Members of a cardiothoracic surgery team from
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (NBIMC) were
official guests of the Chinese Government during
a recent medical exchange. The cardiac specialists
brought new developments in minimally invasive
cardiac surgery to Fujian University of Medical
Science in Fuzhou, China.
The leaders of the team, Craig R. Saunders, MD,
Chairman of Cardiothoracic Surgery of the Saint
Barnabas Health Care System, and Chunguang Chen,
MD, Director, Non-Invasive Cardiac Laboratory at
NBIMC, began this ongoing medical exchange 20 years
ago when they brought technology and resources
on the first medical mission to China. Since then,
Chinese physicians and nurses have visited NBIMC
as recently as 18 months ago.
Joining the team were, Thomas Komorowski, MD,
cardiologist; Miro N. Bergam, MD, anesthesiologist,
and Enrique Saro-Servando, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon,
as well as several cardiac nurses, a perfusionist
and an operating room technician. In addition to
performing six complex open heart surgeries in
three days, the team lectured on minimally invasive
valve repair, robotic surgery, surgical outcomes
and cardiac nursing care, as well as advances in
cardiac anesthesia, interventional cardiology and
cardiac imaging.
Members of the NBIMC team also visited three other
cardiac centers during the trip. “The teacher
always becomes the student in this kind of exchange,” said
Dr. Saunders. “We were particularly interested
in learning more about traditional Chinese medical
therapies that could potentially benefit our patients
in New Jersey.”
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Craig Saunders, MD,
Chairman of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Saint
Barnabas Health Care System, demonstrates
minimally invasive cardiac surgery techniques
for Chinese surgeons. |
|
Chunguang Chen, MD, Director, Non-Invasive
Cardiac Lab at Newark Beth Israel Medical
Center (left), reviews an echocardiogram
with a Chinese physician at Union Hospital
in Fuzhou, China. |
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Newark Beth Israel cardiac surgery team
members pose with their Chinese counterparts
following one of the six complex cardiac
surgeries performed during the exchange:
Terrill McGill, OR technician (standing,
left); Errique Saro-Servando, MD, cardiac
surgeon (standing right); and OR
nurse Theresa Scarpelli, RN (front row). |
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