Matters of the heart
Taiwan’s medical technology ranks among the top in Asia.
Taiwan’s pediatric cardiologist No. 1 Dr. Jou-Kou Wang will be in the Philippines in June to train local physicians in performing a special surgery technique to improve the country’s medical standards and provide better care for children with heart disease.
Patients with congenital heart disease, such as Tetralogy of Fallot, often have blue lips from birth due to heart problems.
Although corrective surgery can improve their condition, residual complications from valve regurgitation may lead to issues such as cardiac enlargement, right heart failure, arrhythmias, even sudden death.
Approximately 20 percent to 30 percent of these children require pulmonary valve-replacement surgery, but many have already undergone two to three open-heart surgeries, making them face significant risks from another operation.
Wang’s transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement allows replacement without surgery, reducing risks and shortening hospital stays.
Wang, a pediatric cardiologist at National Taiwan University Hospital and CEO of the Cardiac Children’s Foundation, received the CSI Lifetime Achievement Award for this technique.
Under his guidance, the team at National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital has successfully treated over a hundred patients since 2015, leading in results across Asia.
This year, the National Taiwan University cardiac treatment team, sponsored by the Rotary Club’s International Service Project (with a total of $95,000), trained Filipino doctors to help treat more patients with congenital heart disease.
Wang will lead the medical team to perform actual surgeries at the Philippine Heart Center in Manila.
Taiwan’s medical technology ranks among the top in Asia. The Rotary Club of Taipei North celebrates its 65th anniversary this year and initiates the cross-national international medical service project, which has attracted participation from six countries, including 18 sister and friendly Rotary clubs.
Under its global grant, Cardiac Children’s Foundation Taiwan has helped over 6,800 children with heart disease with medical expenses since it was established in 1971.