December 6, 2025 - The number of international patients seeking treatment at the Anorectal Department of Longhua Hospital is on a steady rise.

Shanghai’s specialized medical technologies are increasingly attracting patients from overseas. At the 2nd Maritime Colorectal Surgeons Forum and the Shanghai Medical Doctor Association Colorectal Professional Committee Annual Academic Conference held today (December 6), reporters met “Alan,” a university professor from the United States who had just completed surgery at Longhua Hospital Attached to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Prior to this, he had undergone seven surgeries in the US, which took a toll on him through repeated general anesthesia, yet failed to resolve his anal fistula. It was an AI-powered search that led him to Longhua Hospital’s “unique expertise,” prompting him to use his vacation to fly to Shanghai for treatment.

Alan, a Chinese-American professor from California, was deeply moved when recounting his “Shanghai medical journey.” Having been away from his home country for over 30 years, he never expected his persistent ailment would ultimately be resolved here.

“Although my condition was benign, it severely impacted my quality of life,” Alan shared. “I first noticed a lump in 2022, and local prescribed medication did suppress it. But it flared up again in 2024. I had my first surgery at a local clinic, but when the surgeon opened me up, they realized they couldn’t solve the problem and referred me to a major hospital.”

After being transferred to a larger hospital in California, Alan underwent six more surgeries—a staged approach that yielded no results. He was facing the prospect of a seventh, or even an eighth, operation.

Determined to find a permanent solution, Alan turned to a large data model for answers. His AI search pointed him to Longhua Hospital Attached to Shanghai University of TCM and its renowned expertise. Reading public reports of cases similar to his own, he decided to “just listen to what the Chinese doctors had to say” and bought a ticket to Shanghai.

In October of this year, Alan visited the clinic of Professor Wang Chen at Longhua Hospital. That single consultation solidified his decision to have the surgery in China. Today, he is almost fully recovered.

Professor Wang Chen explains that while anal fistula is a common perianal disease, its treatment is often complex. In the field of complex anal fistula treatment, the Gu’s Surgical Team employs several innovative and modified TCM techniques, such as “thread-drawing drainage therapy” and “perfusion and irrigation.” These are combined with leading domestic and international minimally invasive technologies like “laser ablation and closure of anal fistula” and “Delorme’s procedure with anal encircling,” creating a personalized treatment model. Validated by multi-center clinical studies, this approach significantly reduces postoperative recurrence rates and effectively preserves the form and function of the anus, offering new hope to patients with complex anal fistulas.

Longhua Hospital has also developed unique techniques to handle complex cases. “Patients undergoing surgery for complex anal fistulas, especially high anal fistulas, often experience some morphological defects and anal dysfunction afterward,” said Dr. Yao Yibo, Director of the Anorectal Department. “However, with our surgical techniques, these patients see no significant impact on the overall shape of their anus, nor major differences in its overall function.”

The Anorectal Department at Longhua Hospital sees over 120,000 outpatient visits annually—double the number from last year—with more than 6,000 surgeries performed. Anal fistula surgeries account for over 50% of these, with complex cases making up as much as 45%. The proportion of special cases, such as Crohn’s-related fistulas, recurrent fistulas, fistulas in infants and young children, and those in patients with conditions like leukemia, is rising annually. This integrated Chinese and Western medicine approach, which fundamentally resolves patients’ “stubborn ailments,” has made the department a choice for international patients. The number of overseas patients at Longhua’s Anorectal Department has grown steadily, increasing by 5% this year compared to last.

Looking ahead, Longhua Hospital will use the “Maritime Colorectal Surgeons Forum” as a core platform to integrate top global resources in colorectal disease and promote the “Shanghai” medical brand worldwide.