Liang Qichen (1908-2001), Professor of Surgery, Shanghai Xinhua Hospital

Introduction:

Dr. Liang Qichen emerged as a pioneering figure in Chinese medicine, transforming the field through groundbreaking surgical innovations.

During the 1950s, he dedicated himself to clinical practice and surgical education, holding leadership positions in thoracic surgery at Shanghai’s major hospitals—including Renji Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical College, Ninth People’s Hospital, and Xinhua Hospital.

He performed China’s first successful open-heart surgery and co-founded the Shanghai Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgical Society, establishing himself as the nation’s leading authority in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery during that era.

After 1978, despite being in his seventies, he spearheaded the rebuilding of Xinhua Hospital’s surgical programs. His mentorship laid critical foundations for younger surgeons, exemplifying lifelong dedication to advancing medical excellence.

Medical Journey:

In 1932, a young man driven by passion for medicine earned his medical doctorate from Cheeloo University Medical School. Founded in 1864, Cheeloo University stood as a prestigious institution in Jinan—a historic city nestled between Mount Tai and the Yellow River. Its medical school ranked among China’s earliest centers for Western medical education, drawing ambitious students nationwide. Here, Liang Qichen received systematic medical training and rigorous academic discipline.

Upon graduating, Liang Qichen’s pursuit of medical excellence continued. In 1933, he joined Cheeloo University Hospital, launching his medical career. As a leading medical center of its era, the hospital provided a platform to apply his knowledge and refine his skills. Starting as an assistant, he sharpened his clinical expertise through daily practice.

Before the 1930s, Weihaiwei remained under British colonial rule, where Western medical practices and facilities had taken root. When China’s National Government reclaimed Weihaiwei, Liang relocated from Jinan to serve as Director of Surgery at Weihaiwei Public Hospital, overseeing the entire surgical department.

Subsequently, he held positions at Yantai Yuhuangding Presbyterian Public Hospital and the French Hospital, quickly rising to director. Serving both Chinese and international patients broadened his global perspective and opened new avenues for growth.

In 1947, amid post-World War II reconstruction, Liang Qichen traveled to the United States. Arriving in the U.S., he first pursued specialized training in pulmonology and thoracic surgery at New York State Hospital, marking a new career chapter.

At New York State Hospital, Liang collaborated with top experts and tackled complex cases. He witnessed rapid postwar medical advancements—from novel antibiotics to sophisticated surgical tools and pioneering procedures in pulmonary and thoracic care. This experience profoundly expanded his expertise and vision.

From Cheeloo to Weihai, Yantai, and finally New York, Liang Qichen’s journey was one of continuous growth, yet he always yearned for family and homeland. His medical path demanded resilience amid turbulent times—a testament to unwavering dedication.

“China stands on the brink of a new era; I must return.”

In 1949, as China underwent transformative change, Liang Qichen brought advanced medical knowledge back to contribute to the nation’s healthcare reconstruction. His mission: serve his people, elevate domestic medical standards, and benefit countless patients.

In 1950, Liang’s career entered a new phase. He served as consultant physician, professor, and director of thoracic surgery at Shanghai Renji Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical College, and Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital. These institutions represented pinnacles of medical education and clinical practice in China, attracting exceptional talent.

Renji Hospital, Shanghai’s oldest, boasted an extensive medical network and demanding clinical responsibilities. As consultant and professor, Liang leveraged his expertise to advance thoracic surgical care while mentoring young physicians.

At Shanghai Second Medical College, Liang taught as a professor, nurturing a new generation of medical talent—a role he found deeply fulfilling. In an era requiring urgent medical education reform, his global perspective revitalized curricula, teaching methods, and research.

As professor of thoracic surgery, Liang advanced the discipline through surgical excellence, hospital management, and team leadership. Shanghai’s post-1949 medical progress—especially breakthroughs in cardiac and vascular surgery—established the city as the cradle of China’s cardiovascular field. Under pioneers like Liang, Shanghai’s medical community embraced innovation, bringing new hope to cardiac patients nationwide.

Liang Qichen’s contributions to China’s thoracic and cardiovascular surgery were pivotal. In 1953, his team pioneered the “cross-inversion thoracoplasty for tuberculosis” in Shanghai—an innovative procedure reshaping the thorax to accommodate pulmonary changes. This marked a major advance in tuberculosis treatment, showcasing the team’s mastery of surgical theory and bold practice.

In September 1954, Liang performed a closed pulmonary valvulotomy via the right ventricle—China’s first intracardiac surgery transitioning from extracardiac to closed-heart techniques. This successful operation offered patients renewed hope and signified a leap in China’s cardiac surgery, proving Chinese physicians could master the world’s most advanced methods.

In 1955, Liang achieved further success with a “ventricular-based pulmonary valvuloplasty for stenosis,” again demonstrating his innovative surgical prowess.

On January 4, 1957, a historic moment arrived for China’s thoracic and cardiovascular surgery. In that era, open-heart surgery was considered nearly insurmountable. The heart—humanity’s most vital and fragile organ—posed extreme risks; even minor contact could cause distress, let alone opening it for intervention. For patients with congenital intracardiac defects, the absence of mature open-heart techniques often meant incurable conditions or death.

For Liang Qichen and his colleague Wang Yishan, this was a test of courage, reason, and wisdom. In an era without modern medical equipment, they successfully performed China’s first open-heart surgery under hypothermia—a pulmonary valvuloplasty for stenosis. The technical challenges were immense: cardiac blood flow had to be halted within five minutes, while the entire procedure lasted six hours. Yet, the patient remained stable, and the surgery succeeded—a landmark achievement in Chinese medicine at the time.

This breakthrough was three years in the making. In 1954, during a separation surgery for pulmonary stenosis, Liang recognized the impossibility of directly opening the heart without specialized tools, leading to suboptimal results. The concept of “open-heart surgery” then took shape in his mind. To overcome this barrier, Liang innovated. After extensive literature review, he collaborated with cardiologists, anesthesiologists, and surgeons—including Tao Qing, Li Xingfang, and Dong Fangzhong—to study the challenge. Through rigorous animal experiments, they drafted the blueprint for open-heart surgery.

The success inaugurated a new era: open-heart surgery made once-incurable heart conditions treatable. Techniques using hypothermia or cardiopulmonary bypass to open the heart were no longer insurmountable, revitalizing cardiology and thoracic surgery.

Liang’s breakthrough not only cemented his legacy in cardiac surgery history but also earned international acclaim for Chinese medicine. These achievements brought hope and extended lives to thousands of patients. Through his pioneering work, Liang’s influence grew, etching his name into the history of China’s cardiovascular surgery.

In recognition of these exceptional accomplishments, Liang Qichen and Wang Yishan later established one of China’s earliest master’s and doctoral programs in cardiovascular surgery at Renji Hospital.

Founding the Thoracic Surgery Group

In 1950s China, as healthcare rapidly advanced, the need for specialized medical organizations grew urgent. To foster professional collaboration and deepen research, the Thoracic Surgery Group was established to meet this demand.

In spring 1956, an expanded preparatory meeting of renowned Chinese surgical experts convened at Shanghai Renji Hospital to formally launch the Thoracic Surgery Group. Liang Qichen joined Professors Qiu Shaoling, Gu Kaishi, Shi Meixin, and Chen Zhaochang as founding members.

During preparations, Liang played a pivotal role. He actively contributed to discussions and planning, and at the expanded meeting, he reported on the preparatory process and read the statutes approved by the Chinese Medical Association headquarters. Liang’s presentation clarified the group’s mission and future direction, earning broad support for the initiative.

Under Liang’s advocacy and leadership, the Thoracic Surgery Group was officially founded, marking a new phase in China’s thoracic surgery development. In subsequent elections, surgical authority Huang Jiasi was elected chairman, with Liang as vice chairman and Professor Chen Zhaochang as secretary.

The Thoracic Surgery Group proved vital to advancing China’s thoracic surgery. It served as a platform for academic exchange while functioning as a key institution for education, training, and clinical research. Through this platform, Liang and fellow experts jointly promoted research and treatment advancements for lung cancer, tuberculosis, and other thoracic diseases, elevating China’s medical expertise in the field.

As thoracic surgery evolved, the Thoracic Surgery Group was dissolved in 1979 after fulfilling its historical mission. To sustain academic progress, a thoracic-cardiovascular surgery conference was held in Shanghai in November 1980. Professor Gu Kaishi was elected to oversee preparatory work. Subsequently, on January 16–17, 1981, the Thoracic-Cardiovascular Surgery Society (later renamed the Shanghai Medical Association Thoracic-Cardiovascular Surgery Branch) was formally established, with Professor Shi Meixin as inaugural chairman.

Over the next two decades, under successive chairmen, the Shanghai Thoracic-Cardiovascular Surgery Society achieved national prominence. It led in academic exchange, technical expertise, and research outcomes—particularly in cardiac valve surgery, coronary artery surgery, congenital heart disease surgery, thoracic aortic aneurysm surgery, and heart transplantation.

To address evolving subspecialty needs, the Division of Cardiovascular Surgery and Thoracic Surgery separated in 2013, establishing the Cardiovascular Surgery Branch. Professor Wang Chunshun served as founding chairman, with Professor Xu Zhiyun as chairman. This initiative further specialized the field, focusing on research, technological advancement, and academic exchange to deliver more precise patient care.

The Shanghai Thoracic-Cardiovascular Surgery Society is renowned for exceptional academic standards and medical expertise, earning domestic acclaim and attracting international collaborations. This has significantly propelled thoracic-cardiovascular surgery advancement in Shanghai—achievements built upon the foundation laid by pioneers like Liang Qichen.

Transition to Xinhua Hospital: Embracing New Challenges

1958 marked a pivotal year for Shanghai’s Yangpu District with the founding of Shanghai Xinhua Hospital. As the first comprehensive hospital independently designed and constructed by Shanghai after 1949, Xinhua Hospital was entrusted with significant new missions.

Located in Yangpu’s underdeveloped area, the hospital’s peripheral location and inconvenient transportation deterred many transferred physicians from reporting for duty. At the invitation of Dean Cao Yufeng, Liang Qichen joined Xinhua Hospital, playing a crucial role in developing its surgical department. He dedicated the latter half of his life to Xinhua Hospital.

Xinhua Hospital’s establishment signified a major stride in Shanghai’s healthcare development. As a comprehensive institution, it provided diverse internal medicine services while advancing medical research and education, actively elevating Shanghai’s medical standards and cultivating high-caliber healthcare talent.

The 1966 outbreak of the Cultural Revolution disrupted Liang’s work and that of many experts. Access to international literature became severely restricted, and numerous physicians were forced to leave their posts.

After the Cultural Revolution, Liang committed to restoring Xinhua Hospital’s surgical department. Through his efforts in the 1980s–1990s, multiple research achievements emerged, covering emergency surgical management of hemoptysis, advancements in traumatic flail chest treatment, diagnosis and therapy for cardiac and peripheral vascular injuries, and clinical reports on rare cases like triple primary esophageal cancer with cardia carcinoma. His dedication to medical research reflected both extensive clinical experience and meticulous case analysis.

Even at age 84 in 1992, Liang’s medical journey continued unabated. He relentlessly pursued innovation, applying the latest microwave tissue coagulation technology to treat advanced esophageal and cardia cancerous obstructions. Mastering new technologies in that era demanded immense effort and broad exchange. Liang’s spirit of learning and bold experimentation in his eighties earned deep admiration from peers.

In 2001, Liang Qichen passed away at age 93. Reflecting on his life, he was a trailblazing surgeon who consistently prioritized patients, remained unwavering in the face of challenges, relentless in exploration, and bold in innovation. He devoted himself to China’s thoracic-cardiovascular surgery, making significant contributions to the nation’s medical progress.