My Medical Skills Give Me Experience Points

Chapter 1515 - 612: The Spinal Cord Is a Neural Forbidden Zone, A Female Patient Seeing Double

The patient encountering a doctor like Zhou Can is definitely a stroke of luck.He is responsible, compassionate, highly skilled, and has extensive connections. When faced with a difficult case, he can often immediately bring in top specialists from relevant departments for a joint consultation.

Yin Hua carefully checked the information without hastily making any remarks.

Almost all experts have this trait.

They never recklessly give opinions on uncertain cases and can keep their opinions to themselves.

Unlike some young rookie doctors who are eager to seize credit at the slightest discovery, impatient to showcase their medical skills. This is what people often say about a full bottle being quiet, while a half-filled bottle sloshes.

The more talented people are, the more humble they are.

Those without talent tend to be vain due to their insecurities.

Zhou Can picked up a cup and drank tea, patiently waiting for Director Yin Hua to finish reviewing the information.

"There are only two possible causes for this child’s paraplegia — either the cervical spine was injured, or the brain was injured."

Director Yin Hua gave a diagnostic opinion after careful study.

"Do you think so too? At the start, I suspected that the patient’s cervical spine injury caused the high-level paraplegia. This was because there was swelling in the neck after the patient’s fall."

Zhou Can, before visiting, naturally had already developed a certain diagnostic conclusion.

Director Yin nodded.

"The cervical spine contains the spinal cord, which is an important component of the human nervous system. Spinal cord injuries are almost impossible to recover from. If the spinal cord is damaged, this child may likely not have a chance at recovery."

Director Yin has rich clinical experience and has witnessed various types of cases.

Many mediocre doctors only know that the brainstem is a vital area, but experienced surgeons or neurologists believe that the spinal cord is even more fragile and difficult to repair than the brainstem.

If the brainstem is known as a no-go zone for life, then the spinal cord certainly qualifies as a no-go zone for nerves.

When ordinary nerves are severed or damaged, doctors can implement nerve anastomosis with excellent medical skills. However, when the spinal cord is damaged, the best outcome is lower body paralysis, and it is likely lifelong.

A lifetime where it’s challenging to stand up from a wheelchair again.

Speaking of this, we have to mention the lumber puncture and bone marrow puncture among the four major clinical punctures.

Many patients believe lumber puncture is very dangerous because the needle needs to go through the skin, subcutaneous tissue, supraspinous ligament, interspinous ligament, and the yellow ligament, reaching the epidural cavity, where the commonly known epidural anesthesia is performed.

It then continues through the dura mater and arachnoid membrane into the subarachnoid space, where cerebrospinal fluid should flow for a successful lumbar puncture.

The perceived danger of lumber punctures primarily results from misconceptions about spinal anesthesia.

After spinal anesthesia, the lower limbs completely lose sensation, indistinguishable from paralysis of the lower limbs.

Thus, many patients believe that improper lumbar puncture will paralyze them. While possible, the chances are extremely small.

During a lumbar puncture, there will be two loss-of-resistance sensations. As long as the tactile feedback isn’t too bad, and the doctor is reasonably alert, most can master it. The instructional supervisor

, along with superior doctors, will provide detailed explanations and strict guidance during practice.

After all, everyone fears the occurrence of incidents.

Should an intern or resident doctor cause patient paralysis, no one can bear this consequence.

So relatively speaking, lumbar puncture is considered a very safe puncture method.

In contrast, bone marrow puncture, often overlooked, includes a procedure known as the Spinal Spine Puncture Technique. This puncture carries a greater risk.

Especially when coming across rookie doctors who are fearless with no sense of depth, patients can sternly refuse for the sake of their safety. They should insist that a superior doctor handle it, rather than be used as a test subject.

If anything adverse were to happen, it would ruin a lifetime.

Of course, the odds of an issue occurring is less than 0.1%. Even with 10,000 procedures, a problem might not arise once.

Even if the probability is one in ten thousand, it would be disastrous for any patient involved.

Anything avoidable should certainly be avoided.

Patients have a strong say in demanding experienced superior doctors handle any risky procedures, instead of foisting it onto intern doctors.

"The nervous system in the human body is divided into two main systems: the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. Clinically, nerve anastomosis is generally conducted on the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system is typically challenging to repair surgically. At least with current medical technology and level, the central nervous system remains an unconquered domain. The spinal cord is part of the central nervous system."

Director Yin Hua continued to explain the clinical diagnostics and treatment experiences concerning nerves to Zhou Can.

"An adult’s spinal cord length is generally between 42cm to 45cm, hidden deep within the spine and not easily damaged. This is a form of self-preservation developed by humans, even most mammals, over countless years of evolution."

In addition to serving as body support, bones have the function of protecting vital organs and nerves.

For example, our most important brain is encased by the entire skull, forming a spherical shape.

This too, is the result of long-term natural evolution.

A spherical shape is least vulnerable to damage, and the hard skull’s spherical formation maximally protects the brain and important brain structures.

The evolution of the spine is even more intriguing, with a cylindrical shape resembling that of a triangle.

Similar to how the spherical shape minimizes external damage, allowing it to mitigate external force attacks to the greatest extent. Even plants have learned this principle through evolution. The trunks of trees are almost all cylindrical.