Jiang Yu(1925~2019), Professor, Shanghai Second Medical University, Chairman, Shanghai Urology Association and Andrology Association, Chief Urologist of Renji Hospital

Introduction

Born in the canal towns south of the Yangtze River and shaped by a turbulent era, he spent five decades transforming from a medical student into a leading figure in urology. A pioneer in urology, he brought hope to patients with his surgical skill. In andrology, his vision illuminated the future of the field. His life’s work was a testament to advancing medical science.

Driven by deep compassion, he treated every patient with exceptional skill and empathy. Under the bright lights of the operating room, his steady hands and precise incisions reflected a profound respect for his craft. In the halls of Renji Hospital, he was a constant, determined presence. For him, each surgery was a life-affirming act.

He pioneered groundbreaking surgical techniques by blending traditional wisdom with modern science and Eastern insights with Western knowledge. As a dedicated mentor, he nurtured future generations, passing his knowledge to eager students. His teaching style was both gentle and profound, cultivating a deep thirst for knowledge in all who learned from him.

The Path to Medicine

The ancient city of Wuxi, a region known for producing great minds, is where Jiang Yu was born in May 1923. He would go on to become a towering figure in Chinese urology and andrology.

Jiang Yu’s father was a postal worker in Wuxi. During the late Republican era, the family lived modestly, yet despite supporting nine children, his father placed the highest value on each child’s education.

Jiang Yu pursued higher education during a period of national upheaval and a collective desire for self-strengthening. In the final years of the Republic, educational resources were scarce, making university an unattainable dream for most. Yet, through unwavering perseverance and a passion for medicine, Jiang Yu earned admission to the Shanghai Tongde Medical College, a predecessor of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.

Founded in the late 19th century, Shanghai Tongde Medical College was one of China’s earliest private medical schools. It embodied the aspirations of Chinese medical pioneers who sought to bridge traditional and modern, Eastern and Western medicine. With its rigorous academics and advanced facilities, Tongde quickly set the standard for medical education in the country. Its graduates were highly regarded for their clinical expertise and ethical standards, with many becoming leaders in the field.

Life at Tongde was not easy for Jiang Yu. Plagued by severe inflation, he relied on scholarships to sustain his studies. He never complained, channeling his energy into relentless hard work. He focused not just on textbooks but on practical skills, often spending entire days in the lab observing, experimenting, and seizing every clinical opportunity. Long after the campus lights dimmed, a faint glow would always remain in his window—a sign of his tireless dedication.

After graduating in 1950, Jiang Yu sought to broaden his clinical experience through internships at several hospitals, including Wuxi Puren Hospital and Shanghai’s Nanyang and Hongren Hospitals. His meticulous approach and strong medical ethics earned him the respect of colleagues and the trust of patients.

The year 1956 was pivotal. Following a nationwide restructuring of medical departments, Jiang Yu was transferred to the urology department at Renji Hospital, affiliated with the Shanghai Second Medical University. This marked the beginning of his distinguished career in urology. At Renji, a hospital with a rich history, he flourished as a physician, an explorer, and an innovator.

Trials and Triumphs at Renji Hospital

From the moment he joined Renji Hospital, Jiang Yu forged an unbreakable bond with the historic institution, dedicating himself entirely to the research and practice of urology. He knew that a physician needed not only solid medical knowledge but also a spirit of constant innovation. In an era of limited medical technology, Jiang Yu relied on his intellect and perseverance to pioneer numerous new techniques, making significant contributions to the development of Chinese urology.

By the 1950s, Renji Hospital was already a renowned medical center in China. Jiang Yu began his work in general surgery before transitioning to urology, where he continued to innovate, overcoming the technological limitations of the time.

In the early 1960s, Jiang Yu tackled one of his greatest challenges: treating refractory chyluria. Chyluria, a condition caused by lymphatic blockage that allows lipids to enter the urine, was a persistent problem in urology. Jiang Yu knew that a cure required addressing the root cause. He led his team in an in-depth study of the disease’s pathology and, after countless experiments, developed an innovative surgical technique involving precise lymphatic vessel reconstruction. This breakthrough successfully resolved the lymphatic obstruction, dramatically improving patients’ quality of life and causing a sensation in the medical community.

Jiang Yu also advanced the “extraperitoneal ileal conduit” procedure. At a time when treatment options for bladder cancer were limited and risky, he analyzed and improved traditional methods to create a new approach. This procedure uses a segment of the intestine to create a new urinary pathway outside the abdominal cavity, reducing complications and benefiting more patients.

The 1960s were a challenging period in China, and many medical technologies lagged behind the West. Jiang Yu actively participated in academic exchanges, attending international conferences to share his findings and learn from global experts. These engagements broadened his horizons and promoted the worldwide advancement of urology.

During the Cultural Revolution, a decade of turmoil that slowed China’s medical progress, Jiang Yu refused to let his work stop. He researched hemodialysis technology, optimizing equipment and procedures for Chinese patients. His improvements enhanced dialysis efficiency and safety, providing better treatment for renal failure patients. He also refined arteriovenous fistula surgery, shortening recovery times and reducing complications, which gave dialysis patients more reliable vascular access.

In the 1970s, Jiang Yu introduced laser technology into urology, particularly for treating bladder tumors. His clinical research demonstrated that laser surgery offered advantages like minimal trauma, less bleeding, and faster recovery, providing a new option for patients.

Shortly after the Cultural Revolution, Jiang Yu’s achievements were recognized with the Second Prize of the Shanghai Science and Technology Progress Award for his work on hemodialysis and arteriovenous fistulas, and the Third Prize for his research on laser treatment for bladder tumors. As China opened up, his research gained international attention, enhancing the global reputation of Chinese urology.

A Titan of Urology and Andrology

Jiang Yu’s impact extended beyond clinical medicine into academia and education. At the initiative of Chairman Wu Jieping, Jiang Yu founded China’s first andrology journal, the Chinese Journal of Andrology, in 1982. This landmark publication filled a critical void in the field, providing a platform for academic exchange and formally establishing andrology as an independent discipline in China.

During this period, Jiang Yu conducted in-depth research on prostate diseases. His papers systematically detailed diagnostic and treatment methods for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatitis, advancing early diagnostic techniques for prostate cancer.

In the field of male infertility, Jiang Yu carried out innovative studies exploring causes from endocrine factors to reproductive tract malformations. His findings enriched the theoretical understanding of the condition and offered new clinical strategies. He also researched sexual dysfunction, analyzing the physiological and psychological mechanisms behind issues like erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation (PE) to provide more comprehensive treatments.

Jiang Yu’s research earned international recognition, and he was frequently invited to present at academic conferences worldwide, bringing prestige to Chinese urology.

Concurrently, he was appointed a professor at Shanghai Second Medical University. From 1985 onward, he focused on cultivating the next generation of urologists. His teaching style emphasized the integration of theory and practice, prioritizing the development of clinical thinking and research skills in a patient-centered model. Under his guidance, his students became the backbone of the field in China.

After serving as Chairman of both the Shanghai Urology and Andrology Associations, Jiang Yu actively fostered domestic and international academic cooperation. His global perspective earned respect for China’s medical community. He became a Member of the International Society of Andrology and a Visiting Professor at Osaka University, further elevating the status of Chinese urologists.

Throughout the 1980s, Jiang Yu’s innovations robustly propelled the development of Chinese andrology, making indelible contributions to its modernization and integration into global medicine.

In the following decade, his academic influence continued to grow, and the Department of Urology at Renji Hospital became synonymous with excellence in the field. Starting in the 1990s, the department took on the responsibility of providing healthcare for senior government officials, a testament to its outstanding reputation. Jiang Yu met this honor and challenge with his characteristic dedication and skill.

Three years later, he was officially appointed Chairman of the Shanghai Urology and Andrology Associations. In these roles, he drove major academic projects and became a bridge between Chinese and global urology communities. His honors as a Member of the International Society of Andrology and a Visiting Professor at Osaka University reflected both his personal achievements and the growing international influence of Chinese urology.

During this time, Jiang Yu was a frequent presence at medical conferences worldwide. With his fluent English and deep expertise, he shared his research while absorbing advanced medical concepts from abroad. His insightful presentations earned the respect of his international peers.

Jiang Yu emphasized cultivating medical talent with a global perspective. He encouraged his students to study abroad, broaden their horizons, and learn advanced skills. Under his guidance, successive generations of young doctors grew into medical professionals with international competitiveness.

Legacy and Hope

After the new millennium, even in his later years, Jiang Yu’s passion for medicine remained undiminished. He continued to be active in the medical community with full vigor.

During this period, Jiang Yu continued to advance the field, shifting his focus from the front lines of clinical practice to academic research and mentoring the next generation. He knew that medicine’s progress relied on the transfer of knowledge from one generation to the next, so he dedicated his energy to guiding young doctors, hoping they would carry the torch of urology into the future.

In this era, Jiang Yu delved deeper into novel treatments for prostate cancer, with his research significantly improving patient survival rates and quality of life. His papers, published in journals like the Chinese Journal of Andrology, had a broad impact, providing practical treatment guidelines for clinicians.

Jiang Yu’s work on male infertility was also highly successful. His team analyzed the various causes of the condition and proposed a series of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic plans that significantly increased success rates, bringing hope to countless families.

In the field of sexual dysfunction, he conducted in-depth studies on the causes of conditions like erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, proposing comprehensive treatment approaches that offered patients more scientific and personalized solutions.

More importantly, the success of his students had already established a strong talent pipeline for the Department of Urology at Renji Hospital. Jiang Yu’s rigorous academic standards, profound medical knowledge, and deep compassion for patients became ingrained in the department’s culture, passed down to its younger members.

Huang Yiran, a second-level professor at Renji Hospital and one of Jiang Yu’s students, once said that the greatest legacy Jiang Yu left him was diligence. “Back then, we were at the Renji West Campus, and the working conditions were quite rudimentary. On sweltering summer days, Professor Jiang would sit in his small, pigeon-hole of an office, fanning himself with a simple fan, meticulously reviewing manuscripts and reading literature. His face would be drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through. As the saying goes, ‘You reap what you sow.’ Professor Jiang’s profound knowledge was forged through that kind of hard work, setting an example for all of us.”

“I remember once, when Professor Jiang was guiding our research, he reviewed our draft papers word by word, tirelessly pointing out every area that needed improvement. He told us, ‘Medical research allows no room for carelessness; every data point, every sentence must withstand scrutiny.’ His rigorous approach to scholarship was a tremendous benefit to us.”

Jiang Yu guided students not just academically, but also in their careers and lives. He often encouraged them to have the courage to innovate and to scale the heights of medicine. His words were always inspiring: “Medicine is a constantly evolving discipline. Only by continuously learning and exploring can we make continuous progress.”

Time is relentless.

On December 19, 2019, this medical titan, who had dedicated his life to Chinese urology, passed away. His death was an immense loss to the fields of urology and andrology in China and deeply saddened the countless students he had mentored. Yet his spirit and the aspirations he instilled will forever inspire his successors at Renji Hospital’s Department of Urology to forge ahead.