My daily work as a doctor: My treatment value is increasing.

Chapter 132 Liver Transplant Surgery

Rewind to a month ago, after a family dinner, Li Aijun leaned against the headboard, his abdomen swollen, his skin sallow and his hair gray. He barely had the strength to lift his arm, and every breath caused a dull pain in his liver area.

His cirrhosis had progressed to the decompensated stage, causing ascites and pain.

The doctor made it clear that he needed a liver transplant.

But finding a liver was still a long way off. After being rejected by Lu Renxin, Li Aijun knew that his only way to survive was for a living liver donation from a direct relative.

After a series of tests, it was found that Li Xiaofeng was the only person in his family who could donate part of his liver, and the two were a match.

Li Aijun, who was admitted to the hospital again, gripped the bed sheet tightly with his withered fingers. He looked at his son standing at the foot of the bed and said in a weak but authoritative voice, "Xiaofeng, I raised you all these years. Now only you can save me. The doctor said that only half of my liver will be removed. It will grow back in a few months. It's not a big deal. Just agree."

If half of the donor liver is removed, the liver can indeed regenerate.

The liver is the only internal organ in the human body with a strong regenerative capacity.

Even if half of the liver is removed, as long as the remaining liver tissue has intact blood vessels and bile ducts, and the liver function is basically normal, it can regenerate and recover to a size close to the original whole volume.

If Li Xiaofeng only donated half of his liver, theoretically the liver could grow back to its original size.

However, the two are not the same. The surgical scars, abdominal adhesions, and physical damage left by the surgery are all permanent.

Li Xiaofeng hung his head, his brows furrowed, in front of him were his dying father and his pale-faced, tense mother.

He was caught in a dilemma, his lips trembling for a long time, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Even with her large pregnant belly, Xia Xiaohong couldn't hold back any longer and said sarcastically, "Dad, you can't say that so lightly! This is a major operation, not a simple procedure! To put it bluntly, what if something goes wrong during the surgery and he collapses? What will happen to our family?"

"You're already halfway to the grave, why make your son sacrifice his future for you?"

Xia Xiaohong's idea was simple: first, as long as he didn't have the surgery and the money wasn't spent, his death would leave it all to them.

Secondly, her child was about to be born, and this silly Chun didn't know that she would have to rely on him for everything in the future.

For all of the above reasons, Xia Xiaohong did her best to stop it.

"I'm his own father! I'm dying, and he just stands by and does nothing. Is that what you call filial piety?"

He suddenly raised his voice, a sharp tightness in his chest, and clutched his stomach, coughing violently as if he were coughing up his lungs.

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"He eats my food and wears my clothes, and now he's sharing half of his liver to save my life. Is that too much to ask? Women only care about their own little lives; they have no conscience at all!"

"It's not that I'm heartless, it's that I can't gamble my whole family's future with your life!"

Xia Xiaohong quickened her pace: "After the surgery, his physical strength is much worse than before. He can't do heavy work. What if he develops a chronic illness? How much will it cost to see a doctor and take medicine in the future? Have you thought about Xiaofeng for us? You say we are selfish, but aren't you selfish too? You only think about your own survival and don't care about whether your son is okay or not."

"I don't care, organ donation is voluntary, and no one can force Li Xiaofeng to pay off his debt with his health!"

He hurriedly pulled his agitated wife aside and whispered, "Say less, Dad's body can't take any more shocks right now."

"I stood up for you, and now you're playing the good guy." Xia Xiaohong shook off his hand and said angrily.

"What are you pretending for? If you really want to donate, tell me clearly. If you insist on donating your liver to your father, I won't stop you here today."

Knowing her personality, Li Xiaofeng dared not utter another word.

Silence is also an attitude. Seeing his son's reluctance, Li Aijun trembled with anger, pointing at his son and unable to speak coherently: "You just think I'm a burden, and you can't wait for me to leave!"

The arguments between the father and son, and between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, grew increasingly fierce, filling the small hospital room with the sounds of bickering. Each side had its own version of the truth.

Li Xiaofeng was caught in the middle, torn between his father, who was on the verge of despair, his wife, who was standing up for him, and his own originally healthy body.

He couldn't bear to part with it, and after stammering for a long time, he couldn't utter a single word.

Li Aijun, panting heavily, lay back on the bed, muttering to himself, "Raising children to provide for old age, this is what raising children to provide for old age is all about."

"Let me tell you, all you want is my money, right? If you don't donate part of your liver to me, I won't leave you a single word."

Seeing that reasoning with his son and daughter-in-law failed to persuade them, Li Aijun pulled out his trump card—economic sanctions.

He held the family's financial lifeline in his hands from beginning to end; if he didn't want to give it to Li Xiaofeng, there was no way he could get it.

"This...this isn't quite right," Wang Lili murmured, having remained silent until now.

On one side is her husband, who is bedridden and needs a liver transplant; on the other side is her young, strong son with a bright future.

Both sides are her flesh and blood, and she weighed the options back and forth. No matter which she chose, one of them would be hurt. The words stuck in her throat, and she could only silently shed tears with red eyes.

After much discussion, no solution could be reached. Li Aijun's face darkened, and he threw out his toughest offer.

His tone was cold and threatening: "Li Xiaofeng, if you don't do this today, I'll pretend you're not my son. You won't get a single penny from the family anymore. The family property and savings will be completely severed from you. We'll cut off all financial ties from now on. Your family will be left to fend for themselves."

Li Xiaofeng froze, his lips turning white.

He has elderly parents to support and young children to raise. His income is already modest, and his family is constantly looking for money. If all the financial support from his father's side is cut off, the family simply cannot survive.

Wang Lili was anxiously trying to persuade him, but Li Aijun refused to back down. He was determined to use money to control his son and repeatedly forced him to agree to a liver transplant.

Hearing this threat, Xia Xiaohong's eyes flickered. Not giving her money was hitting her sore spot, and she dared not say another word.

She gave Li Xiaofeng a sharp look, indicating that he could decide for himself.

Xiaofeng weighed the pros and cons and had no other way out. After several rounds of back and forth, he finally couldn't resist Li Aijun's strong financial resources and could only grit his teeth and nod, agreeing to donate his liver.

Now that a liver donor had been found, Li Aijun's body couldn't hold on for much longer. After a few days of delays, a few days after Lu Renxin returned, his uncle and his group came to him, asking him to arrange for Professor Wang to perform the surgery.

Lu Renxin naturally had no objections; with the money in place, everything was negotiable. He hadn't expected Li Ai to...

Jun made up his mind so quickly, not only returning all the money owed but also giving him an extra red envelope, sincerely apologizing, "I was wrong before, and I still need your help!"

Lu Renxin agreed not out of kinship, but out of respect for money.

After he agreed, he contacted Lan Yinyin and, through her, found her mentor.

At the exit not far away, Professor Wang walked ahead, followed by his student Lan Yinyin, who was pushing a suitcase. The two had just gotten off the plane and looked travel-worn.

Lu Renxin hurried forward to greet him, took Professor Wang's luggage, and said respectfully, "Professor Wang, you must be tired from your journey. We've been waiting for you."

Professor Wang nodded slightly, his tone calm: "Since Lan Yinyin has already spoken, and I promised you, I will naturally keep my word and come. Have you compiled all the patient's medical records and examination data?"

"No rush, you two haven't eaten yet, have you? Let me take you to get something to eat first," Lu Renxin quickly invited.

"No, no, I have other things to do later. I need to finish this surgery as soon as possible so I can go back." Professor Wang's face was kind, but he spoke very quickly, sounding very anxious.

Out of courtesy as the host, Lu Renxin repeatedly invited them, but after being refused each time, he had no choice but to follow Professor Wang's suggestion and bring them along.

I rushed to the department.

Li Aijun was staying in the hepatology department of Anyuan County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. In the office, Lan Yinyin stood beside her mentor, flipping through a thick stack of preoperative assessments, imaging films, and test reports.

Several doctors from the hepatology department were accompanying him. Opportunities to meet top professors like this are rare, so naturally, he wanted to drop everything and stay by their side, learning as much as he could.

"Lu Renxin, my mentor and I have already briefly reviewed the basic examinations of Li Xiaofeng and Li Aijun on the way. Some indicators still need to be re-examined after admission to the hospital."

"Okay, okay," Lu Renxin readily agreed.

This type of transplant surgery places high demands on both the donor and the recipient. It is necessary to confirm that the remaining liver tissue after Li Xiaofeng's liver is divided is sufficient for his own metabolism, and that Li Aijun's body can tolerate major surgery and has no contraindications.

The medical affairs department and ethics department also need to be present for a meeting to clearly inform the two of the potential risks after the surgery.

Li Xiaofeng was aware of these problems, but he knew that if he didn't have the surgery, his future economic lifeline might be cut off. So he could only grit his teeth and sign the consent form with trembling hands.

Li Aijun also signed his name with a nervous expression. The surgery cost nearly 100 million yuan, the transplant surgery alone would cost 40 to 60 yuan, plus the cost of hiring Professor Wang to perform the surgery, the money owed to Lu Renxin, and all sorts of pre-operative examinations—the total came to this price.

"I must succeed!" He let out a long breath. Although his family was wealthy, taking out so much money at once was still a lot of work.

It caused serious injury.

It would be best to save his life, but if that doesn't work, it would be a double loss.

"Alas, let fate decide!" Even Li Aijun, who had no faith, couldn't help but put his hands together, close his eyes, and pray to heaven.

The two stayed in the same hospital room. Before the surgery, they maintained a light diet, and the medical team did their best to adjust Li Aijun's physical condition to the best possible level. Everything was in preparation for this surgery.

The day of the surgery finally arrived, and two operating rooms needed to operate simultaneously.

The entire procedure was divided into two parts: the donor procedure and the recipient procedure.

As the name suggests, the donor surgery involves anesthetizing Li Xiaofeng, opening his abdomen, and removing a liver of appropriate size according to the pre-operative segmentation method determined by imaging. All blood vessels and bile duct stumps are then properly ligated, leaving Li Xiaofeng with a liver large enough to maintain his physiological functions.

The removed donor liver was quickly perfused with cryogenic organ preservation fluid and then transported under refrigeration.

At the same time, Li Aijun had also undergone laparotomy under general anesthesia. Professor Wang was fully focused on operating inside his abdominal cavity, removing the hardened...

The atrophied, diseased liver was gradually separated and removed.

The donor was rushed over and quickly placed into the abdominal cavity. Professor Wang meticulously aligned the blood vessels and bile ducts, performing a precise anastomosis.

After successfully anastomosing and releasing the hemostat, and confirming there was no major bleeding or vascular stenosis, Professor Wang breathed a sigh of relief and proceeded with the abdominal surgery.

The abdominal cavity was flushed, multiple abdominal drainage tubes were placed, and the cavity was closed by suturing layer by layer.

Professor Wang's hands are very steady and precise. He can quickly align blood vessels and suture them accurately, a feat no less difficult than embroidering on a soybean with a hair.

He was originally a proctologist, and if it weren't for his multiple connections with Li Aijun, he might never have witnessed such a top-level liver surgery in his entire life.

Oblivious to others, completely focused.

You could feel that he was completely absorbed and engrossed in the work. The entire surgery lasted more than 8 hours, with Professor Wang performing the surgery without stopping, and Lan Yinyin acting as his assistant, providing perfect support.

"That stamina is amazing!"

Despite his advanced age, Professor Wang's ability to stand for such a long time during surgery is enough to show that he is not to be underestimated.

After the procedure was completed successfully, both individuals were immediately transferred to the ICU for continuous monitoring of indicators such as blood pressure and blood oxygen levels.

The attending physician dared not be careless and strictly followed Professor Wang's treatment plan.

The surgery was successfully completed. Professor Wang, who had just left the operating room, took off his surgical mask and said to the family members waiting outside, "The surgery went smoothly without any abnormalities. In the next three days, we need to focus on monitoring the risk of rejection and bleeding in the ICU."

Lu Renxin, who came out with Professor Wang, breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him repeatedly.

Although he didn't like Li Aijun, it was still a human life. The other party had returned the money and settled all the expenses, so he still hoped that the other party could recover well.

Upon hearing this, Wang Lili, who had been anxiously waiting and pacing back and forth in the corridor, felt her legs go weak and barely managed to stand by leaning against the wall.

Her face was deathly pale, and throughout the entire conversation, she kept repeating, "Amitabha, Bodhisattva, ancestors, please protect me—"

Xia Xiaohong did not appear here. After showing her face briefly, she went home, citing that she was pregnant and could not wait for a long time.

"Professor Wang, thank you for your hard work. I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Your skills are truly superb."

Professor Wang's tone remained solemn: "Liver transplantation like this is actually quite like passing a test, and the first challenge is the three days in the ICU."

"Liver donors should be wary of abdominal bleeding and bile leakage. Recipients who are elderly, have long-term cirrhosis and ascites, or have poor health are at high risk of acute rejection, lung infection, and kidney damage. They cannot let their guard down for a moment."

Lu Renxin nodded repeatedly: "I've also spoken to the ICU director. The best monitoring bed and the full set of monitoring equipment have all been arranged. We've already spent a lot of money, so we don't care about this little bit."