Crossing 15,000 kilometers, a medical expert from El Salvador fly to Xiamen, China, for treatment "I'm so grateful!"

El Salvador – Los Angeles – Beijing – Xiamen

November 19

After traveling over 30 hours and crossing 15,000 kilometers, Ms. Mercedes Menjivar and her daughter from the Central American country of El Salvador set foot on the land of Xiamen, China, for the first time.

Ms. Mercedes, who suffers from severe heart valve disease, traveled this great distance to Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University (referred to as XMCH) in search of advanced and minimally invasive treatment options unavailable in El Salvador.

After completing her preoperative examination, Ms. Mercedes underwent a minimally invasive procedure on November 21 to repair her damaged valve and was discharged the very next day.

Crossing Thousands of Miles to Treat Her “Heart Disease”

Ms. Mercedes, 60, is an epidemiologist at Rosales National Hospital in El Salvador. Over the past year, she frequently experienced shortness of breath and chest tightness even with slight activity. Suspecting a heart problem, she consulted Dr. Ricardo Menjivar, a cardiologist at her hospital. This marked the beginning of her connection with XMCH, thousands of miles away.

In late 2022, XMCH launched the “Heart Sapling” Visiting Scholar Program to address the global shortage of cardiovascular specialists. The program invites young foreign cardiovascular doctors from BRICS and Belt and Road Initiative countries to Xiamen for training.

In July 2023, upon recommendation by the Salvadoran Ministry of Health, Dr. Ricardo became one of the first scholars to join the Heart Sapling program, focusing on echocardiography and electrophysiology.

During his six-month training, Ricardo was deeply impressed by how patients with severe, life-threatening conditions could recover through multidisciplinary efforts at Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital. “I want to bring this advanced knowledge and expertise back to benefit more patients in El Salvador,” he said.

Dr. Ricardo performs electrophysiology procedures under the guidance of Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital physicians

After returning home, Ricardo became a key figure in his hospital and helped sow the seeds of collaboration between doctors in the two countries.

In April this year, Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital visited El Salvador and signed a cooperation agreement with Rosales National Hospital. Professor Wang Yan guided the local team in performing a groundbreaking valve replacement procedure, marking a milestone for the Salvadoran public healthcare system. The success received widespread acclaim and further strengthened cooperation between the two hospitals.

When Ricardo’s colleague, Ms. Mercedes, sought his help, he applied the techniques he had learned in Xiamen, including transesophageal echocardiography, to conduct a detailed examination. Ms. Mercedes was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse and moderate-to-severe regurgitation. Without timely treatment, her quality of life and life expectancy would be severely impacted.

However, in El Salvador, even traditional open-heart surgery is technically challenging, let alone a minimally invasive transcatheter solution. Patients with such conditions usually travel to the United States or Spain for treatment, but the cost is prohibitively high.

Recalling the patients he had seen recover quickly after minimally invasive procedures at XMCH, Ricardo sought assistance from the hospital through the Salvadoran Ministry of Health in September. XMCH promptly established remote consultations with Ricardo and, after careful evaluation, determined that Ms. Mercedes was a suitable candidate for a minimally invasive mitral clip procedure.

Though apprehensive about traveling to a foreign country for surgery, Ms. Mercedes expressed her trust in Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital, saying, “I read reports about Professor Wang Yan’s successful guidance on surgeries in El Salvador. I was deeply impressed by their advanced skills. I trust the Chinese experts and Xiamen’s team!” This trust led them to embark on their journey to China for heart surgery.

A Model for International Medical Services

Following a detailed preoperative assessment, Professor Wang Yan and his team performed a minimally invasive mitral clip procedure on the third day of Ms. Mercedes’ hospital stay.

Mitral clip procedure is a high-precision, minimally invasive intervention that has emerged in recent years. Compared to traditional open-heart surgery, it offers the advantages of minimal invasiveness, shorter operative time, high safety, and rapid recovery, avoiding the risks of cardiopulmonary bypass and cardiac arrest.

During the procedure, with the support of a multidisciplinary team including anesthesia, echocardiography, cardiac critical care, and interventional nursing, Professor Wang led the team in successfully implanting a DragonFly™ mitral clip system, a domestically developed device.

The Xiamen medical team performs transcatheter procedure for the patient

Post-surgery, Ms. Mercedes showed significant improvement. She was able to walk on the same day and was discharged the next morning.

Ms. Mercedes expressed her gratitude, saying, “I’m so grateful to Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital. A minimally invasive surgery has cured my heart disease, something I never thought was possible. Thank you, Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital!”

The Salvadoran Ministry of Health also extended its sincere thanks to the hospital.

The patient (second from right) and her daughter take a photo with Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital doctors

Professor Wang Yan highlighted that “Xiamen, with its pleasant climate and location in southeastern China, offers unique advantages for international medical services.”

In June this year, XMCH officially established its International Medical Center, focusing on providing services to foreign residents and patients from Belt and Road Initiative countries. The center aims to attract patients to Xiamen for specialized medical checkups and treatments, enhancing the city’s business environment and expanding China’s international influence in healthcare.

In recent years, responding to the Global Development Initiative, the hospital’s Heart Sapling Visiting Scholar Program has been included in the Global Development Project Library by the China International Development Cooperation Agency. To date, the program has trained 14 scholars from eight countries, including Brazil, India, Russia, El Salvador, and Indonesia.

Looking ahead, XMCH plans to invite more young doctors for training in Chinese technologies and products while continuing to “go global” to guide surgeries. This will explore new models for international healthcare collaboration, contribute to building a global community of health, and benefit more cardiovascular patients worldwide.