Su Hongxi: The Surgeon Who Brought Open-Heart Surgery to China

Known for his pioneering role in cardiovascular surgery, medical trailblazer Su Hongxi discovered many firsts: first open heart surgery in China, first aorta-carotid bypass in China, and first president of the Chinese Society Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 

Su graduated from National Central University’s school of medicine where he served as first an assistant then an instructor, and moved to the United States in 1949 after receiving an internship offer. His time in the United States opened up the world of medicine even further for Su, allowing him to succeed in the role of resident in surgery at Wissler hospital affiliated with Northwestern University’s School of Medicine and Chicago Tuberculosis Nursing Home. In a further pursuit of education, he underwent a graduate degree at Cardiac Vascular Surgery of School of Medicine of the University of Illinois. 

Throughout his fruitful education in the United States, Su became particularly inspired by American surgeon John Gibbon’s success of using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) pumps that were, notably, unavailable in his homeland. This machine plays a large role in open heart surgery, temporarily taking over the function of the heart and lungs by maintaining the circulation of blood and oxygen throughout the body and providing a bloodless field for the surgeon to operate in. Su sought to bring this technology back to China, purchasing said pumps and beginning his journey back. Due to the China-US tensions at the time, this journey was complicated and only made possible with the help of Su’s American wife, Jane Mcdonald. She assisted Su in transporting the CPB pumps to Canada, Europe, and Britain, where she met up with Su, where they then travelled over Europe and Asia, ultimately arriving in Beijing with the precious pumps.

On June 26, 1958, Su performed the first successful open heart procedure in mainland China, repairing the ventricular septal defect on a 6-year-old patient under extracorporeal circulation. This operation was a landmark event, opening China up to numerous open-heart surgery techniques that, in turn, saved countless lives. After this monumental operation, Su continued to pave his way in the cardio vascular surgery field, pioneering the use of artificial blood vessels, assisting in developing myocardial preservation techniques, and contributing largely to research on intracranial hemorrhage mechanisms. 

After a long and rewarding life, Su died at the age of 103 in 2018. While his life passes, the remarkable and world changing feat he has accomplished continues to be appreciated today. 

Written by Renee Wang at Incisionary

APA References

Wu, Q. (n.d.). Evolution of cardiovascular surgery in China: A historical perspective. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11771740/

Yang, S., Hu, H., Zheng, X., Wang, S., & Yuan, L. (2021, April 18). Legacy of Hongxi Su: Pioneer of ChineseCardiosurgery. National Library of Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9232666/