Tokyo, 1994, starting with medical training

Chapter 26 is correct.

The day after Shinya Suzuki's surgery.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine.

Kenta Yamaguchi, a senior physical therapist with over twenty years of experience, is sitting at his desk, organizing the morning's assessment reports.

Having worked in the field for many years, he has long been accustomed to the various tragic conditions of patients after orthopedic surgery.

"Yamaguchi-senpai, this is a new application form from the First Surgery Department."

A newly arrived trainee doctor came over and placed a consultation request form on his desk.

Kenta Yamaguchi picked up the list and glanced at it.

[Patient: Nobuya Suzuki]

[Diagnosis: Postoperative C3 comminuted fracture of the distal left radius]

[Rehabilitation Requirements: On the first day after surgery, early intervention is necessary to assess the condition of the affected limb and guide active movements of the fingers, elbow, and shoulder joints.]

[Chief Surgeon: Imagawa Ori]

Another patient of Dr. Imagawa.

In Kenta Yamaguchi's mind, the face of that capable, beautiful female doctor, who always had a "keep away" look, immediately came to mind.

He was deeply impressed by Imagawa Ori.

Not only because she is the youngest specialist in the hospital, but also because of her surgical style—precise, fast, and minimally invasive.

Patients operated on by her generally recover much faster than those operated on by other doctors.

However, a C3 comminuted fracture is still a C3 fracture.

On the first day after surgery, the patient's wrist is usually swollen like a bun, the skin is shiny and bluish-purple, and the fingers are stiff like carrots. Not to mention moving them, even a light touch will cause severe pain.

Therefore, today's intervention was basically just a formality.

The main task is to instruct the patient to elevate the affected limb, and then symbolically ask the patient to try moving their fingers to confirm that the nerve has not been severed. That completes the task.

As for actually getting the fingers moving, that will be at least a week or even two weeks from now.

He picked up the medical record folder, pushed a portable assessment device, and slowly walked towards the general ward area on the sixth floor.

"Suzuki Nobuya, bed 3, room 613."

After verifying the room number, Yamaguchi Osamu pushed open the door and entered the ward.

On the bed by the window, a middle-aged man was half-reclining, while his wife and daughter sat beside him, talking quietly.

Does this look like someone who has just undergone major surgery?

Akihiko Yamaguchi's gaze fell on the patient's left arm.

Then, he froze.

The hand was firmly fixed in a plaster cast and suspended in front of the chest with a triangular bandage. The exposed fingers were not as swollen and bruised as he had expected.

There is only slight swelling, and the color can even be described as somewhat rosy.

Did you go to the wrong ward?

Yamaguchi subconsciously took a step back, walked out of the ward, and looked up at the door number.

It's definitely 613.

He looked down at the medical record card in his hand again.

Could the diagnosis be wrong?

Or perhaps the surgical record was written incorrectly, and it was actually just a very simple bone fracture that was put in a cast?

Yamaguchi Akihiko frowned and re-entered the ward.

"Excuse me, are you Suzuki Shinya-san?"

"Ah, yes, that's me."

"I'm Yamaguchi from the Rehabilitation Department. I'm here to conduct your first post-operative assessment, as instructed by Dr. Imagawa."

As he spoke, Kenta Yamaguchi carefully checked the name on the cover of the medical record folder and the information on the bedside card.

Name, age, hospital number...

All the information is completely consistent.

Is this really a patient on the first day after surgery for a type C3 comminuted fracture?

However, Kenta Yamaguchi was not a medical student fresh out of school, and he quickly composed himself and suppressed his shock for the time being.

"Suzuki-san, I need to check the condition of your fingers now."

"You might feel a little uncomfortable, please try to relax."

He carefully lifted Suzuki Shinya's hand and gently touched each of his fingers.

The temperature is normal, the fingertips are full, and the color returns quickly after pressing.

Perfect peripheral blood circulation.

Kenta Yamaguchi asked routinely, "How are you feeling? Is it in a lot of pain?"

"It's okay, it just feels a little swollen, but it doesn't hurt much," Shinya Suzuki answered honestly.

what?

It just feels a little swollen, not very painful?

On the first day after surgery for a C3 comminuted fracture, how could someone say something like that?

"Um... Suzuki-san, could you try, very, very slightly, moving your fingers?"

Even Yamaguchi himself found it somewhat absurd when he said those words.

In the past, when faced with patients with similar cases, as long as they showed the intention to move their fingers, they were considered to have passed the test.

"Okay, I'll give it a try."

Shinya Suzuki himself was also quite surprised.

Dr. Kiryu told him the surgery was successful, but he was still skeptical.

But after the anesthesia completely wore off, he found that his wrist was not as painful as he had imagined, and even felt more relaxed than before the surgery.

He concentrated and tried to move his fingers.

Then, under the increasingly wide gaze of Yamaguchi, Suzuki Shinya's five fingers actually completed a slow but flawless flexion and extension motion.

From clenching your fist to fully opening it!

"this……"

Yamaguchi was completely speechless.

Of all the patients he has treated, only young people with minor wrist fractures who were able to achieve this level of recovery on the first day after surgery, and who were lively and energetic after a few days in a cast!

The patient in front of us has a C3 comminuted fracture of the radial articular surface that has been smashed to pieces!

What does this mean?

This means that the patient experienced almost no severe tissue trauma and postoperative edema!

This means that the patient's recovery period will be shortened by at least half compared to normal circumstances, and the risk of joint stiffness, pain, and functional impairment will be minimized!

Kenta Yamada flipped through the medical record in his hand again.

[Chief Surgeon: Imagawa Ori]

Indeed, her patients generally have very good post-operative conditions and recover very quickly.

But... it has never reached such an exaggerated level.

Shinya Suzuki's surgery was like an ideal case that only appears in textbooks.

Could it be that... Dr. Imagawa has made some groundbreaking progress in his technique?

"No wonder he's the youngest specialist in the medical department."

Kenta Yamaguchi put down the medical record and couldn't help but mutter a sigh.

……

in the afternoon.

In the radiology department's reading room.

Professor Sato, a sprightly old man nearing sixty with gray hair, was wearing reading glasses and reviewing all the X-ray reports taken this morning.

As the pillar of the radiology department, he is known for his rigor and meticulousness.

He picked up a new X-ray film and placed it on the viewing light.

The lights came on.

The image presented is a near-perfect anteroposterior and lateral view of the wrist joint.

The bone structure is clear, the joint space is uniform, the implanted T-plate is positioned perfectly, and the length and direction of each screw are impeccable.

"Hmm, this one is a good shot."

Professor Sato nodded in satisfaction.

Then, he picked up the application form and preliminary report next to him.

[Patient: Nobuya Suzuki. 】

[Preoperative diagnosis: C3 comminuted fracture of the distal left radius.]

Professor Sato's expression vanished instantly.

He took off his reading glasses, put them back on, and leaned closer to look at the application form and preliminary report again.

C3 type comminuted fracture?

He turned his gaze back to the X-ray film on the viewing lamp.

The perfect anatomy, the smooth joint surfaces, the seamless bone connections…

A surge of anger welled up inside him.

"Takahashi!"