Chongqing - On October 15, the Training Course on Five-Dimensional Respiratory Intervention Technology for Belt and Road Countries officially opened at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Organized by the International Exchange and Cooperation Center of the National Health Commission, the program brings together 15 healthcare professionals from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Grenada and other countries for a 27-day intensive training in Chongqing.
The course addresses the heavy global burden of respiratory diseases and the urgent need for comprehensive interventional solutions. It centers on the 5D respiratory interventional diagnosis and treatment system pioneered by Professor Guo Shuliang, Director of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at the hospital. The system integrates interventions through the airway, pulmonary vasculature, percutaneous, transthoracic and transesophageal routes, creating a three-dimensional, minimally invasive model for lung disease care. By combining multiple technologies and platforms, it enables patients to complete examination and treatment in a one-stop, streamlined process, avoiding repeated referrals across departments.
To support this system, the hospital has built the world’s first “digital and intelligent one-stop 5D respiratory interventional operating room,” equipped with artificial intelligence, 3D imaging navigation and real-time dynamic monitoring. The cutting-edge facility allows combined multi-route procedures under a single anesthesia, truly achieving a one-stop technical workflow for patients. As a result, the average hospital stay has been reduced from one week to three days.
Backed by the system and platform, Professor Guo’s team has achieved a series of national and international firsts in interventional pulmonology. These include the world’s first hybrid surgical-interventional recanalization of main bronchial atresia, HybridKnife-assisted airway tumor resection, combined EBUS-DSA-guided pulmonary artery stent placement, and VA-ECMO-assisted EBUS-TBVNA biopsy of pulmonary artery lesions. In China, the team was the first to perform transbronchial cryobiopsy, coil occlusion for bronchopleural fistula, bronchial artery embolization with Onyx glue for refractory massive hemoptysis, and an invasive-to-noninvasive closed-loop ventilation technique to facilitate weaning in difficult-to-wean patients. These innovations offer minimally invasive, multidisciplinary solutions for complex and life-threatening respiratory conditions that were previously treated with lung resection or open surgery, preserving lung tissue, reducing trauma, improving diagnostic accuracy and saving lives.
The training curriculum includes theoretical lectures, real-time surgical observation and hands-on practice. Trainees will observe live clinical operations, and some will participate as assistants in actual procedures. The program also arranges practical sessions on respiratory endoscopy and cryoablation equipment, strengthening both clinical skills and international collaboration.
By sharing this original technical system developed in Chongqing with medical workers from Belt and Road partner countries, the program marks another step forward in the internationalization of Chongqing’s healthcare. As the 15 trainees return home with advanced skills and knowledge, Chongqing’s medical innovation is taking root and bearing fruit around the world, contributing to improved respiratory care for patients across the globe.
