Deepening BRICS Medical Cooperation: Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Visits Brazil to Promote Chinese Original Technology and Domestic Innovative Devices

From April 15 to 17, Brazilian time, a team led by President Wang Yan from Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University(XMCH) was invited to Brazil for surgical exchanges. They visited renowned local hospitals such as Hospital de Messejana in Fortaleza, Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia in São Paulo, and Instituto do Coração da Universidade de São Paulo (InCor), engaging deeply with hospital managers and experts.

They guided interventional cardiology surgeries, promoted domestically developed innovative medical devices and original Chinese cardiovascular diagnostic and treatment technologies, strengthened Sino-Brazilian exchanges in the cardiovascular field, and deepened healthcare cooperation among BRICS nations.

Showcasing the Superior Performance of Domestic Innovative Devices

On the afternoon of April 15, at Hospital de Messejana, President Wang Yan and Professor Wang Bin, together with Dr. Breno Falcao, successfully performed a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using the Chinese domestic valve intervention device VenusA-Pro on an elderly patient with severe aortic stenosis and high coronary risk.

This marked the first implantation of a Chinese-made valve intervention device in the Brazilian public healthcare system. VenusA-Pro, as a new generation reusable delivery system, offers a better clinical experience and ideal outcomes for patients. The successful operation further demonstrated the expertise of Chinese specialists and the excellent performance of the domestic valves. This guidance on implanting Chinese valve intervention devices in Brazilian hospitals will further enhance bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the field of structural heart disease intervention treatment, benefiting more Brazilian patients with heart valve diseases through Chinese solutions and technologies.

Promoting Original Chinese Technological Solutions

With the strong support of LIDE China, President Wang Yan and his team visited the renowned heart center of Sao Paulo. On the morning of April 17th, President Wang Yan and his team visited the Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia, one of Brazil's major cardiac specialty hospitals. The hospital has conducted Brazil's first coronary stent implantation and has been featured in the Newsweek 2023 Global Best Specialty Hospitals Ranking (Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery).

There, they guided the doctors in using the original Chinese μFR system for precise physiological analysis of coronary arteries during a complex coronary stent implantation. The μFR system, an original Chinese innovation based on coronary angiography for FFR and PCI planning, helps doctors with virtual stent simulation and automatic stent analysis, optimizing PCI treatment outcomes. This system has been clinically adopted in several top Brazilian medical institutions, marking the international reach of Chinese original medical technology.

Later, the team visited InCor, Brazil’s largest heart center and a globally renowned cardiovascular medical center. The team toured the ICU, interventional center, biomedical engineering lab, and telemedicine center, sharing experiences and insights on cardiovascular diagnosis and treatment with local experts.

After learning about the extensive experience of XMCH in diagnosing and treating complex cardiovascular diseases, the local experts expressed admiration and interest in strengthening clinical experience sharing, complex case exchanges, and live surgical broadcasts.

International Cardiovascular Specialist Training Initiatives

During the exchanges with Brazilian hospitals, President Wang Yan prominently introduced the Heart Sapling Visiting Scholar Program, an international training program for cardiovascular specialists from BRICS and Belt and Road Initiative countries.

Annually, the program recruits 15-20 young cardiologists to XMCH for six months to a year of specialized cardiovascular training. Launched in April 2023 by the Global Development Promotion Center of the International Cooperation Agency at the United Nations headquarters, the program has already trained 11 participants from Brazil, India, El Salvador, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other countries.

Hospital de Messejana has sent a doctor to participate in this program, who arrived at XMCH in March this year for a six-month training primarily focused on structural heart disease intervention techniques and familiarization with Chinese domestic valve intervention devices. The Heart Sapling Program aims to address the global shortage of cardiovascular specialists and enhance global cardiovascular diagnostic and treatment capabilities by training more talented professionals.

Promoting the BRICS Cardiovascular Industry Internationally

Leveraging the opportunity of constructing the new BRICS Industrial Revolution partnership innovation base in Xiamen, XMCH initiated the establishment of the BRICS Cardiovascular Health Innovation Center in September 2022. This center serves as a platform for cardiovascular health exchange and cooperation among BRICS nations, hosting several academic exchange events. In May 2023, the China (Xiamen) - Brazil Heart Valve Disease Intervention Seminar was successfully held, featuring multiple complex intervention surgeries broadcast live online using domestically produced valve intervention devices and facilitating in-depth academic exchanges with Brazilian hospitals, laying the foundation for this visit.

In addition, XMCH has established a cardiovascular health industry collaborative innovation base, attracting over ten innovative enterprises. It has formed a cardiovascular health industry technology innovation consortium led by the hospital to enhance integration of medical services, education, research, and industry, relying on the BRICS Cardiovascular Health Innovation Center to build a platform for the international reach of the cardiovascular health industry.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil, a significant milestone for continuing the legacy and opening new chapters in bilateral relations. Under the framework of BRICS cooperation, the two countries will continue to deepen medical and health cooperation. Invited to visit Brazil for surgical guidance and academic exchanges, Dean Wang Yan's team is set to further promote mutual learning and advancement in the cardiovascular field, enhance academic exchanges, drive industrial cooperation, and jointly contribute to the development of cardiovascular health in BRICS nations, aiming to build a global community of health for all.