Ye Chunxiu (1924–2014) Professor of Surgery, former Deputy Director of Thoracic Surgery, Renji Hospital

Introduction

He was a surgeon of exceptional skill and profound compassion, an inventor whose vision transformed the practice of medicine. His pioneering work on artificial hearts and heart-lung machines forged an enduring legacy of hope and healing.

Driven by an unwavering dedication, he confronted heart disease—one of humanity’s most formidable adversaries. Whether in the operating theater or the research laboratory, his passion and genius produced groundbreaking medical miracles that defied the limits of his time.

His innovations became a lifeline for patients suffering from cardiac conditions, delivering hope in an era when effective treatments were scarce. Faced with limited technology, he overcame immense technical barriers through sheer determination and a profound reverence for life, turning theoretical dreams into life-saving realities. His life stood as a testament to the relentless pursuit of innovation and an unshakable belief in the value of human life.

The Path to Medicine

The dream of an artificial heart—a mechanical device capable of fully replicating the human heart’s function—has long captivated the medical world. It promised a bridge to transplantation for patients or even a permanent solution. Realizing this vision demanded breakthroughs across bioengineering, materials science, and physiology.

Ye Chunxiu (1924–2014), the man who would later be hailed as the “Father of the Chinese Artificial Heart,” was born in Shanghai. A brilliant student, he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from St. John’s University Medical School (1943–1950), a prestigious institution at the time, renowned for its English-language instruction and rigorous training.

Ye’s education took place during a turbulent period in mid-20th-century China, where war, widespread poverty, and resource scarcity created immense obstacles for medical progress. Yet, his steadfast resolve and academic excellence allowed him to persevere. His medical training ignited a lifelong passion for scientific discovery and laid the groundwork for his future innovations.

Upon graduating in 1950, as the nation was rebuilding after war, Ye dedicated his career to cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery—fields in desperate need of specialists. He joined two of China’s premier institutions, Shanghai Renji Hospital and Ruijin Hospital, bringing advanced cardiac care to a nation in urgent need.

In the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Ruijin Hospital, Ye ventured into the then-nascent field of heart surgery. With advanced equipment and techniques largely inaccessible, he and his team operated under extreme constraints to perform complex procedures. Ye mastered international surgical methods while adapting them to the unique needs of his local patients, earning acclaim for his expertise despite the limited resources.

It was here, facing the limits of what was possible, that Ye recognized the transformative potential of an artificial heart. Though theoretically promising, its practical implementation seemed almost impossible. Undeterred, he committed himself to bridging this gap—blending clinical practice, research, and engineering to pioneer a solution.

Breakthroughs in Artificial Hearts and Heart-Lung Machines

Ye’s research began in the 1950s, a time when China was internationally isolated and severely lacking in materials. International embargoes meant that even basic supplies, like plastic tubing, were unfamiliar to his team. A famous anecdote illustrates their predicament: his department head once had to disassemble a fountain pen’s ink sac to demonstrate its function.

Yet, it was in this adversity that Ye’s ingenuity thrived. Drawing on his medical expertise and inventive spirit, he pioneered cardiac devices with a resourcefulness that would later be compared to the fictional hero MacGyver. His guiding principle became: “Innovation begins where resources end.”

In 1956, Ye designed the finger-cuff pump, a critical component for artificial hearts that mimicked the body’s natural blood-pumping mechanics. This breakthrough required translating intricate physiology into reliable machinery—a feat he achieved through relentless experimentation with whatever materials were on hand.

By 1958, Ye had refined this into the Sigma motor pump, a temporary cardiac-assist device. Concurrently, his team developed a rotating membrane oxygenator, advancing the technology for extracorporeal circulation. These innovations paved the way for his landmark achievement: the Shanghai Type II Artificial Heart-Lung Machine.

Progress slowed amid the social and political upheavals of the era, such as the Great Leap Forward. Animal testing—essential for validating the devices—faced political criticism as a “waste” of resources. Ye’s team came under scrutiny, accused of prioritizing “technical expertise over ideological alignment.” Only his steadfast leadership protected their research from being shut down.

In 1961, Ye transferred to the Cardiac Surgery Department at Renji Hospital, where the critical work continued. Just two years later, in 1963, against all odds, his team unveiled the Shanghai Type II Artificial Heart-Lung Machine—China’s first domestically designed and built system of its kind.

This breakthrough revolutionized cardiac surgery in China. The machine temporarily took over heart and lung functions during operations, enabling complex procedures previously deemed impossible. Its performance rivaled the leading international models of the time, suddenly elevating China’s standing in the global medical technology community.

The Shanghai Type II became a source of national pride and a powerful tool of scientific diplomacy. According to state news archives, it was presented as a gift to nations like Vietnam, Indonesia, Algeria, and Mongolia, symbolizing China’s newfound technological capabilities.

Ye Chunxiu’s legacy transcended borders and his inventions. He proved that world-class medical devices could emerge from the most resource-constrained environments, inspiring generations of engineers and surgeons to challenge the impossible. His life’s work remains a powerful testament to human ingenuity in the service of life itself.

Restarting After a Decade of Stagnation

In 1977, as China emerged from a decade of turmoil known as the Cultural Revolution, Ye Chunxiu’s work could finally resume. That year, he and his team successfully developed a disposable curved-tube bubble oxygenator and a cored multi-tube blood heat exchanger. These new devices significantly enhanced the safety and effectiveness of extracorporeal circulation, helping to popularize and advance the field of cardiac surgery across the country.

The development of the disposable curved-tube bubble oxygenator was a major technological leap. Its design was aimed at reducing the risk of cross-infection and improving oxygenation efficiency. By using disposable materials, surgeons could eliminate the time-consuming process of cleaning and sterilizing equipment, greatly simplifying procedures and enhancing surgical safety.

Meanwhile, the cored multi-tube blood heat exchanger solved the critical problem of controlling blood temperature during extracorporeal circulation. The device could precisely regulate a patient’s blood temperature, ensuring optimal physiological conditions were maintained throughout surgery. This series of innovations further solidified the leading position of Ye Chunxiu’s team in the field of circulatory support technology.

In 1976, Ye had designed and begun constructing a counterpulsation assist device, complete with its control console. The advent of this device offered a new treatment option for patients with heart disease. Its primary function was to provide additional mechanical support to a failing heart, helping it restore a normal pumping rhythm. The application of this technology significantly improved survival rates and quality of life for countless patients.

The success of the Counterpulsation Assist Device was not just a technological innovation; it was a reflection of Ye’s profound medical expertise and relentless spirit of exploration. At a time when many patients faced life-threatening risks from heart failure, this device brought new hope.

In 1984, this achievement was honored with the Ministry of Health’s Class II Award for Major Scientific Achievements. This national recognition not only celebrated the efforts of Ye Chunxiu and his team but also laid a solid foundation for the future development of cardiac surgical technology in China.

In 1979, as a pioneer of extracorporeal circulation in China, Ye traveled to the United States for an academic exchange. In a laboratory at the University of Utah, he met the renowned Dr. Willem Johan Kolff, one of the founding fathers of artificial heart technology. During their conversation, after learning of the immense difficulties Ye had faced in his research, Kolff pulled an ordinary Swiss Army knife from his pocket and casually stated, “I used this knife to make the first artificial heart.” The simple statement gave Ye a profound revelation. Kolff’s even more famous saying, “Since the heart can grow, it can certainly be built,” further strengthened Ye’s confidence in his quest to build an artificial heart.

Also in 1979, the Shanghai Type III Artificial Heart-Lung Machine, incorporating a series of improvements, was successfully launched and won the Shanghai Science and Technology Collaboration Award. This award marked the further maturation of China’s domestically produced heart-lung machine technology. The Shanghai Type III outperformed its predecessor in every aspect, with significant improvements in operational ease and safety.

The success of the Shanghai Type III strengthened China’s technological foundation in cardiac surgery and built greater trust—both domestically and internationally—in Chinese medical equipment. During this period, as technology continued to improve and clinical applications deepened, domestically produced artificial heart-lung machines gradually became standard equipment in an increasing number of hospitals.

In 1984, Ye Chunxiu and his team successfully developed artificial heart blood pumps using new methods. This breakthrough provided fresh ideas and approaches for the development of a fully artificial heart. By optimizing the structure and function of the blood pump, his team improved its efficiency and enhanced its stability in clinical applications.

This achievement earned international recognition from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in the United States, which awarded Ye an Honorary Master’s Degree in Artificial Organs. Concurrently, he was appointed to the Membership Qualification Review Committee of the International Society for Artificial Organs (ISAO). These honors significantly enhanced his influence in the global academic community. From that point on, as a leading expert in the field, Ye began publishing internationally and collaborating with researchers worldwide, promoting the global development of artificial heart technology.

In 1987, Ye achieved another breakthrough with the successful development of the “Spiral Vortex Pump.” The design was inspired by his deep research into traditional pump structures. Its core innovation was the use of a unique spiral vortex fluid dynamics principle to dramatically improve the efficiency and stability of blood pumping, a critical advancement for cardiac assist devices.

In 1989, Ye successfully obtained an international patent for the Spiral Vortex Pump. This patent not only protected his invention but also gave it legitimate technical protection in the global market. The acquisition of this international patent further elevated Ye’s reputation in the global medical technology field and won China important technological influence in the international arena of artificial hearts.

In the 1990s, Ye’s research focus shifted toward the development of ventricular assist blood pumps. In 1995, in collaboration with the Guangdong Provincial Cardiothoracic Disease Research Institute, he developed the “Luo-Ye Pump.” It became the only domestically produced ventricular assist device approved for clinical use in China, marking a significant breakthrough for the nation in the field of cardiac assist technology.

Technologically, the “Luo-Ye” Pump was on par with the advanced international standards of its time, filling a critical domestic void and providing new hope for many patients requiring ventricular assistance.

The success of the “Luo-Ye” Pump also spurred national attention and support for cardiac assist devices. The pump received a national patent and was included in China’s Ninth and Tenth Five-Year Plans, signifying its strategic importance. These honors reflected the pump’s technological breakthrough and the state’s recognition of its value. The popularization of this ventricular assist device provided more treatment options for heart disease patients and significantly advanced China’s medical technology.

Entering the new millennium, while continuing to achieve translational successes, Ye actively contributed to academic research, publishing in several important journals. In 2000, his team published an article on right ventricular function during left heart bypass. In 2001, they published a study on the performance of butterfly valves in pulsatile pumps. In 2003, Ye published a review of the history and implications of extracorporeal circulation. These papers provided valuable insights and data for the global research community.

“Continuous innovation” was the hallmark of Ye Chunxiu’s life. His relentless drive to break new ground led to outstanding achievements in cardiac surgery. To honor his extraordinary contributions, the Chinese Society of Extracorporeal Circulation awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.

Ye Chunxiu passed away in 2014 at the age of 90. His death drew widespread attention from the medical community and society at large. As a pioneer of extracorporeal circulation technology in China, his contributions were highly esteemed at home and respected internationally. He dedicated his life to technological innovation in the treatment of heart disease. From early heart pumps to modern ventricular assist devices, his research and inventions brought the hope of life to countless patients.

Today, when people remember him, one word inevitably comes to mind: innovation. Perhaps, this is the greatest legacy he left to the world.

Editor: Chen Qing @ 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