From November 28 to 29, the 27th Tubeless Thoracic Masterclass concluded successfully at the National Center for Respiratory Medicine and the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University.
This masterclass brought together 25 esteemed thoracic and anesthesia experts from 14 leading institutions to exchange ideas and enhance their skills. Among the participants, nine were anesthesiologists, and 21 held senior or deputy senior professional titles, forming an impressive group of specialists.
The event began promptly at 7:30 a.m. on the first day, with Professor He Jianxing, Director of the National Center for Respiratory Medicine and Dean of the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, delivering an opening speech and lectures online. He extended a warm welcome to the experts who traveled long distances to participate and highlighted the success of the Tubeless technique, which has been applied across multiple departments, including kidney transplantation, urology, and orthopedics. Professor He emphasized the importance of precise lesion removal while adhering to the innovative principle of maximizing organ function preservation.
Following the opening remarks, attendees joined an inter-hospital MDT (multidisciplinary team) discussion on complex thoracic surgery cases. Experts from over ten centers nationwide engaged in in-depth discussions. Professor Yang Chao’s team and Professor Zhang Xin’s team presented two challenging cases: autologous lung transplantation for NSCLC after neoadjuvant immunotherapy and surgical strategies following downstaging of advanced NSCLC through comprehensive treatment. The lively and insightful exchanges among participants fostered a robust academic atmosphere.
At 9:00 a.m., under the guidance of Professor Huang Jun, trainees explored cutting-edge technologies such as the glass-free 3D display system, metaverse applications, a puncture-positioning surgical robot, and the snake-arm single-port surgical robot. These innovations, bridging medicine and technology, earned widespread praise for their ingenuity and transformative potential in clinical practice.
Later in the morning, the surgical observation session began. Professor He Jianxing’s team prepared 58 Tubeless thoracic surgeries, showcasing a diverse range of procedures, from precise resection of pulmonary nodules using glass-free 3D single-port techniques to complex cases like tracheal reconstruction and bilateral lung transplantation. The surgeries varied in complexity, demonstrating the team’s exceptional expertise.
One remarkable case during the session involved a patient undergoing bilateral lung transplantation. Just 10 minutes post-operation, the patient regained consciousness and had their laryngeal mask removed. Within 20 minutes, they wrote a note expressing gratitude: "Much better. Thank you for your hard work. Thank you very much..."—a testament to the Tubeless concept's effectiveness in achieving rapid recovery.
The day also featured two insightful lectures:
1. Dr. Liang Hengrui introduced “AI Empowering Respiratory Health in Prevention, Screening, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Rehabilitation” and showcased the team’s innovative AI diagnosis platform.
2. Professor Liu Hui from the Department of Anesthesiology shared experiences on “Tubeless Thoracic Surgery at Guangzhou Medical University” with vivid case studies, offering participants a deeper understanding of the technique.
On the second day, activities resumed early with ward rounds led by Professor Wang Wei and Professor Li Fuli. Trainees observed post-operative chest X-rays and the recovery progress of patients from the previous day’s surgeries. The rapid recovery outcomes impressed participants, underscoring the National Center for Respiratory Medicine’s excellence in medical care and post-operative management.
The day’s surgical observation session showcased another 47 Tubeless thoracic surgeries, including a tracheal carina reconstruction. Participants remained engrossed, attentively observing each procedure and reluctant to leave even as the session drew to a close.
As the event concluded, Professor Shao Wenlong, Administrative Deputy Director of the Department of Thoracic Surgery, presented course completion certificates to the participants. Thus, the 27th Immersive Tubeless Surgery Masterclass came to a successful and memorable conclusion, marking another milestone in the advancement of thoracic surgery education and practice.
