Zhongshan Hospital has a long and distinguished history in the field of kidney transplantation. Its development is not only a testament to the progress of renal transplantation technology in China but also a witness to the continuous breakthroughs and innovations in medical science and technology.

Historical Milestones

Early Exploration

The exploration of kidney transplantation at Zhongshan Hospital began in the 1950s with numerous animal experiments. In January 1970, the hospital courageously performed one of the first allogeneic kidney transplants in China. Although the patient only survived for 45 days, this marked the hospital's official entry into the realm of kidney transplantation, making it one of the earliest institutions in the country to undertake such procedures.

Landmark Achievements

On July 14, 1974, under the leadership of Professor Xiong Rucheng, a pioneer in urology, Zhongshan Hospital achieved a historic breakthrough by successfully performing the first long-term surviving cadaveric kidney transplant in China, with the patient surviving for nine years. This accomplishment significantly boosted the morale of the medical team and laid a solid foundation for the future development of kidney transplantation technology. In 1977, the kidney transplantation research won the Shanghai Municipal Major Scientific and Technological Achievement Award. In 1978, the kidney transplant team was honored with the National Advanced Collective in Medical and Health Technology at the National Medical and Health Technology Conference. Papers on this research were subsequently published in the "Chinese Medical Journal" and the "Chinese Journal of Surgery" in 1979. In the same year, doctoral student Chen Huifang successfully preserved an isolated kidney for 96 hours using perfluorocarbon artificial blood, and this perfusion solution was applied clinically.

Rapid Development

Entering the 1980s, Zhongshan Hospital's kidney transplantation technology entered a period of rapid development. In 1983, the hospital published China's first monograph on organ transplantation, "Kidney Transplantation," by People's Medical Publishing House, providing valuable references for theoretical research and clinical practice in the field. That same year, Professor Xiong Rucheng organized a kidney transplantation training course, contributing significantly to the cultivation of specialized talents in kidney transplantation.

Pediatric Kidney Transplantation

In 1991, Zhongshan Hospital set another record by successfully performing the first kidney transplant on an 8-year-old child in China, marking significant progress in pediatric kidney transplantation. Since then, the hospital has continuously expanded the indications for kidney transplantation, bringing hope to patients of different age groups.

Technological Innovations

In the 21st century, the kidney transplantation team at Zhongshan Hospital has achieved remarkable advancements in technological innovation. In 2004, the hospital successfully performed a hand-assisted laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy and kidney transplantation, significantly reducing donor pain and recovery time while improving the safety and success rate of the surgery. This new technique won the third prize of the Shanghai Clinical Medical Achievement Award in 2005. In 2009, Zhongshan Hospital pioneered the exploration of immune tolerance induction through combined kidney transplantation and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from living donors. In 2016, the team successfully performed Shanghai’s first mother-daughter kidney cancer donor and kidney transplant surgery, and also initiated ABO-incompatible living donor kidney transplantation in Shanghai. In 2020, the hospital was the first in Shanghai to perform kidney transplantation for HIV-positive recipients and to use phage therapy combined with antibiotics to treat post-transplant drug-resistant bacterial infections, achieving excellent results. The successful application of these new technologies has not only improved the success rate and long-term survival of kidney transplant patients but also provided new approaches and methods for solving some of the challenges in the field of kidney transplantation.

Establishment of Department of Kidney Transplantation

In May 2024, the Party Committee of Zhongshan Hospital decided to establish the Department of Kidney Transplantation, providing greater opportunities and challenges for the development of kidney transplantation. Currently, the department has three chief physicians, three associate chief physicians, two attending physicians, and one resident physician. The kidney transplantation team at Zhongshan Hospital will continue to uphold the service philosophy of "patient-centered," continually innovating and making breakthroughs to bring hope to more patients. The hospital will also strengthen its exchanges and cooperation with international and domestic peers to make greater contributions to the advancement and development of kidney transplantation technology.