"In this world,
the brain is the only unexplored region remaining.”
"Touto General Hospital"
I really can't accept it.
It doesn't mean anything.
I just happened to get it from a friend.
My temp agency told me not to accept any gift. I'm sorry.
No, I don't mean that, Shizuka.
I only wanted to be friends with her.
"Has trouble with women today."
I should beware of women?
- The radial artery is ready. - Yes...
- Do the craniotomy quicker. - Yes.
- You're too slow. - Yes.
It'll cause ischaemia if you do it leisurely.
- Done? - Yes.
The thread at the knot is too long.
It's too short because you can't cut the thread.
- 10-0 suture. - Here.
Dr Kuroiwa is annoyed.
Just wait and see, the thunderbolt will strike.
Thunderbolt.
Ouch!
Down.
I never make a move on women who don't play around.
If you're famous like me, ladies come to you.
Dr Kuroiwa, I heard what happened during the surgery.
Exactly!
I used the clip applier to declamp it, so nothing happened,
but she's impossible!
Teach her properly.
That isn't the problem.
You said women shouldn't be neurologists and she should quit.
So?
That's sexism. Do you think such a remark is acceptable nowadays?
- But she's horrible! - I know, I know that very well.
She can't carry out angiogram or lumbar puncture,
- and she can't assist in a surgery. - Doctor.
Get a hold of yourself. Our enemy is him.
Oh, right.
However, that and what you said are two different matters.
Take it back,
or I'll take it to the harassment prevention committee.
- But it's true. - What?
Women aren't cut out to be neurosurgeons.
Your spatial perception is worse than men,
so your surgical skill is bad.
I recorded what you said!
When did you bring that? But well done.
I'll play it to the board of directors.
Darn it!
Your bypass was slower than I thought.
I could've finished it 20 minutes quicker than you.
You are interesting.
"Touto General Hospital"
Blimey, what the heck?
He's terrible. What a complete hypocrite!
Do you know?
He messes with girls at night clubs, he's never up to any good.
He'll be stabbed by a woman now.
No, he has to be stabbed by one.
You know, you're the one to blame to begin with.
- Don't forget that. - Yes?
Women are looked down upon because of what you did!
"Women aren't cut out to be surgeons."
They've been saying that for decades.
"Women will get married, give birth and can't work overtime,
so they should quit.”
But we've overcome those one by one. Do you understand?
My, my. What's the matter, Dr Miyama?
I have to tell you...
It's your job to handle it well.
- I haven't said anything. - Well...
Just have a look at this.
It's the photo our department took the other day.
The photo is nice!
There you go.
Thank you!
In the end, the NS Department works as a team, just like the brain.
Brain stem, frontal lobe, temporal lobe, hippocampus, amygdala.
The brain doesn't function if the parts don't perform in unison.
Yeah?
I'm counting on you.
He winked again.
"Touto General Hospital"
Wait a minute.
My job is for making our department's
human relationships smooth?
Yes, it's part of your job.
Why so suddenly? Because I'm a woman?
Of course not.
In terms of the brain's function, you can empathize with people.
Me?
So I think you can understand how other doctors feel.
Don't flatter me irresponsibly.
No, it isn't flattery.
Even for the doctors you're annoyed with,
maybe they have their own worries as well.
Worries?
Even a CT scan image can't show a heartbreak.
It ends like this every time.
My life is ruined because of you!
Oh, I just said something great.
Okay, I'll tell my secretary, Shizuka.
- Excuse me. - Excuse me.
Rails lowered.
- Let's move her. - Yes...
One, two, three!
- Taking them off. - We'll take it off.
- Start an IV line. - Yes.
- Okay. - Oxygen flowing.
Can you hear me?
Sorry, Dr Miyama, we've got a doctor already.
- Dr Nishigoori will treat her. - Yeah?
Kazuko Kuwabara, 58 years old.
Fell down the second floor of her house.
- Suicide? - Probably.
The AXE said she attempted suicide a month ago too.
Hey, she actually doesn't want to die?
She can hear you.
Will we take a blood sample?
It isn't an urgent case in neurology. Will you handle it?
Wait, what do you mean?
I heard there was an intriguing case to operate on, that's why I came.
Don't make me treat such a boring injury.
You agreed to do the consultation.
Be responsible and treat the patient!
- Put the tube here. - Yes.
- Keep it here. - Yes.
Attempted suicide?
Okay, fine.
"MRI Waiting"
Doctor, they said maybe it's better to do an MR spectroscopy.
What? Fushimi, you should've told me sooner.
Kengo Kuroiwa.
Skilled, but difficult. Womaniser, hostess club...
What else?
What are you writing?
Company secret!
What? Notes about the doctors?
It's the only thing you do seriously.
Information collection about the hospital.
Nowadays, lack of information means death.
I have to know their personalities and act accordingly!
That's annoying.
- What's on my page? - Don't read!
"Only has good looks. Not of importance.”
It's only my personal opinion.
Anyway,
why is Dr Miyama called "Ice Lady"?
She stood up for me, and I think she might be surprisingly nice.
Oh, her looks!
She has fair skin and her shoulders are wide.
In the past, that doctor made many incompetent doctors resign.
Many people bear a grudge towards her.
Is that so?
The doctor bears her own wounds too.
Do be careful.
Next patient, please.
What?
I'll take your things.
Hello.
Miss Yukari Makiba.
Yes.
Had an accident when you took a long-distance bus a year ago,
which caused cerebral contusion.
That accident! Many people were injured, right?
You suffered from whiplash too,
but recovered after conservative treatment.
The headache continued after that.
Yes.
Your head hurts?
"Staff of Touto General Hospital Neurosurgery Department"
I'm not here for consultation today, actually.
Not for consultation? What's the matter, then?
Something is troubling me.
What is?
It's a doctor here.
Why are you troubled?
He's following me about and it's troubling me.
He says he loves me,
and wants to get together with me.
Hang on.
You mean it's one of our neurosurgeons?
Yes.
I want him to stop following me about.
Who is he?
You don't want to say?
Well, is he among them?
"Staff of Touto General Hospital Neurosurgery Department"
"Top Knife"
You've woken up?
It's okay.
You are alive.
Yeah?
You can't die easily if you jump from the third floor.
Gosh, Doctor!
Don't you think you shouldn't talk to her like that?
Even so...
If someone wants to die, let them.
My point is, don't bother us doctors.
You know...
I came here to do difficult surgeries,
not to fix the brain of someone who tries to die.
- Wait, but... - Shut up.
Dr Kuroiwa bragged to us.
He said he never made a move on honest women,
women come to famous people like him.
That's awful.
But I don't think
She must've got it wrong.
If the patient says that, we have to check.
It's a huge problem if it's true.
He's here!
A woman?
Yes, does it ring a bell?
Yes.
He's talking.
Hang on. Wait a minute.
Would she come to outpatient just to say that?
But she did!
She complained of headache and dizziness,
so I arranged an MRI scan for her.
But her main purpose was the accusation.
Fine. Say no more.
Tell me what happened properly.
I'm responsible for the hospital, I need to know.
All right, fine.
What a ladykiller!
You cancelled the block on my calls?
Cut it out.
Why do you go so far?
Didn't I tell you? I came because I have to do something here.
Are you willing to see me now?
Where are you now?
I was just going to call you.
Right beside you.
Hey!
We finally meet.
I've told you many times. I have nothing to talk to you about.
Is money what you want?
You're so mean.
Has it been six years?
Or seven years?
What are you here for?
Tell me where you live. That's all.
What?
You want to send me chocolate before Valentine's Day?
Yes.
The best ones.
Text me your bank account. I'll transfer you some later.
Then stop pestering me.
You're still a scumbag.
Of course!
It's no strings attached.
You broke the rules.
Glad that I saw you.
Wait.
Did you come to see a doctor just for that?
See a doctor?
Why? I didn't even catch a cold.
The wrong person?
Make no false accusation. It's ungrounded.
Miss Makiba?
You can just fake it,
but will you look happier?
It's the face I was born with.
Why are you doctors...
so arrogant?
Isn't it because there are many troublesome patients?
You can't even treat me properly.
Yes?
What are you not happy with?
"Had surgery 10 years ago for trigeminal neuralgia at a hospital,
has been treated for acute pain and numbness on the face many times."
Toothache,
stiff shoulders,
temporomandibular joint dysfunction.
They gave me names of all kinds of diseases,
but in the end, they told me that I was imagining things.
Because nobody can feel my pain.
When I can walk...
I'll take a needle
and jab your face.
Is that what the pain feels like?
There is a faint shadow here.
The result of the MRI scan
shows an abnormality in part of your cerebral blood vessel.
Perhaps you should do a more detailed check-up.
"Staff of Touto General Hospital Neurosurgery Department"
And also... about what we talked about the other day.
I've complained so much. Why didn't you do anything?
He showed up to me again yesterday.
Wait a minute. He showed up to you?
Yes.
Is he really a doctor in this photo?
- Could it be the wrong person? - Wrong person?
Don't make fun of it! I'm suffering so much, but you...
It's this man!
What is your relationship?
He's new here and hasn't been at outpatient--
It was since the last hospital.
He's been stalking me since we were at the last hospital.
You can't judge a book by its cover.
A narcissist like him gets upset when he's dumped.
He can't believe he's dumped and has a tizzy.
Well, even so, it's that Hot and Cold Prince...
Oh, where's Dr Miyama?
The prince!
You told him?
She made a slip of the tongue.
I just said a lady came to see him.
I'm sorry.
It's me.
You dare call me?
Did you come here?
Where?
The hospital. Touto General Hospital.
Why would I go to where you are?
It's the wrong person?
Is that all you want to ask?
How is that person? All right?
You ran away from the pain.
Remember that.
It wasn't him?
So it seems. Dr Nishigoori said it was none of his business.
That means she lied?
It's Mrs Kazuko Kuwabara's brain.
She had an MVD surgery to cure her trigeminal neuralgia
at Hirazuka University Hospital?
Yes.
The trigeminal nerve carries sensation from the face's skin.
If a blood vessel touches it, it causes pain.
The symptoms improved for a while in Mrs Kuwabara's case,
but after a while, she started to feel pain like a needle jab.
She can't put makeup on because of the pain,
she can't even drink water properly.
However, after the surgery, all the doctors she saw
told her that there was nothing wrong with her.
Why do you say it's trigeminal neuralgia?
Here.
There's a small shadow at the tentorium.
It probably is tentorial meningioma.
Maybe it's touching the trigeminal nerve.
I see. It's possible.
I'll do a contrast-enhanced MRI again to verify it,
and do surgery if I guessed right.
Well done finding it.
It's no big deal.
Touto General Hospital here is the last bastion of patients.
This...
Could she have meant Dr Imadegawa?
Dr Nishigoori didn't want to treat a patient who attempted suicide.
What changed his mind?
- Dr Imadegawa. - What's the matter?
We'd like to talk to you about something.
A lady said a man has been following her and she's worried.
By whom?
What?
How do you know?
What?
The lady told us herself.
Herself...
Wait, why do you feel uneasy?
This is what's inside the box?
You secretly tried to give it to your secretary Shizuka.
But she refused to accept it.
Yes.
I got it at a pharmaceutical company's party.
They said it's popular among young girls.
I swear, it means nothing!
We don't care!
Miss Makiba isn't involved, then.
Why do you like Shizuka?
Tell us!
Well...
Well, you know...
She's gorgeous.
That's why I say men are terrible.
If she's gorgeous, anyone will...
Anyone will do?
What's the matter?
In other words...
if we remove the brain tumour here,
it won't touch your trigeminal nerve,
and your pain might disappear.
However, I can't say it's for sure, 100 percent.
But if there is the slightest possibility...
Right?
She's been complaining of pain.
Yes.
Before long, she started to eat rice congee instead.
Even when we go on a trip, she'd sleep after taking medicine.
I'm sorry to say, it started to get tiresome.
When we'd go see doctors, they'd say it was psychological.
It made me think so too.
So I'm glad we now know the cause.
Yeah.
Yukari Makiba had an accident 3 year ago when she took a bus,
and her left temporal bone was fractured.
If you lock in more detail on the MRI image,
there are axonal injuries at her right frontal and temporal lobes.
Also, although it's small,
there's a pseudoaneurysm at the peripheral middle cerebral artery.
So?
The axonal injuries and pseudoaneurysm
make her excessively secrete dopamine,
making the pathway of her right limbic system too active.
As a result, she has Fregoli delusion.
Fregoli delusion.
The part of the brain that controls emotions becomes too active
and causes confusion in the part responsible for facial recognition?
She has strong feelings towards whoever she sees,
like for a boyfriend.
She's looking at a complete stranger,
but her brain thinks reflexively he's a boyfriend or someone close.
But can't she tell they aren't the same man?
Their looks are different.
That is what's amazing about the syndrome.
She has strong feelings for them,
but she also identifies them as different persons.
It's inconsistent, but the brain wants a connection.
That's why she thought her boyfriend disguised himself.
What?
I asked her about the details.
It's this man.
This man is your boyfriend?
I mean, your ex-boyfriend.
He is Mr Ryuichi Tajima?
Yes.
I'll summaries what you've told me so far.
You and Mr Tajima were colleagues at your last company.
Mr Tajima has a family,
but he had an affair with you, so to speak.
But...
it was one-sided, unrequited love.
The summary is good. Thank you.
Okay.
Mr Tajima cared about his family very much,
so I kept telling myself that I shouldn't do that.
But you were in agony, so you resigned from the company,
and made up your mind to leave Mr Tajima.
You told him that too.
Then you went on your last business day trip.
And you had an accident on the bus you took.
His leg broke and he was hospitalized too,
So...
For a long time, we haven't been in touch.
Then, he showed up again.
He knows that we shouldn't meet openly,
that's why...
he disguised as a doctor.
Thank you.
I am very sorry.
Women aren't cut out to be neurosurgeons.
You should quit!
No, I...
My point is, don't bother us doctors.
You know, I came here to do difficult surgeries,
not to fix the brain of someone who tried to die.
- Wait, but... - Shut up.
That means, whoever it is, she sees him as her boyfriend?
That's what her brain thinks.
Before she could break up with him properly,
she had an accident and they separated.
Maybe that affected her too.
She has been in pain the whole time as well.
Doctor, you found it for me?
This is my job.
Do you feel pain too?
Okay, we'll put you under general anaesthesia now.
Excuse me. You'll get sleepy.
The doctor is coming, Miss Makiba.
A stretcher is on the way.
Miss Makiba, can you hear me?
- Take a CT scan. - Let's move her.
Miss Makiba, we'll take you to do a CT scan now.
- I'll release the Meckel cave. - Yes.
- Serrated scissors. - Here.
Emergency surgery?
Your aneurysm broke open and is bleeding,
that's why you passed out just now.
I see.
We'll help you.
- Did you get my forceps for bypass? - Yes.
Okay.
This surgeon will do the surgery.
I'm Kuroiwa. Nice to meet you.
STA-MCA bypass and MCA trapping.
It'll take less than three hours.
I'll return right after Nishigoori's is done.
I'm counting on you to operate on your "girlfriend."
"Anaesthetizing time"
"Operating time"
Excuse me.
As I thought, it's a meningioma.
It's been touching the trigeminal nerve and stimulating it.
- We only have to remove it. - Yeah.
The pain should go.
Okay, resection.
- Serrated scissors. - Here.
She has Fregoli delusion? The outpatient's...
Miss Yukari Makiba.
She tries to forget her ex-boyfriend...
But it caused the delusion instead?
One makes effort to forget something,
but it engraves the memory in the brain instead.
The way the brain works is ironic.
You ran away...
from the pain.
Move that.
Nishigoori?
The artery is bleeding.
Please stop it now.
- Doctor? - Nishigoori!
- Doctor? - I'll do it.
- Cut some gelatin sponge. - Yes.
We'll prevent further bleeding at the basal cistern.
- Delicot patties, please. - Yes.
Do suction at specific places and look for the origin.
BP is 65 and dropping.
Where is it?
BP 50.
It's here!
It's stopped.
Micro Cooper.
Here.
Okay.
Now remove the fat and treat the dura mater.
Yes, Doctor. I'll do it.
- Bipolar forceps. - Here.
Sorry, I just...
didn't feel well.
The procedures you carried out so far were perfect.
It'll be over soon.
It took an hour.
After that,
she'll be freed from the pain that worried her for decades.
For decades.
Nobody believed her.
What's the matter with Dr Nishigoori?
One gets hurt.
If you're alive.
She has regained consciousness, but she's still confused.
It's the brain fog after surgery. She'll recover soon.
The surgery was successful, Miss Makiba.
Go and hold her hand.
She still thinks you are him. Let her say goodbye one last time.
I only do surgeries, I don't meddle in other people's business.
Your sexist remark recorded in the voice recorder.
You want me to play it to the board of directors?
You're so mean.
Do it, then.
Pretend that you are her boyfriend.
Do your best.
Thank you for everything.
Mr Tajima...
I am holding your hand.
So...
have a good rest.
You'll stay?
Yes.
When she wakes up...
He will probably be gone.
Take your time.
It doesn't hurt.
I can wash my face!
I can wash it!
I'm happy for you.
And take this.
Your husband will be here soon.
Use them if you don't mind.
It isn't mine though.
Y. MIYAMA"
Come in.
They said you can stand?
Yeah.
It's been about 10 years.
I think it's longer.
Is there anything wrong?
No.
You are gorgeous.
Thank goodness.
What a relief.
"Bar Casablanca"
Neurosurgery is difficult.
Why?
I don't know the brain very well,
but maybe it's our heart.
Our heart, huh?
Oh, what's wrong, Sacchi? You look quite down today.
Wait, are you crying?
Aw, what's wrong?
I... I'm not crying!
It's okay to cry.
This is where everyone takes their armor off.
One in the form of a lab coat.
I've heard that a million times.
I got busted? Oh, old customers suck.
See you, Sacchi. I'll disappear.
The idiot is so carefree. I'm jealous.
What's wrong? Stomach ache?
Don't tell me you...
Yes?
I see.
What?
Yes? What?
Yo!
You did the trigeminal neuralgia case in 60 minutes?
It took you so long. It would've taken me half that.
Oh, that's right. Just so you know.
Neurosurgery is about talent.
Making effort won't make you able to do it.
What do you mean?
Well, indeed, you are making effort.
It's you again? Just cut it out!
I am here for you.
Tamotsu, six years old.
He's your son.
Mami?
"TOP KNIFE"
"Preview"
- You're joking! - He thinks he's dead,
and he's here to verify it.
Dr Miyama killed me.
Who died?
Doctors, are you alive?
For what?
Please come with us.
On suspicion of murder.