for a moment, Aki Tomoya gave Dr. Sagara this reply.

The surgery lasted several hours, and even just standing for that long, especially from the surgeon's position, was even more exhausting. Aki Tomo could feel how demanding a surgery is for a doctor.

The position of chief surgeon is not one that just anyone can hold.

While sighing with admiration, Aki Tomoya also harbored many aspirations.

Surgeons and surgery are two things that are firmly linked in people's minds.

This was the first surgery he had ever actually performed. After the surgery, he would think about what it would have been like if he had been in the surgeon's position.

At the same time, Aki Tomoya felt that accepting Professor Yano's arrangement and coming here was definitely worthwhile.

If he were in a university hospital, he would probably still be stuck in a miserable rotation, moving from one department to another, working as a demanding resident physician in a suffocating atmosphere...

He couldn't help but think of Takagi. That guy must be going through a lot right now; hospital residency is really tough.

At Kanto General Hospital, he and Majima had joined the cardiac surgery department early on. Although they weren't officially part of the department, after three months, they were practically the same.

He's already been able to join the surgical team and perform his first surgery; he's made a good start.