Crossing over mountain after mountain from Wenzhou, Charitable Doctoral Medical Group finally reached Baicheng County of Xinjiang after travelling 5000 kilometers. In the warm spring, invited by Wenzhou Xinjiang Aid Headquarters, the seven experts from “Charitable Doctoral Medical Group” of Wenzhou People's Hospital headed for Xinjiang to start short-term flexible medical aid activities.

This is the first large-scale medical public welfare activity held by Wenzhou People's Hospital since the outbreak of the pandemic three years ago. This year coincides with the 110th anniversary of the founding of the hospital. As the group leader, and secretary of the Party committee of the hospital, Ruan Guomo said: "This special public welfare journey is not only arranged to visit distant “relatives” , but also regarded as the journey of original intention, reminding every doctor of being enthusiastic about helping others."

“Zero” Breakthrough

Charitable Doctoral Medical Group successively finished performing highly difficult surgeries.  

“It’s so amazing!” The surgery is extremely difficult and dangerous. Director Hu has demonstrated a high-level traditional surgical teaching for us." At 11 p.m. on March 31, Director Li Jie of Baicheng County People's Hospital General Surgery Department felt very excited, specifically dialing the number of Wenzhou Xinjiang Aid Headquarters to express his deep gratitude. 

The extremely difficult surgery mentioned by Li Jie was a laparoscopic radical surgery for gallbladder cancer. Partial metastasis had occurred to the tumor tissues, which was stuck together with multiple tissues of the liver and colon. Li Jie said, "By referring traditional therapeutic method, only a major operation is practical, and the most difficult part is to remove the tumor tissues completely.” 

Charitable Doctoral Medical Group performed surgery in Baicheng County People's Hospital. 

At about 4:00 p.m. the same day, Wenzhou Charitable Doctoral Medical Group flew to Baicheng County People's Hospital for less than 12 hours. Hu Yiren, the doctoral group leader, director of hospital's general surgery department, performed laparoscopic surgery for the patient, and opened only 5 little incisions during the whole process. Hu Yiren mentioned that the patient's stomach, colon, and part of the liver was surrounded by tumor tissues, which needed to be stripped out little by little, in order to make the gallbladder visible and continue removing the tumor. "The narrowest place in the operation is only 2-3 millimeters, so the surgical operation must be precise and performed with appropriate intensity of force, just peeling off the tissues taking more than one hour.”

The surgery lasted over 5 hours and the tumor tissues were successfully removed. The patient is now able to get out of bed and walk around.

On April 2, Hu Yiren, who wasn’t originally scheduled for any surgeries, was commissioned by the hospital to operate on a patient with stomach cancer. The patient had previously undergone a major incision, which made the surgery much more difficult. This is also the first case of laparoscopic radical surgery of gastric cancer in Baicheng County People's Hospital.

For days, many doctors could always be seen observing surgeries in the crowded operating room of Baicheng County People's Hospital. Chen Hao, one of the members of Charitable Doctoral Medical Group and deputy chief physician of Cardiology Department, carried out 10 surgeries in Baicheng County People's Hospital, especially a case of LMCA stent implantation and a case of applying coronary artery extension catheter, completing the dilatation treatment surgery of the drug baloon of tortuous coronary artery in-stent restenosis, which are the first of its kind in Baicheng County People's Hospital.

"It's so rare that the experts from Wenzhou People's Hospital brought new technologies and new programs, which have helped us greatly." Wang Penghe, director of the cardiac intensive care unit of Baicheng County People's Hospital, said.

Teach people “how to fish” 

The teaching of going the rounds of the wards was being carried out.   

Charitable Doctoral Medical Group was carrying out teaching by demonstration in Baicheng County People’s Hospital.   

Charitable Doctoral Medical Group arrived in Baicheng County at 4 a.m. They began centralized outpatient service in Baicheng County People’s Hospital. A long line of patients came to the clinic in front of the specialist clinics of general surgery, orthopedics, cardiology, TCM rehabilitation, gynecologic ultrasonography.

At the Ultrasonography Lab, You Liyi, a member of the Charitable Doctoral Medical Group and deputy director of Maternity Ultrasonography Lab, conducted ultrasonic examinations for 54 patients, including 4 cases of fetal heart ultrasonic examinations, which was the first program arranged in Baicheng County People's Hospital. "Because this program was not carried out previously, once a problem with the fetal heart is found through prenatal anomaly scan, they will only suggest that the pregnant women go to a higher level hospital for further examination.

In order to make the new program continue running, You Liyu specifically arranged a course on ultrasound diagnostic screening and prognostic analysis of fetal congenital cardiovascular anomalies for all the doctors of Baicheng County People's Hospital Ultrasonography Lab. Meanwhile, two qualified ultrasonography doctors in the hospital were taught to learn the new program screening. 

Chief doctor Hu Jianfeng, a member of Charitable Doctoral Medical Group and deputy secretary of Party Committee of Wenzhou People's Hospital, gave a on-site teaching demonstration on cervical spondylosis massage techniques at TCM Rehabilitation Department of Baicheng County People's Hospital. He also conducted the teaching of going the rounds of the wards on two patients with serious conditions among the currently hospitalized patients, and made clear diagnosis and then proposed follow-up treatment plans.

Su Zhongliang, deputy director and chief orthopedist of Orthopedics Department of Wenzhou People's Hospital, has diagnosed many difficult cases in outpatient clinics. He said, "We try our best to provide patients with optimal diagnosis and treatment schemes." Over the past few days, Su Zhongliang has continuously carried out knee arthroscopy and hip replacement surgery, having taught a group of local orthopedists. 

The "fishing-type" assistance-based guidance conducted by the expert team, has made the doctors of Baicheng County People's Hospital gain more confidence. Wang Penghe said, in the presence of experts, the hospital doctors can use new programs and new technologies to carry out surgeries more confidently. He hoped that the program of short-term flexible assistance to Xinjiang would continue. "Through the traditional way of teaching by experts from big hospitals, more instructional guidance on new programs and new technologies will be arranged and carried out in the long term, which will ultimately benefit the people of Baicheng County."

Cooperative relationships are being deepened.   

The medical assistance to Xinjiang has had a successful result through close cooperation.   

“Charitable Doctoral Medical Group” travelled long distances to give medical assistance to Baicheng County of Xinjiang.  

As deputy minister of Baicheng County Party Committee Organization Department, and leader of Wenzhou Xinjiang Aid Headquarters Intellectual Aid and Talent Management Team, Hu Jian said, "Wenzhou People's Hospital and Xinjiang Baicheng County People's Hospital have a long acquaintance and deep friendship." At present, there are two doctors from Wenzhou People's Hospital, Pang Su Nian and Ma Lu Hang in Wenzhou Xinjiang aid medical team. 

This visit of "Charitable Doctoral Medical Group" to Xinjiang from thousands of miles away will also open up new prospects for the follow-up cooperation and exchange. Ruan Guomo noted that they will take advantage of the personnel and technical advantages of Wenzhou People's Hospital, bear in mind the principle of offering targeted aid, continue to stimulate the development of underdeveloped areas, promote the construction of key disciplines of Baicheng County People's Hospital, further expand the breadth and depth of all-sided multi-level exchanges so as to ensure that the results of the medical assistance to Xinjiang will benefit the local people more.