Director Lou finished reading the medical record but didn't find any useful clues.
His gaze fell involuntarily on the child.
"The patient is 11 years old, with a body temperature of 39.7 degrees Celsius, a high fever. Shortness of breath, blood pressure dropping repeatedly, 86/54mmHg. Heart rate 155 beats per minute."
Each piece of this basic data looked heart-wrenching.
The child's current condition was extremely dangerous, and if the cause of the shock couldn't be found in time, the child was very likely to die in the resuscitation room.
The doctors had fulfilled their emergency duty and bore no responsibility.
But it could have a negative impact on the hospital's reputation.
Judging from the family's previous behavior, the likelihood of medical disturbances was high.
Director Lou's and the attending physician's expressions became more and more grave, a hint of anxiety showing between their brows.
"Have all the necessary tests been done?"
Doctors are human, not deities.
When a diagnosis can't be made with experience and medical knowledge alone, one must rely on modern, advanced medical equipment.
"Here are the results of the blood tests, and imaging of the brain and thoracoabdominal region, all of which show no abnormalities."
There are many possible causes for shock, such as major abdominal bleeding, brain tumors pressing on important blood vessels or nerves, and so on.
Director Lou took the examination reports and scrutinized them carefully, hoping to find a clue.
Sweat beaded on his forehead from the tension.
The beads grew to the size of mung beans and slid down his forehead; he didn't bother to wipe them away.
"Looking at the results of the blood tests, we can basically rule out poisoning. Septicemia can also be ruled out. The imaging allows us to determine that the child does not have internal bleeding, and there is no apparent damage to the brain. No, I need to ask the family about the treatment received at the small clinic?"
Director Lou, with his vast experience, began to suspect that there was an issue with the medications used at the clinic.
Of course, this was still just a suspicion.
"We've already asked, and the family bought Cold Relief Capsules for the child to take. Other than that, following the clinic doctor's advice, they made the child drink plenty of water and didn't perform any other treatments."
The attending physician was experienced and the intake procedure was very rigorous.
Everything that needed to be clarified had been clarified.
There was no problem with the medication.
"Small clinics love to administer IVs. Are you sure the child wasn't given an IV?"
"The family said no."
Sometimes the words of the family are not completely reliable.
"Did you check the child's arms and forearms?"
"Carefully examined, no trace of needle marks from IV infusion found."
This reply came from a middle-aged doctor with dark skin and a lean build. He looked particularly strict, with deep frown lines between his brows formed from long-term frowning.
His gaze was as sharp as a knife, piercing right to the heart.
"Dr. Xu has personally examined him; there must be no mistake, then there is no need for me to look again. This child's condition is critical, we cannot delay any longer. Contact the Internal Medicine department, ask them to send a doctor for a consultation."
Director Lou made a decisive decision to request a consultation from a doctor in Internal Medicine.
Internal Medicine is known as the mother of medicine and is highly specialized in the definitions, causes, pathogenesis, epidemiology, natural history, symptoms, signs, laboratory diagnosis, imaging differential diagnosis, pathological diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of diseases.
With a case of shock where the cause cannot be identified, perhaps only a doctor from Internal Medicine might be able to provide a more professional diagnostic opinion.
"We've already called Cardiology for a consultation, explaining the urgency of the patient's condition, and requested that they hopefully send a lead physician over."
The nurse whispered from the side.
Director Lou was silent for two seconds, "How long since the call was made?"
"Almost fifteen minutes."
The nurse muttered puffing her cheeks.
Internists are known to be aloof and somewhat haughty, not easy to summon.
The status of the Emergency Department is not as high as that of Internal Medicine, and an occasional request or two could be managed. But if asked frequently, they become very impatient.
"Urge them again."
Director Lou also knew that doctors from Internal Medicine are difficult to summon.
However, human life is paramount, and the hospital has mechanisms in place. The Emergency Department is initially just an emergency triage platform, and when they encounter a patient they cannot handle, they have the right to request a consultation from any necessary department.
No departments may refuse.
"Never mind, I'll call Director Tan myself!" Director Lou, worried that urging through the nurse might have little effect, decided to personally swallow his pride and call Director Tan of Internal Medicine.
Director Tan did not decline and agreed to expedite the dispatch of a doctor from Cardiology immediately.
Zhou Can had been interning at Tuya Hospital for a year, having rotated through several key departments.
He could feel a hint of mutual disdain between the departments.
Internal Medicine is one of the two most formidable departments in the hospital, supporting nearly all critical illness patients, including various cancers, leukemia, etc. Approximately sixty percent of the medications dispensed by the pharmacy come from Internal Medicine.
In both medical status and revenue-generating ability, Internal Medicine is deservedly the leader.
Cardiology is the ace of the Internal Medicine department.
Asking for a cardiologist for an emergency is typical for them to show some attitude.
After all, cardiologists are notoriously proud.
Perhaps they also want to subtly remind the Emergency Department not to bother them with trivial matters, as everyone is busy.
Time passed by the minute and by the second.
Zhou Can's gaze was fixed on the child who remained in shock.
The child's face was pale, with pathologically flushed cheeks on either side due to the fever, no sweating, and cyanosis at the fingertips... These symptoms all felt strangely familiar. They must have been mentioned in some book he had read.
But he had read so many books that he couldn't quite remember at the moment.
"Ask the family, maybe there will be some gains."
Zhou Can headed outside.
At this time, no one paid much attention to him, a mere trainee. Director Lou only glanced at him before continuing to study the blood test results.