Chapter 28: People Have Two Kidneys - Losing One Isn't Fatal
Caesar felt something pressing into his lower back:
"Do you realize what you're doing? You're ready to believe some kid who looks barely twenty!
You want to kill me over his word? This is the Continental! No business on company grounds!"
The third assistant applied slightly more pressure with the surgical scissors, pressing them deeper:
"Heh, we're all dead if we don't finish this surgery anyway, so what difference does killing you make?
Besides, what's wrong with me wanting to hear this kid's method?
In this situation, I'm not willing to dismiss any possibility.
Of course, you can keep running your mouth—I could just let you die early instead."
Feeling the sharp pain in his lower back, Caesar—after muttering something about "you psychopath"—finally looked reluctantly at David.
Then he apologized in a barely audible voice:
"Sorry."
"What? I can't hear you. Speak up!"
Caesar's expression darkened, wanting to snap back, but the sharp object behind him pressed forward again.
He could only grit his teeth, his chest heaving violently several times before forcing himself to swallow his rage.
"I'm sorry!"
David nodded with satisfaction:
"Good. That's an apology with actual sincerity.
I don't know if you've noticed, but the position of his left kidney is obstructing our surgical field.
And I observed that both his kidneys are healthy, which means even if he loses the left one, he'll be fine.
Once the left kidney is removed, we'll have adequate exposure to access and resect the tumor!
Although this is extremely challenging, compared to the success rate of blind dissection, it's exponentially better."
After hearing David's proposal, one thought immediately struck everyone.
This guy is the real psychopath!
Especially Caesar—facing David, his pupils dilated with shock:
"Are you insane! I thought you had some brilliant solution!
You want us to remove a perfectly healthy organ just for better visualization?
Do you comprehend what you're suggesting?!"
The attending, equally shocked initially, after processing the idea, actually realized there was legitimate merit.
"Wait—he's right. Our thinking is too conservative.
Losing one kidney isn't catastrophic! As long as we can successfully resect the tumor, not only is Wesker's immediate survival assured, but so is ours!
Let's proceed with the kid's plan!"
But even so, the second assistant still looked concerned:
"That said, the difficulty remains astronomical.
Even with proper visualization, separating the tumor from the abdominal aorta is incredibly risky, isn't it?"
The attending rose from the floor and changed into fresh sterile surgical attire:
"Either way, this still has better odds than blind dissection.
Let's do it. Begin the procedure. New guy, you're first assistant."
David nodded—as long as the attending could regain his composure and they had adequate surgical exposure, half the battle was already won.
The other half depended on patience.
As long as they remained patient and dissected incrementally, the probability of surgical success was actually quite high!
Seeing everyone actually preparing to proceed, Caesar—the original first assistant—immediately shouted:
"Hey! Doing this will get us all killed!
We still have time to consider other approaches—there's absolutely no need to rush into this!
You're all insane! Stop!"
Hearing Caesar's outburst, the attending frowned and said to the third assistant threatening Caesar with the scissors:
"Third assistant, remove him. Don't let him interfere here."
The silent third assistant nodded and applied pressure, forcing Caesar to obediently walk outside under his threat.
The attending looked up at the young David again:
"Kid, this isn't a classroom lecture.
I hope your skills match your confidence, otherwise you'll be taking that confidence to your grave with you."
David smiled, took the Metzenbaum scissors, and expertly exposed the kidney by opening the fascia using techniques from his medical training.
The attending glanced at David with surprise—such fluid surgical technique was completely unlike what a novice could demonstrate.
So he felt reassured and focused entirely on the procedure at hand.
With a competent first assistant, his workload would be substantially reduced.
Now he only needed to take the vascular clamp, occlude the renal hilum, cut off its blood supply, and excise it.
With their seamless coordination, the intact kidney was quickly removed.
The tumor wrapped around the abdominal aorta was now completely exposed before them.
After the second assistant had suctioned the field, the attending took a deep breath and began the meticulous dissection.
As time elapsed, the tumor gradually separated from the area surrounding the abdominal aorta.
But perspiration began beading on the attending's forehead, and his scrubs were already soaked with sweat.
He even needed to pause periodically to rest before continuing the procedure.
Simultaneously, the attending's blink rate increased dramatically.
Everything indicated that the attending, given his age, was reaching exhaustion!
As anyone knows, whether driving or performing surgery, when fatigue sets in, the probability of catastrophic errors increases exponentially.
The attending understood this principle, but he didn't dare—or feel comfortable—handing over this life-or-death surgery to someone else.
Wesker wanted to attend his daughter's wedding, and how could he not want to see his own granddaughter's wedding?
But an elderly person's stamina is always limited. As he once again advanced the curved scissors into the abdominal cavity, a gleaming scalpel blocked his path.
The attending looked up at his first assistant, David, with confusion.
David met his eyes steadily and said:
"You're exhausted. Let me take over."
Hearing David's assessment, the attending's emotions immediately flared:
"I'm not! I can still continue! I don't need you!
Kid, know your place! You're just a temporary substitute first assistant!
It's not your turn to operate on this case!"
David smiled, moved the scalpel aside, and gestured for the attending to look down.
The attending glanced down skeptically, his eyes suddenly narrowing.
Only then did he realize there was a blood vessel exactly where he'd been about to dissect!
He'd actually experienced visual impairment during the procedure!
This discovery immediately made him feel lightheaded, and he instantly recognized he'd reached his limit.
He could no longer continue this high-precision tumor dissection!
If David hadn't stopped him, he would have just sentenced everyone to death!
The attending retreated several steps defeatedly and collapsed onto the floor.
He didn't believe David could assume his role.
It was already remarkable that David could handle first assistant duties, but one person's capacity is always finite!
Being skilled as first assistant doesn't necessarily translate to being capable as primary surgeon!
Becoming primary surgeon for oncological procedures requires extensive time!
Surgical expertise is accumulated through countless procedures!
Ultimately, this field relies on experience gained through hands-on practice—this requires years!
And in his assessment, what David lacked most was time!
How could someone so young possess that much surgical experience?
It's over. Completely over!
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