On the morning of November 17, another consultation was held. X-rays showed that the nail had shifted slightly, but the blade was still stuck in the esophagus. The ENT department still recommended thoracotomy surgery.

"The situation was so urgent that an immediate surgery had to be performed," said Doctor Cheng who participated in the entire operation, explaining that the blade's proximity to the aorta meant any damage to the esophagus could lead to fatal bleeding.

In light of the urgent situation and Cheng's uncooperative attitude, on November 17 afternoon, an emergency joint meeting was convened by the prison, hospital, and other relevant departments in Daqing City, on which a lawyer provided legal consultation opinions about how to save his life.

"To save my brother's life, it was I who finally signed the consent for the surgery," said Cheng Peifeng. Subsequently, the hospital successfully performed the surgery on Cheng Peiming at 4:30 PM, which records indicate an "exploratory thoracotomy, removal of foreign objects from the esophagus and jejunum.

It also showed that "After anesthesia, the patient was placed on his right side, with an incision made between the fifth ribs on the left side."

"We designed the surgery based on the locations of the metal objects. One was in the lower esophagus, the other in the intestines. Using a combined chest and abdominal approach would have been more traumatic, so we opted for a less invasive method for less injury and faster recovery," explained Doctor Cheng.