Dr. Feng Zuorong(1923-2010)，Former Deputy Director of Thoracic Surgery, Renji Hospital 

Introduction

Dr. Feng Zhuorong was a transformative figure in Chinese cardiac surgery, whose innovations and compassion saved countless lives. He bridged critical gaps in cardiac care through groundbreaking procedures and embodied the healer’s spirit by leading emergency medical teams into disaster zones.

When earthquakes struck, Dr. Feng mobilized teams to provide frontline care. Working with limited resources amid devastated infrastructure, his teams performed life-saving surgeries around the clock, demonstrating extraordinary resilience and dedication.

During the formative years of cardiac surgery, Dr. Feng pioneered techniques that laid the foundation for modern practices in China. His publications—celebrated for their clarity, scientific rigor, and innovation—remain influential in the field. His legacy endures through his surgical techniques, research, and mentorship of generations of surgeons.

A doctor’s Path

Born in Shanghai in 1923, Feng Zhuorong came of age during a period of profound social upheaval. Determined to serve others, he pursued medicine at St. John’s University School of Medicine, a leading institution renowned for training exceptional physicians. Despite wartime disruptions that frequently interrupted classes, he completed rigorous medical training, graduating in 1949 with Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine degrees.

He began his career at Shanghai Hongren Hospital, where cardiac surgery was still in its infancy. Under the mentorship of surgical director Lan Xichun, Dr. Feng helped establish one of China’s first dedicated cardiac surgery units. His meticulous research—including international literature review, animal trials, and anatomical studies—culminated in a historic achievement.

On February 8, 1954, Dr. Feng assisted Lan Xichun in performing China’s first successful mitral commissurotomy, a minimally invasive procedure to treat heart valve disease. This breakthrough launched a new era of cardiac surgery in China, offering patients safer treatments and faster recovery.

Dr. Feng continued to innovate while mentoring young surgeons at Hongren Hospital. In 1957, following the hospital’s merger with Renji Hospital, he expanded his impact, advancing cardiac care and training future leaders in the field.

Pioneering Advances at Renji Hospital
Renji Hospital’s advanced facilities provided Dr. Feng with an ideal platform to expand cardiac surgery. He transformed the hospital’s emerging cardiac program into a center of excellence through clinical innovation, research, and mentorship.

Upon joining Renji, Dr. Feng confronted significant challenges. Despite the hospital’s reputation in other specialties, its cardiac surgery division was underdeveloped. Leveraging his expertise, he rapidly established diagnostic protocols and treatment frameworks. Collaborating with senior surgeons like Lan Xichun and Wang Yishan, he fostered a team-driven approach that accelerated the growth of Renji’s cardiothoracic surgery program.

During this period, Dr. Feng authored influential papers, including Arrhythmia During Mitral Commissurotomy and Its Management, which addressed critical intraoperative challenges. His research also encompassed open-heart surgery for aortic stenosis and innovative techniques for mitral valve repair using left ventricular dilators.

Aortic stenosis—a life-threatening valve condition—demands precise intervention to prevent heart failure. Under Dr. Lan’s mentorship, Dr. Feng refined surgical approaches for this complex disease, emphasizing meticulous documentation and patient safety. The open-heart technique enabled direct visualization of cardiac structures, allowing unprecedented precision in valve repair.

For mitral valve disease, Dr. Feng’s team pioneered the clinical use of left ventricular dilators during commissurotomy. This breakthrough expanded surgical visibility, significantly improving procedural accuracy and outcomes—a transformative advancement in valvular surgery.

Beyond individual techniques, Dr. Feng championed comprehensive valvular disease management. He instituted multidisciplinary collaboration, uniting surgeons, cardiologists, and nurses to optimize patient care.

In 1960, Dr. Feng performed China’s first successful ligation of a coronary artery-pulmonary artery fistula—a rare congenital anomaly—marking the dawn of coronary surgery in the country. The 1960s brought further milestones: 1) He participated in China’s first cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) resection of a left atrial myxoma, pioneering cardiac tumor treatment; 2) His research on CPB complications enhanced surgical safety protocols; Analysis of 500 mitral commissurotomy cases yielded critical insights into complication management.

In 1972, Dr. Feng co-developed “acupuncture-assisted anesthesia for CPB open-heart surgery,” performing 240 such procedures—a global first. He also addressed complex cases, including congenital coronary anomalies and reoperative mitral stenosis.

Dr. Feng’s decade at Renji epitomized surgical innovation and compassionate care, bringing renewed hope to countless patients.

Courage Amid Catastrophe: The Tangshan Earthquake
When a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Tangshan on July 28, 1976, Dr. Feng mobilized a Shanghai medical team to the disaster zone within hours.

Navigating destroyed infrastructure and limited communication, his team arrived with essential supplies to treat survivors trapped in rubble. Working in makeshift tents with improvised equipment, they performed life-saving surgeries under constant threat of aftershocks.

Among the critically injured was 13-year-old Xue Cunliang, who suffered severe trauma alongside congenital mitral stenosis. Dr. Feng, assisted by surgeon Liu Jinfen, performed emergency mitral commissurotomy in extreme conditions. The successful surgery—restoring blood flow through the narrowed valve—was hailed as a medical miracle.

Dr. Feng remained in Tangshan for nearly a year, leading sustained recovery efforts. His leadership during the crisis became an enduring inspiration, demonstrating that a physician’s duty extends beyond treating illness to restoring hope in humanity’s darkest hours.

A Pioneer in Modern Cardiac Surgery

As China opened its doors to global collaboration in the late 1970s, Dr. Feng Zhuorong embraced this era of transformation to revolutionize cardiac care at Renji Hospital. His work during this pivotal period established new standards in heart surgery that would influence practices worldwide.

Dr. Feng turned his focus to valvular heart disease, publishing groundbreaking clinical outcomes that refined surgical approaches. His seminal paper on antibiotic prophylaxis in valve surgery provided essential protocols to prevent postoperative infections—a critical advancement in patient safety.

Simultaneously, he spearheaded innovations in heart valve technology. At the time, surgeons relied on two options: durable mechanical valves requiring lifelong blood thinners, or bioprosthetic valves from animal tissue that avoided anticoagulants but had shorter lifespans. Dr. Feng recognized the potential of bovine pericardium—tissue from cow hearts—as a superior bioprosthetic material. Throughout the 1980s, he led collaborative research optimizing its selection, processing, and sterilization. Their work demonstrated bovine pericardium’s exceptional compatibility with the human body, reducing rejection risks. By meticulously documenting surgical outcomes and refining implantation techniques, the team proved these valves could safely serve patients for over a decade while eliminating the need for anticoagulants.

His contributions extended to surgical fundamentals. In 1981, Dr. Feng co-authored pivotal studies on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)—the life-support system enabling open-heart surgery. His team established guidelines for preventing and managing CPB complications, protocols still referenced today. Equally transformative was his work on myocardial protection. With colleague Wang Yishan, he developed a specialized solution combining potassium and magnesium with controlled hypothermia. This innovation temporarily stopped the heart during surgery while minimizing muscle damage, dramatically improving patient survival and recovery.

A Lifetime of Innovation

Even after retirement, Dr. Feng remained at the forefront of cardiac medicine. He refined techniques for repairing ventricular septal defects and pioneered corrective surgeries for complex congenital conditions like tetralogy of Fallot in adult patients. His research on cardiac tumors and experimental models of heart injury prevention continued to push surgical boundaries.

Dr. Feng authored over 160 papers in leading international journals, covering cardiovascular and thoracic surgery with characteristic clarity and rigor. His most enduring contribution came as co-editor of Cardiac Surgery (later Cardiovascular Surgery), first published in 1959. This comprehensive textbook became the cornerstone of cardiac surgical training across Asia. He dedicated his final years to preparing a third edition as a tribute to his mentor Lan Xichun—a project left unfinished at his death, a profound personal regret.

Beyond research, Dr. Feng shaped global medicine through leadership roles in the International Society of Surgery and editorial boards of prestigious journals. His peer reviews and malpractice consultations elevated standards of care, while his mentorship cultivated generations of surgeons who continue his work.

Dr. Feng Zhuorong passed away on July 28, 2010, in Shanghai. Medical institutions worldwide celebrate his legacy through symposiums and tributes. His surgical techniques remain standard practice, his textbooks train new surgeons, and his philosophy—uniting precision, innovation, and unwavering patient focus—endures as a blueprint for excellence in cardiovascular medicine.

Editor: Chen Qing @ ShanghaiDoctor.cn, If you'd like to contact to Dr. Chen, please be free to contact the email of Chenqing@ShanghaiDoctor.cn.

Note: Chinese Sources from “The Path of Benevolent Medicine” which was published in 2024. It records 90 important medical figures in the history of Renji Hospital. Yewen Renyi (ShanghaiDoctor.cn) team was one of the major writers of the book and is authorized by Renji hospital to create English version on the website of ShanghaiDoctor.cn