Deepening BRICS Cooperation and Showcasing Domestic Devices | The China (Xiamen)–Egypt Coronary Intravascular Imaging Seminar Successfully Held

On May 13, Beijing time, the China (Xiamen)–Egypt Coronary Intravascular Imaging Workshop was successfully held online. The event was co-hosted by Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University (hereafter referred to as "XMCH"), and the Egyptian National Heart Institute. The seminar aimed to promote academic and industrial exchange in cardiovascular medicine between China and Egypt, deepen healthcare cooperation among BRICS countries, and enhance the international recognition of China's innovative domestic medical devices.

Professor Wang Yan, President of XMCH, and Professor Ahmed Hasnen Gaber Mohamed, Vice President of the Egyptian National Heart Institute, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Professor Wang Yan's team shared China's solutions and expert experience in coronary intervention with their Egyptian counterparts and conducted live broadcasts of two complex percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) using the domestically developed ArgusClarity® Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) system. Dozens of experts, including department heads and academic backbones from both hospitals, participated in the seminar online. Additionally, two trainees from the Egyptian National Heart Institute, who were part of the Heart Sapling Visiting Scholar Program, attended the workshop in person at XMCH and took part in the live surgeries.

Focusing on Coronary Intravascular Imaging and Showcasing Innovative Domestic Devices

With the rapid development of intravascular imaging technologies such as intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT), PCI guided by intravascular imaging has been widely recognized and applied. However, OCT technology has not yet been commercialized in Egypt. In January of this year, Mahmoud and Ibrahim, trainees from the Egyptian National Heart Institute, came to XMCH for specialized training through the Heart Sapling Visiting Scholar Program. During their training, they diligently studied various cardiovascular interventional techniques and experienced the outstanding performance of domestic innovative devices. They subsequently requested the XMCH team to share such innovations, including coronary intravascular imaging, with their home institution.

At the workshop, Directors Li Suiji and Chen Xiang from XMCH were invited to demonstrate the operation of the domestic OCT system. A heated discussion followed, during which participating experts shared clinical experiences and explored key technologies in coronary intervention and intravascular imaging. President Wang Yan delivered the closing remarks and presented on the topic “Advances in Transcatheter Heart Valve Interventions in XMCH”, introducing various innovations including transcatheter valve repair/replacement and robot-assisted interventions. He also vividly illustrated the journey of medical-engineering integration in the development of domestic devices. The superior performance of domestic devices and the technical excellence of Chinese experts were unanimously recognized by the Egyptian participants. Professor Ahmed expressed gratitude for the live procedures and technical exchanges, and invited President Wang to visit Egypt for academic exchange and surgical guidance.

Regular International Exchange to Support Global Expansion of Domestic Devices

As a national sub-center for cardiovascular clinical research and a regional medical center for cardiovascular disease, XMCH regularly performs various complex heart interventions, ranking among the top in China in terms of technical difficulty and volume. The hospital consistently promotes domestic independent innovation and collaborates with enterprises to develop a range of innovative medical devices, some of which are first-of-their-kind in China or even globally. Additionally, the hospital actively supports the overseas promotion of domestic innovative medical devices, exploring a dual strategy of "bringing in" and "going out."

“Bringing In”: Cultivating International Specialized Talent

XMCH launched the Heart Sapling Visiting Scholar Program to recruit young international cardiovascular specialists for training. Officially announced by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) at the United Nations headquarters in April 2023, the program was included in CIDCA's Global Development Project Library in April 2024. To date, 23 trainees from 12 countries Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia, Egypt, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, El Salvador, and others have participated. The program enables these trainees to study innovative diagnostic and treatment technologies and use domestic devices, laying the foundation for future internationalization of China's cardiovascular medical technologies and products.

“Going Out”: Supporting Overseas Expansion of Domestic Devices

Since the beginning of 2024, the hospital has been invited to conduct academic exchanges in nine countries and regions including Brazil, El Salvador, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Russia, Canada, and Thailand. During these visits, they guided local hospitals in performing surgeries using domestic innovative devices, completing multiple first-ever implantations abroad. They also exchanged the latest cardiovascular techniques with foreign experts and promoted original Chinese technologies and innovative medical devices. Additionally, through online academic meetings, the hospital has facilitated overseas recognition of domestic devices via academic and technical demonstrations. Prior to this China–Egypt workshop, XMCH had co-hosted the China–Brazil Cardiovascular Innovation Forum with Messejana Hospital in Brazil, and participated in TCT 2024, the annual meeting of Thanh Hoa General Hospital in Vietnam, the Latin American Valve Intervention Seminar, the Azerbaijan Cardiology Congress, and more delivering keynote speeches or live surgeries. These events enabled Chinese technologies, solutions, and expertise to be shared with global peers, advancing the internationalization of China's innovative medical devices.