SIM:Nicholotti (Deron/Turner) Heart to Heart

((Sickbay))

Deron: Commander, I think I’m going to need your help...

::Whether it was a silent message that had passed between the two medical colleagues, weariness, or out of desperation, Dr. Deron had asked Toni for help and she would do anything she could to do just that.::

Turner: ::placing her hand on his arm to reassure him:: You have it doctor. Where do you want me to start?

Deron: Firstly, in the interests of exploring all avenues before replacing a young woman’s heart with an artificial one, I would like to make another attempt to repair the damage. I understand your specialty is in microsurgery and reconstruction, so I would suggest that you make the attempt and I will assist.

Turner: It would be my honor to have you assist, Doctor.

Deron: Okay, excellent. Shall we?

Turner: Nurse Prichard, prepare the surgical unit, and make sure the overhead Bioregenerative field is working properly to keep down the danger of infection while we work. And attach the Surgical Support Frames to the Bio-Bed. ::explaining to Prichard:: the SSF will give me a more concentrated display of the surgical area.

::Motioning to Dr. Deron, she lead the way to the sterilization unit to prepare for surgery.::

Turner: ::Quietly, as they stood in the sonic waves wearing their scrubs:: Doctor, those bleeders will have to be sealed off in the wound itself. I don't want to chance an infection that could be caused by the contaminated weapon used to make it. As a matter of fact, I don't want to use that wound as an entry point at all, so you can close it up before we start.

Deron: Understood

::Moving to the surgical arena, while Deron closed the wound using a vascular regenerator to close the damaged blood vessels and a dermal regenerator to seal the wound, Toni put on her gloves. Pritchard assisted her with her shield and eye piece ::

Deron: Doctor Turner; she’s ready.

::Stepping up to the biobed, Toni chose an Exoscalpel to properly cut through Kali's flesh then another to cut through her ribs, a task that she handled with ease with her cybernetic hand. Pulling the incision opened to reveal the chest cavity, and ultimately Kali's heart, she examined the labored organ, then lifted her head to look at Deron.::

Turner: ::Her tone almost reverent:: Doctor, it's too far gone.

Deron: Damn! It looks like we will have to replace the heart after all.

::Recognizing the need to coordinate their efforts in to a plan of action, Toni made some suggestions.::

Turner: It's probably the best way to go with the Nanosurgeons after the replacement has been successfully installed. The nanotechnological assemblies will survey cellular genetic damage and effect repairs on those arteries.

::The Betazoid considered the suggestion.::

Deron: My concern with that would be introducing an additional foreign object that may stimulate the immune response and increase the chances of rejection during surgery

Turner: We could stabilize her condition with a Protodynoplaser. It will help her tolerate the long surgery better.

Deron: Good idea. If you will allow it, I would like to perform the transplant and then have you close her up... I don’t have a lot of experience with nanotechnology.

Turner: Of course. My pleasure, Doctor.

::Time was at the essence and Toni changed places with him quickly. Eliaan took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for yet another surgery that day. ::

Deron: Okay, it has been a long day for everyone so we’re going to keep this nice and simple. This will be a standard orthotopic cardiac replacement in a human female. Nurse Prichard, please administer 20 cc’s mycophenolate.

::As the nurse gave Kali the anti-rejection drug medication, Eliaan felt a wave of calm wash over him. He had been awake for 31 hours straight, he was about to perform life-saving surgery on a colleague that usually involved a much larger medical team and his new commanding officer was standing across the operating table from him. For the briefest of moments, none of that seemed to matter.::

Deron: Doctor Turner has already performed the sternotomy and the mediastinum is already exposed; we will now open the pericardium, then clamp and dissect the primary blood vessels; next I will remove Lt Nicholotti’s heart and replace it with the artificial organ; then we will attach the primary blood vessels to the artificial heart and start the new heart. At which point, Doctor Turner will take over and close the chest. Any questions?

::No-one spoke up so the young doctor proceeded. Choosing a smaller exoscalpel that Turner had used to open the chest, Eliaan carefully opened the pericardium, the protective sac that surrounds the heart. The two doctors worked quickly and efficiently in detaching Nicholotti’s injured heart from her main blood vessels.

::Eliaan gently removed his friend’s heart from her chest and placed it on the sterile tray held by Nurse Tann. He then gently placed the artificial heart into the chest cavity in it's place and attached the major blood vessels using microsutures.::

Deron: Okay... activate the new heart.

::Using controls at the medical station next to the biobed, Kaedyn activated the device and it began to beat in Nicholotti’s open chest.::

Deron: Transfer cardiac function to the artificial heart...

::Toni watched the young doctor, pleased by his confident moves. Eliaan held his breath as Nicholotti was slowly weaned off the bypass. As he realized everything had went to plan, he slowly exhaled. When he was finished she took over to insert the nanosurgeons and closed.::

Turner: ::taking off her shield and gloves:: The biobed will monitor the nanosurgeons, and when they have done their work, they will dissolve within 36 hours.

Deron:  ::With a relieved sigh:: That went well.

Turner: Excellent work, Doctor.

Deron: You too, Doctor. Oh, and while I remember, it’s good to finally meet you!

Turner: ::smiling:: You too, Doctor.

Cmdr Toni Turner
Commanding Officer
USS Resolution NCC-78145
&
Ensign Eliaan Deron, MD
Medical Officer
USS Resolution NCC-78145

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