Thai Experts Visit XMCH for International Exchange on Interventional Treatment of Heart Valve Diseases

01 August,2023

Recently, medical teams from four renowned hospitals in Thailand visited Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University (XMCH) for an international academic exchange on interventional treatment of heart valve disease. The XMCH team demonstrated two cases of minimally invasive valve intervention surgeries with innovative Chinese-made devices, which were highly praised by their foreign counterparts.

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One patient was 81-year-old Ms. Li, who was diagnosed with moderate aortic stenosis and moderate-to-severe regurgitation two years ago and had chosen conservative treatment. However, her symptoms significantly worsened over the past six months. Upon examination, XMCH found severe aortic regurgitation, a significantly enlarged heart, and severe mitral regurgitation, indicating end-stage heart failure. Surgery was necessary due to the life-threatening nature of her condition. Considering her age and condition, the XMCH team used China's independently developed VitaFlow Liberty® transcatheter aortic bioprosthesis to perform a minimally invasive replacement of Ms. Li's damaged aortic valve.

The other patient had long-term atrial fibrillation, leading to cardiac enlargement, severe tricuspid regurgitation, swelling in both lower limbs, and shortness of breath after minor activity. The XMCH team also successfully performed surgery on this patient using domestically produced equipment. Both patients' conditions significantly improved after the surgeries.

The successful operations on these two elderly, high-risk patients showcased China's leading technology in the field of cardiac valve intervention, as well as the superior performance of its independently developed equipment. Professor Anuruck Jeamanukoolkit from Thailand, who had observed these surgeries up close, expressed his admiration, saying: "This trip to China has been incredibly impactful, overturning my previous perceptions of Chinese medical practices. Especially in the field of structural heart disease, China's achievements are eye-catching and leading globally. The outstanding skills of the Chinese practitioners and the excellent Chinese-made equipment have left a deep impression on me." He looks forward to deeper exchanges with Chinese valve intervention practitioners in the future, bringing these advanced experiences back to Thailand to improve diagnostic and treatment services for more patients.

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Upon learning about XMCH's international cardiovascular physician training initiative, the "Heart Sapling Visiting Scholar Program", the Thai delegation expressed their interest in promptly participating in this project. They plan to send excellent young doctors to XMCH for standardized cardiovascular specialist training, jointly contributing to the global advancement of cardiovascular health.

XMCH has accumulated a wealth of experience in the minimally invasive treatment of heart valve diseases since pioneering the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) in Fujian province in 2014. To date, it has completed more than 800 minimally invasive interventional surgeries for heart valve diseases, making it one of the leading institutions in China in this field.

Additionally, XMCH is focused on the independent research and development of relevant domestically produced medical equipment. In collaboration with domestic medical device companies, it has achieved national and global first-in-human implantations of several innovative devices and led eight national multicenter clinical trials, ranking among the top in terms of the number of projects undertaken and trials conducted.




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