Changzhou Children's Hospital has successfully completed surgeries for the first group of students under the charity initiative "Medical-Educational Cooperation, Caring for Children's Hearts". Launched earlier this year, the project identified 17 economically disadvantaged students diagnosed with congenital heart disease, nine of whom have already undergone surgery. By July 17, seven of these students had been discharged following successful procedures.
The charity project, spearheaded by the Changzhou Charity Federation, the Municipal Education Bureau, and the Municipal Health Commission, and executed by Changzhou Children's Hospital, officially began on May 27. A dedicated team from the hospital conducted extensive screenings, examining over 7,000 students across 533 schools in Changzhou. After thorough coordination, the first group of nine students was brought to the hospital for surgery in early July.
Among these young patients is Guoguo, a 10-year-old boy from Yunnan province. His small stature and frequent bouts of pneumonia and breathlessness set him apart from his peers. His grandmother and mother both suffer from congenital heart disease, prompting the charity's working group to extend their support to his family. Zhang Wei, deputy director of the Cardiology and Thoracic Surgery Department at the hospital, prioritized Guoguo's case for the first round of surgeries.
On July 8, an echocardiogram revealed a 20-millimeter atrial septal defect in Guoguo's heart that had not closed naturally. A multidisciplinary team, including specialists from cardiology, thoracic surgery, anesthesiology, medical imaging, and intensive care, devised a surgical plan. They opted for a minimally invasive right thoracic approach to repair the defect, a cutting-edge technique that avoids the traditional sternotomy. This method involves a discreet incision in the intercostal space under the arm, resulting in less trauma, reduced blood loss, and a faster recovery.
On July 10, after more than two hours of meticulous surgery, Guoguo’s procedure was successfully completed.
As of mid-July, the "Medical-Educational Cooperation, Caring for Children's Hearts" project has performed successful surgeries on 198 children with congenital heart disease, including nine children from Wuqia in Xinjiang and one from Qinghai. This initiative continues to bring hope and health to young patients across China.
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