Next, comes the most critical moment.

"Syringe number one!"

Zhao Heng said firmly to Tian Zhen, who was standing beside him.

"Okay."

Tian Zhen responded, quickly handing the syringe to Zhao Heng. Their seamless coordination seemed as if they had worked together numerous times.

Zhao Heng took the syringe, selected the right angle, and slowly pierced the skin at a 45° angle, soon gently injecting the surface anesthetic.

Next is waiting for the anesthesia to take effect, then proceeding with the puncture.

Local anesthesia usually takes full effect within five minutes at the latest.

Soon, four minutes later, Zhao Heng nodded to Tian Zhen.

Tian Zhen understood, bent down, and asked softly beside the elderly patient's ear, "Sir, does it hurt now?"

"Pain? No, it doesn't hurt."

The elderly patient felt that his lower back seemed to become numb and didn't hurt at all, so he replied earnestly.

Originally, he believed that this surgical "experiment" would be quite painful and was prepared to endure it by gritting his teeth.

As an old soldier who had experienced bullet extraction on the battlefield without anesthesia, the elderly patient's tolerance for pain was unimaginable to ordinary people.

"Has the experiment started?"

The elderly patient asked again.

"Yes, it has started."

Tian Zhen nodded and replied.

"Why doesn't it hurt?"

The elderly patient directly asked.

He thought this "experiment" would surely be painful.

"It doesn't hurt because of the anesthesia."

Tian Zhen patiently explained.

Upon hearing this, the elderly patient nodded slightly and closed his eyes without speaking further.

It seems the time is almost up.

The elderly patient thought to himself.

At this point, he began reminiscing about his life filled with battles and wartime experiences.

"Dr. Zhao, it's time."

Tian Zhen nodded to Zhao Heng and said.

"Okay, the puncture needle."

Zhao Heng replied.

Tian Zhen quickly handed the puncture needle to Zhao Heng, which he had already prepared.

Taking the puncture needle, Zhao Heng held his breath and went through the process again in his mind, ensuring the location.

This location avoids the tumor mass infringing on the spine, accurately delivering the puncture needle into the spinal canal.

The reason cancer terrifies everyone is its limitless cell proliferation and metastatic capability.

Once it metastasizes to the spine, it invades the spinal nerves, causing sharp, knife-like pain.

What Zhao Heng aimed to do was directly insert the catheter into the spinal cavity, then administer pain relief medication through a micro-computer pump to suppress such unbearable pain.

This approach is widely applicable; many neuropathic pains are beyond the suppression of oral medications.

Swish!

With precise force, Zhao Heng held the puncture needle and, without any hesitation, applied pressure downward, penetrating through the skin and muscle, directly into the spinal cavity.

The process was as fast as lightning, extremely swift and accurate.

It's said, all these preparations were made for this exact moment.

In clinical practice, especially on the operating table, the ultimate goal for many surgeries is to perfectly execute this "moment."

This is particularly evident in various interventional surgeries.

Among them, peripheral vascular intervention and cardiovascular intervention especially require such swiftness and precision.

One can easily understand that during interventional treatment, operating a thin catheter navigating through major blood vessels of the human body requires pinpoint accuracy to locate the treatment site.

This demands the operating physician to have strong spatial imagination and precise operational skills.

In the demonstration room.

"Good!"

Seeing Zhao Heng complete the puncture almost instantly, Liu Shangming couldn't help but exclaim.

Liu Shangming was experienced. He knew that without absolute confidence and understanding of the patient's anatomical structure and control of his own force, Zhao Heng's puncture could not have been so clean and efficient.

On the operating table, one can judge a doctor's skill level by observing their movements.

The higher the skill level, their operations appear cleaner and more pleasant.

"This alone shows at least twenty years of experience."

Li Haiyang remarked in amazement.

Of course, twenty years is just a figure of speech; Zhao Heng is only twenty-five years old and doesn't have twenty years of practice.

At most, he has practiced for two and a half years.

In the operating room, after finishing the puncture, Zhao Heng inserted the catheter into the spinal cavity through the puncture sleeve, quickly completed its fixation, and connected it to the micro-computer pump.

With the micro-computer pump starting to operate, the pain relief medication gradually released from the pump, directly entering the spinal cavity through the catheter.

At this point, the surgery was perfectly completed.

Although the surgery didn't last long, it required extensive preoperative preparations, and given the elderly's physical condition, a second puncture wasn't possible, so it had to be completed in one go.

As the pain relief medication slowly entered the spinal cavity, the severe pain caused by the tumor mass invading the spinal nerves was instantly relieved for the elderly patient.

Huh?

Why doesn't it hurt anymore?

Lying on the operating table, waiting with eyes closed for the imagined more intense pain, the elderly patient suddenly felt that the knife-like pain tormenting him day and night vanished at this moment.

This soothing sensation was indescribable.

The elderly patient even felt he suddenly became twenty years younger.

Confused, the elderly patient opened his eyes, seeing Zhao Heng and Tian Zhen smiling at him, he asked puzzled, "What's the experiment? Why am I still alive?"

"Sir, the experiment was successful, you survived."

Not wanting to burst the elderly's imagination, Zhao Heng said warmly.

"Ah, that's good, that's good. Your experiment is really effective, I don't hurt anymore."

The elderly nodded, satisfied and relieved, he said.

In his heart, he surely believed he made a great contribution.

Seeing the elderly's satisfied expression, Zhao Heng couldn't help but wipe his forehead in relief inwardly.

Being a doctor is not easy, one must also learn to perform.

Zhao Heng thought to himself.

Following this, the elderly was sent back to the ward for rest, while Zhao Heng left the surgical room.

As he walked out, Director Liu, Li Haiyang, and the oncology department doctors came out of the demonstration room, heading towards Zhao Heng.

"Xiao Zhao, the surgery was very successful; it can serve as a model for treating pain in late-stage cancer patients."

Liu Shangming commented, giving high praise.

"Director Liu, you flatter me."

Zhao Heng said humbly.

Liu Shangming is a person of great stature, not someone Zhao Heng could compare with at the moment, or likely not for a long while.

Liu Shangming is not only the director of the oncology department at Eastern Hospital but also a professor at Boya Medical College, holding patents worth millions or even up to a hundred million.

"You're quite good; the spinal canal analgesic implantation has immense development potential."

Liu Shangming continued.

With his vision, he certainly recognized the advantages of spinal canal analgesic implantation.

This spinal canal implantation allows the intrathecal medication to act directly on central morphine receptors, providing central analgesic effects with more noticeable outcomes.

Furthermore, the patient's medication dosage significantly reduces; intrathecal administration requires only 1/300 of the oral dose, greatly decreasing the side effects from oral pain medications.

According to the latest cancer report released by the National Cancer Center, over the past year, there were four million new cancer patients.

Which means, on average, ten thousand people are diagnosed with cancer every day.

Among them, particularly liver and lung cancer, 60-70% of patients are already in the advanced stages upon diagnosis.

"Yes, currently, the development potential of spinal canal analgesia is indeed substantial."

Zhao Heng nodded and said.

"Haiyang, in the future, our oncology department must enhance collaboration with the anesthesiology department; this matter will be entrusted to you."

Liu Shangming looked at Zhao Heng, then at Li Haiyang and said.

"Understood, Director."

Li Haiyang nodded in agreement, exchanging a smile with Zhao Heng.

All was understood without words.

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