Chapter 171: Racial Flaws, The Capable Take on More Work
Director Liu would take the initiative to explain to Zhou Can the symptoms of the patients they had checked, as well as the targeted treatments they had administered. Whether it was medication, respiratory support, blood filtration, or treatments such as physical cooling and decompression, they all revolved around the theme of saving lives.
Compared to Doctor Hu, Director Liu taught him all kinds of in-depth and straightforward treatment theories and their practical applications.
Doctor Hu, on the other hand, taught him the use of various instruments and how to adjust and set parameters.
As well as administering medication, monitoring urine output, body temperature, breathing, and other basic critical care knowledge and standard procedures.
It can be understood that the resuscitation knowledge and skills taught by Director Liu belonged to an advanced level.
"The 17-year-old female patient in Bed 11 is still very young. Her current symptoms include recurring low fever, difficulty breathing, lung infection, accompanied by cough and excessive sputum. The doctor who admitted her has investigated the cause of her illness and preliminarily determined it was triggered by a minor cold."
Zhou Can looked at the girl on the bed who was barely clinging to life, completely in a comatose state.
Persistent low fevers can cause people to feel exhausted, weak, and sleepy.
That a mere cold could lead her to be admitted to the ICU, one couldn't tell if she was just unlucky or if it was simply fate.
Influenza, seemingly unremarkable, actually claims many lives every year.
Even in such a sick state, with a wan and haggard face, the girl still looked very beautiful.
She was tall and slender, with particularly fair skin, the kind that's pink and rosy.
Her hair was not black but somewhat yellowish.
It was unclear whether it was dyed.
Her high nose bridge was also striking.
This girl had the beauty of being mixed-race.
Zhou Can turned his gaze to the ventilator parameters.
The tidal volume was set at 9ml/kg, and the breathing rate was 16 breaths/min.
Looking at the inspiratory flow rate next, it was 80ml/min.
This inspiratory flow rate was obviously too high.
Doctor Hu had told him that when a patient has a fever, is agitated, or has convulsions, the flow rate needs to be increased. When they are calm and asleep, the flow rate should be reduced.
"Does she have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?"
Zhou Can asked curiously.
"That's right! It is this disease, and it's very likely a congenital condition."
Director Liu nodded slightly.
Congenital obstructive lung disease?
Zhou Can's brow furrowed slightly as he picked up the patient's medical report to review. Chronic airway inflammation, blood deficiency of Antimyeloperoxidase.
No wonder Director Liu said it was a congenital disease.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly known as COPD, is a type of chronic inflammatory disease of the airways.
Due to the presence of chronic airway inflammation, some pathophysiological changes occur in patients.
The most common is airflow restriction.
Then the patient will display clinical symptoms such as coughing, expectoration, and difficulty breathing.
There are many causes of COPD, and a blood deficiency of Antimyeloperoxidase is a very rare congenital condition.
It is said to be related to ethnicity.
This disease is rare among Asians, but genetic mutations in Caucasians can lead to newborns lacking Antimyeloperoxidase.
No wonder this girl looked like a person of mixed race.
Her father or mother was very likely Caucasian.
Antimyeloperoxidase is mainly found in α1 globulins.
Its function can inhibit many enzymes, such as Pancreatic protease, Mast Cell Degranulation, Fibrinolysin, Thrombin, Collagenase, Leukocyte protease, and Elastase activities.
Its deficiency can lead to the occurrence of pulmonary emphysema.
Currently, there is no cure for this disease.
"Are you a specialist in the field of respiratory systems? Is there really no cure for a deficiency of Antimyeloperoxidase?"
"At present, there are too many diseases that we humans cannot cure. Doctors often feel powerless when facing many diseases." Director Liu shook his head helplessly.
For this patient at the moment, all they could do was try their best to help her through this life-threatening ordeal.
After checking the patient's body temperature, sputum suction frequency, and urine output, Director Liu instructed the doctor in charge of the patient, "Her sputum is noticeably excessive and the lungs may be very damp; the tidal volume must not be set too high."
"Alright!"
The doctor performing the procedure was a senior resident doctor, about thirty years old, tall, and not very talkative.
Judging from the medical records he had kept, he seemed to be a very conscientious person.
Director Liu continued with Zhou Can to check other patients.
...
The eight-hour workday passed very quickly.
Zhou Can followed Director Liu on rounds, seeing their group of patients and then helping out when patients from other groups encountered emergencies. Sometimes, other doctors would also anxiously seek his help on their own initiative.
After the shift handover was completed, in the doctors' duty room, Director Liu reviewed the medical orders he had issued, and found no issues.
He looked up at Zhou Can who was behind him.
"Xiao Zhou, after following me for a day, what have you gained?"
"I've gained quite a lot. I learned various methods and means of medication and treatment for critically ill patients. I also gained a deeper understanding of the flexible use of instruments."
Zhou Can did indeed learn a lot about the treatment and methods for critically ill patients.
"That's a bit vague. Summarize it using generalized terms."
Director Liu purposely tested him to see if he had studied attentively.
Zhou Can thought for a moment, then summarized, "When faced with simultaneous cardiac and respiratory issues, prioritize restoring the heartbeat because the oxygen in the blood can sustain for a while…"
"Who asked you to explain that? Just summarize what you learned today generally, don't be so specific."
Director Liu didn't wait for him to finish and quickly interrupted him.