Heart Transplant Operation Successful in Xinjiang

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, March 13, 2003

Heart Transplant Operation Successful in Xinjiang

A 39-year-old farmer is recovering after a successful heart transplant operation, the first reported in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

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A 39-year-old farmer is recovering after a successful heart transplant operation, the first reported in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The surgery took place on March 4 in the Regional People's Hospital in Urumqi, the regional capital.

The patient, surnamed Li, had long suffered from heart disease and had been unable to work or cope with basic living before the operation, according to Tang Henian, a doctor in the transplant team.

Shortly after the operation, Li recovered consciousness and could breathe without the help of a respirator, hospital sources said.

In a short phone conversation with a Xinhua reporter, Li said he could now drink and eat and felt fine.

A heart transplant is an effective treatment for patients with serious heart diseases, but so far only 100 such operations have been conducted across China.

According to Tang, the operation usually costs 100,000 to 150,000 yuan (about 12,000 to 18,000 US dollars) and the subsequent medical treatment is also hugely expensive.

In light of Li's poor financial state, the hospital reduced most of his surgery fee, Tang said.

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