China's Top Departments: Cardiothoracic Surgery at Shanghai Chest Hospital

Shanghai Chest Hospital (affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine) was founded on November 2, 1957, as China's first tertiary A-level specialist hospital dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of heart, lung, esophageal, tracheal, and mediastinal diseases. Its first director was Professor Huang Jiasi, one of the four founding fathers of Chinese cardiothoracic surgery, along with vice directors Professor Lan Xichun and Professor Gu Kaishi. In 2004, it became the Shanghai Red Cross Chest Hospital, and in 2005, it became affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Address: No. 241 Huaihai West Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China

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Core Strengths

Shanghai Chest Hospital focuses on two major clinical clusters — thoracic oncology and cardiovascular diseases — with the broadest disease spectrum and most comprehensive techniques in cardiothoracic care in China.

Rankings & Accreditations

• National Clinical Key Specialty: Thoracic Surgery, Cardiology, Cardiac & Great Vessel Surgery
• National Key Discipline: Cardiovascular Medicine
• Ranked #2 nationally in Thoracic Surgery (2023 Fudan Hospital Ranking), #1 in East China
• China's first internationally accredited Chest Pain Center, first Heart Failure Center, first Atrial Fibrillation Center
• First da Vinci robotic chest surgery in China (2009)

Clinical Volume

• >18,000 cardiothoracic surgeries per year — highest proportion of Grade III/IV (complex) surgeries among all tertiary hospitals in Shanghai
• >90% minimally invasive (thoracoscopic/robotic)
• >600 da Vinci robotic chest surgeries per year — maintained world's largest volume for years
• Largest radiofrequency ablation volume for atrial fibrillation in the Asia-Pacific region for consecutive years

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Thoracic Surgery (General Thoracic)

Clinical Scope

• Lung diseases: lung cancer (early diagnosis, minimally invasive surgery, targeted therapy, immunotherapy), pulmonary nodules, lung transplantation
• Esophageal diseases: esophageal cancer, benign esophageal conditions
• Mediastinal diseases: thymoma, mediastinal tumors
• Tracheal diseases: tracheal tumors, complex tracheal conditions
• Others: pneumothorax, chest wall tumors, pectus excavatum/carinatum

Technical Highlights

• Pioneered multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach for lung cancer in China
• Led the development of China's first targeted therapy and immunotherapy for lung cancer
• Authored multiple national clinical guidelines for lung cancer
• #1 nationally in esophageal, tracheal, and mediastinal tumor surgeries
• #2 nationally in lung tumor surgeries
• Performed the world's first unrelated-donor adult single-lung lobar transplantation
• China's first da Vinci robotic lung cancer resection (2009)

Subspecialties

Lung Surgery, Mediastinal Surgery, Esophageal Surgery, Tracheal Surgery, Lung Transplantation

Notable Experts

• Dr. Luo Qingquan: >5,000 minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgeries; consistently holds China's largest individual da Vinci chest surgery volume
• Dr. Zhao Heng: Thoracic surgery professor, driving subspecialty development
• Dr. Fang Wentao: Mediastinal surgery specialist with international reputation; Mayo Clinic has referred patients to him
• Dr. Li Zhigang: Esophageal surgery specialist

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Cardiac Surgery (Cardiovascular & Great Vessel Surgery)

Clinical Scope

• Coronary artery disease (CABG — coronary artery bypass grafting)
• Valvular heart disease (valve replacement, valve repair/reconstruction)
• Congenital heart disease (pediatric cardiovascular surgery)
• Great vessel diseases (aortic dissection, aortic aneurysm)
• Atrial fibrillation (radiofrequency ablation, left atrial appendage occlusion)
• End-stage heart failure (heart transplantation, ventricular assist devices)

Technical Highlights

• Performed China's first closed mitral valve commissurotomy (Prof. Lan Xichun)
• Developed China's first bubble oxygenator for cardiopulmonary bypass
• Pioneered seamless plastic artificial blood vessels in China
• Internationally original modified David procedure (aortic root reconstruction)
• China's first combined CABG + heart valve replacement

Six Subspecialties

1. Valvular Heart Disease & Aortic Root Reconstruction
2. Minimally Invasive Cardiovascular Surgery
3. Heart Failure & Atrial Fibrillation Surgery
4. Coronary & Vascular Surgery
5. Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery
6. Extracorporeal Circulation

Department Lead

• Dr. Kong Ye: Director of Cardiac Surgery, Chief of Valvular Heart Disease & Aortic Root Reconstruction

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Facilities & Scale

• Licensed beds: 580 | Operative beds: 964
• 23 wards, plus ICU, CCU, day surgery, and clinical research units

• 1,400 staff, including >160 senior attending physicians

• 62 doctoral/master's supervisors
• 32 specialists receiving State Council Special Allowance

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Research & Education

• Affiliated institutes: Shanghai Chest Tumor Research Institute, Central Laboratory, Cardiopulmonary & Vascular Translational Research Center, Biobank
• Hosts National Key R&D Programs, National 863 Projects, and NSFC Major Projects
• Designated as National Cardiothoracic Surgery Training Base since 1957
• Only Center of Excellence in Mainland China accredited by the Asian Thoracoscopic Education Program (ATEP)
• International Fellowship Program training surgeons from Europe, the UK, Italy, Greece, and beyond

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Historical Milestones

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Plan Your Visit

• Appointments: Hospital official channels or through ChinaMed Select
• Address: No. 241 Huaihai West Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
• Phone: +86-21-22808888
• Hospital Website: www.shchy.com

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Need expert cardiothoracic care? Contact ChinaMed Select for a free, personalized consultation. We'll review your condition and imaging, connect you with the right cardiothoracic surgery team at Shanghai Chest Hospital, and coordinate your entire journey — from medical record translation to post-operative follow-up.