Top-tier doctoral supervisor, reborn as a first-year graduate student in standardized residency trai

The surgery continued, and twenty minutes later, the gastrocolic ligament had opened, and the right gastroepiploic vessel gradually became visible.

Lin Hanchuan's movements remained steady, with almost no unnecessary actions throughout the entire process.

Gu Lin stood to the side, his gaze fixed on the screen.

This was the first time he had ever watched a high-level radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer in its entirety since his rebirth.

In oncological surgery, it is never simply about removing lesions. What is truly important is understanding the anatomical layers, the scope of the cleanup, and the boundaries of the tissues.

Lin Hanchuan's knife moved very steadily, separating each layer of tissue almost along the natural gaps, with very little bleeding.

Gu Lin suddenly understood why so many people would say "the best surgeon in general surgery" when they mentioned Lin Hanchuan.

This isn't about seniority; it's about what you've actually done.

Just then, Lin Hanchuan suddenly spoke.

"Gu Lin".

"exist."

"Which station of lymph nodes is located around the left gastric artery?"

"Group 7, lymph nodes around the left gastric artery."

"Um."

Lin Hanchuan continued swimming forward, and after a few minutes, the common hepatic artery was gradually exposed.

"And here?"

"Group 8, lymph nodes anterior to the common hepatic artery."

The response was still very quick.

Lin Hanchuan made no comment and continued operating.

Song Zhe couldn't help but glance at Gu Lin, because this kind of question wasn't difficult to memorize.

The challenge is being able to immediately match the actual field of view with the correct one.

At this point, the surgery had entered the truly critical area.

D2 lymph node dissection.

It is also one of the most crucial parts of radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Under the operating lights, the root of the left gastric artery gradually became visible, and the surrounding fatty tissue was cleared away little by little. Lin Hanchuan suddenly spoke.

"Do you know why we made D2?"

This time, it felt more like a lecture than a question-and-answer session.

Gu Lin thought for a moment before answering.

"To improve the cure rate and achieve accurate staging, the pathological stage may be underestimated if lymph node dissection is insufficient."

Lin Hanchuan nodded.

"good."

After saying that, the ultrasonic scalpel was advanced forward again.

At that very moment, a tiny nodule appeared at the edge of the screen.

It's small and hidden inside fatty tissue; it's easy to miss if you don't look closely.

Lin Hanchuan suddenly paused for a moment.

Song Zhe and Gu Lin also saw it.

The two looked at each other but said nothing.

This location is close to the area for intraoperative frozen section pathology sampling.

Gu Lin's gaze slowly fell on the small nodule. For some reason, an inexplicable premonition suddenly welled up in his heart.

The monitor continued to beep regularly, and Lin Hanchuan's movements paused for less than a second before returning to normal.

"attract."

Gu Lin immediately sent the suction device over, and the surgical field became clear again, completely exposing the small nodule.

It is about the size of a soybean, grayish-white in color, and hidden deep in the lymphatic adipose tissue.

Lin Hanchuan didn't rush to conclusions. The worst thing a surgeon can do is to see things as they are.

He continued to swim forward, gradually separating the surrounding tissues completely.

A few minutes later, the entire area was fully revealed, and Lin Hanchuan reached out his hand.

"Specimen bag".

The circulating nurse opened the specimen bag, and then he cut off the tissue completely and put it in.

"Intraoperative freezing"

The circulating nurse registered the information and then quickly left the operating room.

Lin Hanchuan didn't stop; the perigastric cleaning continued, and time passed little by little.

An hour later, most of the stomach had been freed, and the entire surgical field was exceptionally clean.

Just then, the operating room door was suddenly pushed open, and the circulating nurse quickly walked in, holding the freshly drawn frozen pathology results.

The nurse walked over to Lin Hanchuan and whispered something. The next second, Gu Lin clearly saw Lin Hanchuan's brows furrow.

It's very light, but it's definitely wrinkled.

Song Zhe's heart skipped a beat. Oh no, if Lin Hanchuan could make such an expression, the outcome was probably not good.

Xun Hui showed the report to Lin Hanchuan.

The pathology report consisted of only a few lines.

Poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, with lymph node metastasis observed in the submitted specimen.

Gu Lin's gaze sharpened slightly; the disease was poorly differentiated and had already metastasized to the lymph nodes.

Everyone present understood what this meant.

The early gastric cancer suggested by preoperative examinations is most likely not true.

At least, it's far less optimistic than we imagined.

Song Zhe's expression also changed, because just yesterday, Zhou Mingyuan was still smiling and talking in the ward.

"You'll be fine after the surgery."

But reality is often crueler than imagined.

Lin Hanchuan remained silent for two seconds, then looked up again, his voice still calm.

"Continue to expand the cleaning area."

There were no emotions, no sighs, because for the surgeon, the results were already in.

What needs to be done next is not to be sad, but to do the surgery as well as possible.

Under the operating lights, Lin Hanchuan picked up the instruments again, while Gu Lin stood in the assistant's position, looking at the few lines on the pathology report, and suddenly the previous night flashed through his mind.

Zhou Mingyuan is holding up his phone, telling his daughter a story.

"Dad will come home after he defeats the monster."

Gu Lin slowly withdrew his gaze and then moved the attractant back to the optimal position.

The atmosphere in the operating room had clearly changed.

At the beginning, although everyone was serious, the overall atmosphere was still relatively relaxed.

Because the preoperative assessment was good, the patient was young, and the tumor did not appear to be particularly advanced.

But now that the frozen pathology results are out, everyone realizes that the situation is not so simple.

Song Zhe, holding the mirror, subconsciously glanced at the lesion area on the screen.

Poor differentiation, accompanied by lymph node metastasis, is a pathological type that is often more aggressive, and radiological studies often underestimate the true stage.

Lin Hanchuan did not pause; the scalpel remained steady.

"Left gastric vein, exposed."

Gu Lin immediately adjusted the direction of the traction, and the fat tissue that was originally covering the surface was slowly pulled apart, gradually revealing the roots of the blood vessels.

The surgical field was still clean, but unlike before, everyone was now moving much more cautiously.

Because this is no longer simply "cutting out the tumor", but a true radical cure for the tumor.

Lin Hanchuan's knife began to penetrate deeper.

Group 8, Group 9, Group 11.

The area of ​​D2 lymph node dissection gradually expanded, and the surrounding adipose tissue was gradually and completely freed.

The entire process is extremely demanding in terms of anatomical skills; even the slightest deviation could damage important blood vessels.

Gu Lin stood to the side, his gaze fixed on the field of magic.

Time passed slowly, and two hours later, the gastric lavage was finally nearing completion. The complete specimen was placed in a retrieval bag and then slowly pulled out of the abdominal cavity.

Lin Hanchuan glanced down at the specimen and then spoke.

"Gu Lin".

"exist."

Do you know why oncological surgery is so difficult?

Gu Lin paused slightly, but did not speak.

Lin Hanchuan's voice was very calm.

"Because many times, no matter how well the surgery is performed, it doesn't necessarily guarantee a victory."

The ultrasonic scalpel hummed softly, and the light from the operating room lamp fell on everyone's faces.

The most helpless situation in oncology surgery is never the surgery itself, but the realization, after you've given it your all, that the disease has already taken its course.

Looking at the surgical field, Gu Lin suddenly remembered Zhou Wenyuan's postoperative recovery plan.

"Pay off the mortgage."

"Take my wife and daughter on a trip."

"After being discharged from the hospital, I took my daughter to the amusement park."

He slowly lowered his eyes. The biggest difference between gastrointestinal surgery and emergency medicine is not the type of disease, but the time.

The emergency room is a race against death for a few minutes.

And oncological surgery.

It's about fighting against fate to live a few more years.