Chapter 377: Chapter 376: No Returns After Use
Wang Songhe, a student at Binhai University, was a middle schooler Yan Feifan had once tutored.
Seeing the unconscious young man wearing an oxygen mask, his face pale, Yan Feifan helped push the gurney while questioning the paramedic who had brought him in.
"Whatās the patientās condition?"
The paramedic pushing the gurney, a man of about thirty, initially looked annoyed at the question.
But when he glanced at Yan Feifan, his tone quickly became respectful. "Mr. Yan, the patient has hypokalemia."
"During potassium replacement therapy at the campus clinic, he lost consciousness and developed symptoms like irregular breathing and an arrhythmia."
"The campus clinic didnāt dare continue treatment, so they had us transfer him here."
Hearing the paramedicās report, Yan Feifanās heart sank.
Irregular breathing, arrhythmia... these were signs of severe hypokalemia. Wang Songhe needed rapid potassium replacement, or his life would be in danger.
Just then, a girl rushed in.
She saw Yan Feifan, froze for a second, then ran forward and grabbed his arm.
"Mr. Yan, you told him not to drink so much soda and to drink more mineral water, but he just wouldnāt listen."
"It was no use when I tried to persuade him, either."
Yan Feifan recognized her. It was Wang Songheās girlfriend, Qiao Nan.
After a few words of regret, Qiao Nanās voice broke as she pleaded, "Mr. Yan, please, save him, save him..."
By now, Yan Feifan had pushed the gurney into the emergency treatment area.
He took charge of the rescue effort without hesitation.
Yan Feifan glanced over Wang Songheās treatment records from the Binhai University clinic. He saw that Wang Songhe had been admitted due to flaccid weakness in his limbs.
The clinic had detected a blood potassium level of 2.06 mmol/L and diagnosed him with hypokalemia. Their treatment plan was a slow IV drip of 15 mL of 10% potassium chloride in 500 mL of normal saline, along with oral slow-release potassium chloride tablets for symptomatic treatment.
Half an hour later, the patient suddenly lost consciousness, his breathing became shallow, slow, and irregular, and the ECG monitor showed an arrhythmia.
After reading the treatment record, Yan Feifan also noticed that Wang Songheās body was damp. He immediately deduced that the clinicās conventional potassium replacement method hadnāt worked as intended, or that he was losing potassium faster than it was being replenished.
In Wang Songheās condition, standard IV potassium replacement was too slow. An unconventional method was required.
Potassium needed to be administered via a central venous catheter using an infusion pump.
This procedure not only demanded a high level of experience and skill from the physician but, more importantly, carried significant treatment risks.
Yan Feifan didnāt hesitate. He immediately shouted, "Get him on a cardiac monitor and prep a ventilator!"
"Get me a central venous Puncture Needle and an infusion pump."
"Also, 5% dextrose solution with 10% potassium chloride, diluted to 100 mmol/L."
As he finished speaking, the three nurses who had gathered around began to work quickly and methodically.
At the same time, one nurse intercepted Qiao Nan, gently persuading and ushering her out of the resuscitation area to prevent her from interfering with the doctors and nurses.
By the time Yan Feifan had put on a sterile gown and gloves, the Puncture Needle, infusion pump, and potassium solution he had ordered were brought over.
Puncturing the vein, removing the stylet, and connecting the infusion pumpāYan Feifan did it all in one smooth motion, setting the infusion rate to 20 mmol/h.
Once the infusion began, Yan Feifan closely monitored the changes in Wang Songheās vital signs.
Such a rapid potassium infusion could easily cause localized or transient hyperkalemia, which could trigger a fatal arrhythmia or even cardiac arrest.
Moreover, hyperkalemia severely affects renal function. For those with kidney deficiencies, it could easily induce fatal renal failure and uremia.
Yan Feifan needed to pay close attention to the changes in Wang Songheās vitals and adjust the potassium infusion rate accordingly...
Ten or twenty minutes later, Mr. Wan Yuming came over. He checked the patientās vitals, looked at the resuscitation chart, and noted that the infusion rate had been lowered to 6.7 mmol/h. He gave a slight nod.
"Feifan, your bold decision saved this patientās life."
"Your fast, stable, precise, and decisive treatment style is perfect for the emergency department. With you here, our success rate would increase by at least five percentage points."
"Feifan, have you ever thought about..."
Mr. Wan stopped himself mid-sentence.
He shook his head and sighed. "Your medical talent shouldnāt be wasted in the emergency department, just saving a few people at a time."
"It should be applied to medical research, to benefit thousands upon thousands of patients."
Yan Feifan chuckled, replying without a hint of modesty, "Teacher, Iāll work hard in that direction."
Wan Yuming laughed. "You little rascal. Give you an inch and you take a mile."
After a pause, he waved his hand dismissively. "This patient is out of danger. Iāll keep an eye on him. You should head on back."
"Then Iāll leave him in your care, Teacher." Yan Feifan didnāt stand on ceremony.
After taking off his sterile gown and gloves, Yan Feifan went to the family waiting area, updated a worried Qiao Nan on Wang Songheās condition, and then left the emergency department with Yu Suye.
"Mr. Yan..."
The person who called out to Yan Feifan was Lv Xin, an ER nurse who had changed into her street clothes.
She hurried over to Yan Feifan and said quickly, "Mr. Yan, Iāve decided. I want to get cosmetic surgery."
"Youāve really decided?" Yan Feifan asked, confirming.
Lv Xin nodded. "Mr. Yan, to be honest, I went and talked to those two ladies from the finance department."
"Iām so envious of their results."
"Theyāre extremely happy with how they look now."
Yan Feifan felt compelled to remind her, "Lv Xin, given your starting point..."
Lv Xin said with self-awareness, "I understand, Mr. Yan. I donāt have a great foundation. To get results like theirs, Iāll need some major work done."
"Um, Mr. Yan, I know their procedures cost around one hundred and ten thousand in total."
"If I pay one hundred and fifty thousandāno, two hundred thousand, what kind of results can I get?"
Looking at Lv Xinās expectant face, Yan Feifan couldnāt help but sigh softly.
Although ER nurses worked hard, their salaries werenāt high. Their take-home pay was only about four or five thousand a month.
For someone like Lv Xin, who liked to go out and constantly bought cosmetics, that probably wasnāt even enough to cover her monthly expenses.
Yan Feifan warned, "Lv Xin, you canāt take out loans for cosmetic surgery."
Lv Xin giggled. "Mr. Yan, I see this as an investment. With your skills, itās definitely a low-input, high-yield investment."
"Once I find a well-off boyfriend, Iāll have everything."
Lv Xin clasped her hands together, putting on a pitiful expression as she pleaded, "Mr. Yan, please help me!"
Yan Feifan was a little speechless.
But it was her choice, and he didnāt want to try too hard to dissuade her.
"I donāt have time this week. Letās do it next week."
"In the meantime, give it some more serious thought..."
Watching Lv Xin leave cheerfully, Yu Suye suddenly asked, "Feifan, what would you do if I told you one day that I was an artificial beauty?"
Yan Feifan chuckled. "Is there any part of you I havenāt examined? Youāre one hundred percent natural."
"Youāre that confident?"
Yan Feifan said confidently, "Su Ye, Iām not just bragging. The only cosmetic surgery that could fool my eyes is the kind I perform myself."
Yu Suye laughed. "Youāre not modest at all, are you?"
"Well, Iām about to prove you wrong..."
Yu Suye said with a straight face, "Yan Feifan, Iām telling you, I have had restorative surgery on one part of my body."
Yan Feifan racked his brain, saying in confusion, "How is that possible? Iāve clearly given you a full-body examination."
Yu Suye giggled. "This just shows your skills arenāt as profound as you think."
Yan Feifan said thoughtfully, "Then it seems Iāll have to give you another full-body examination tonight."
Yu Suye shot him a coquettish glance, her tone challenging. "Didnāt someone say he was tired? Do you still have the energy and stamina for that?"
Yan Feifan retorted without backing down, "Youāll find out tonight."
"Iāll be waiting, then."
Having accepted the challenge, Yu Suye asked again, "Feifan, you still havenāt answered me. What would you do if I were an artificial beauty?"
"Return you!"
Yan Feifan said bluntly, "With my skills, creating any face I want is a piece of cake!"
"Su Ye, youād better watch out."
Yu Suye giggled slyly. "Iāve already been used by you, so I canāt be returned. Unless you can restore me to factory settings..."