This is the only hospital in southern China specializing in cardiovascular diseases and authorized to perform heart transplants. Its core professionals are from Beijing Fu Wai Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, PLA No. 301 Hospital, and experts in cardiovascular disease who were trained overseas in the United States, Britain, Germany, Belgium, Australia and Japan. Since it conducted its first heart transplant surgery in 2002, heart transplantation has become routine at the hospital.390

Its staff includes 39 professors and chief surgeons, 61 associate chief surgeons, two post-doctoral fellows, 6 PhDs, and 41 with master’s degrees.391 The hospital’s business has developed rapidly; its new building with 500 beds will be put into use by the end of 2016.392

Its end-stage heart disease clinic (specializing in heart transplantation) is among the top ten clinics of excellence in Shenzhen. The clinic completed its first heart transplant in October 2002. Its longest survival time for transplant recipients has reached 10 years, an advanced level domestically. It has six chief surgeons and two associate chief surgeons.393

In the past ten-plus years, the hospital has done in-depth exploration and has gained extensive experience in myocardial protection, postoperative anti-rejection, and isolated postoperative care. Its heart transplantation technique has reached an advanced level in China.394

On September 30, 2003, chief surgeon Ji Shangyi and Yang Jian’an completed two heart transplants in six hours, taking turns as lead surgeon.395

Former hospital president Ji Shangyi was the academic leader of heart transplantation, deputy director of Guangdong Medical Thoracic Surgery Society, and an editor of the Chinese Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. He did postdoctoral research at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine in 1988, pursued further study at the Delaware Medical Center from 1992 to 1998, where he was appointed director of a surgery laboratory. He participated in heart transplant surgeries and accumulated extensive experience in the.396

Current hospital president Yang Jian’an took the lead in heart transplantation, and filled a gap in this field in the province. The success and survival rate of his heart transplant surgery has achieved an advanced level domestically. He is currently undertaking three national research projects under the “863 Program,” one national major technological research project, and four technological research projects in Shenzhen. He has won many medical achievement awards in Guangdong Province and published over 60 papers. 397