Department of Gastroenterology
The Department of Gastroenterology at the First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China is recognized as a Hunan Provincial Key Clinical Specialtya key discipline of the hospital. It serves as a National Regional Center for the DiagnosisTreatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, a Hunan Provincial Clinical Drug Trial Site,a member of the National Alliance for the PreventionTreatment of Early Gastrointestinal Cancers. It is also a designated unit of the Hunan Provincial Center for Gastric Cancer DiagnosisTreatment, a member of the Hunan Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease PreventionControl Alliance, the Hengyang Integrated Medicine Center of Xijing Digestive Hospital,a pilot hospital for the national multidisciplinary diagnosistreatment of digestive system tumors. In addition, it has been selected as a participating hospital in the Hunan Gastric Cancer DiagnosisTreatment Capacity Enhancement Program, serves as the chairing institution of the Southern Hunan Digestive Disease Alliance, the vice chairing unit of the Hunan Provincial Alliance for Inflammatory Diseases,the deputy head institution of the Pancreatology Group of the Gastroenterology Committee of the Hunan Medical Association. After decades of dedicated development, the department has growna well-structured discipline with strong technical capacity, stable research directions,a highly qualified team. Its overall scaletechnological strength have reached a leading level within the province.
The department currently has 25 physicians, including seven with doctoral degrees17 with master’s degrees. Among them are seven chief physiciansprofessors, nine associate chief physiciansassociate professors, two deputy chief nurses, 12 supervising nurses,32 staff nurses. Physicians with senior professional titles account for 58% of the team. The department serves as the vice chairing institution of the Hunan Society of Gastroenterologythe Hunan Society of Digestive Endoscopy. Professor Liao Aijun is the Deputy Chair of the Digestive Diseases Branch of the Chinese Medical Association (Hunan), Professor Shi Wei is the Deputy Chair of the Digestive Endoscopy Branch of the Chinese Medical Association (Hunan),Professor Zeng Bin serves as Vice President of the Hunan Medical Doctor Association, Chair of the Hengyang Digestive Endoscopy Society,Deputy Chair of the Hengyang Hepatology Society. He is also a member of the Hunan Society of Digestive Endoscopy. The department is home to numerous high-level professionals, including recipients of titles such as “Famous Doctor of Hengyang,” “225 Talent Program,” and “Outstanding Teacher of University of South China,” and enjoys high academic prestigeinfluence within the province. Currently, the department comprises two inpatient wards, one Digestive Endoscopy DiagnosisTreatment Center, one ward-based endoscopy treatment room, one expert outpatient clinic, five general outpatient rooms,two gastroenterology laboratories. It manages a total of 122 beds, with more than 120,000 outpatient visits, over 6,863 inpatient admissions, more than 53,218 gastroscopies, 10,745 colonoscopies,11,560 therapeutic endoscopic procedures annually. The department has strengthened the management of medical qualitysafety, eliminated hidden risks,strictly implemented 18 core clinical systems. It has established regularized, standardized management practices, including oversight of patients covered by basic medical insurancethe New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NRCMS), single-disease category management, clinical pathway implementation,performance-based management. Focusing on major digestive diseaseskey technologies, the department aims to build a first-class team, develop a leading discipline, cultivate top-tier talent,produce high-quality outcomes. It strives to elevate its overall level to national standardsto be recognized as a Hunan Provincial Key Discipline. Preliminary centers have been established, including: 1. Minimally Invasive DiagnosisTreatment Center for Early Gastrointestinal Cancer in Southern Hunan; 2. Green Channel DiagnosisTreatment Center for Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Southern Hunan; 3. National Regional Center for the DiagnosisTreatment of Inflammatory Bowel Diseasea Multidisciplinary Patient Management Center. The department aspires to become a regionally strong discipline with nationally distinctive features.
As early as 1999, the department became the first in southern Hunan to perform esophageal stent implantation. In 2002, it introduced endoscopic sphincterotomy with stone extraction at the duodenal papilla. In 2010, the department began conducting enteroscopyendoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), followed by the successive development of advanced endoscopic therapeutic techniques such as endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM),submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (STER) for submucosal tumors. In 2014, the department established specialized outpatient clinics for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
As the largest general hospital in the Hengyang, the First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China has established the Department of Gastroenterology as one of the earliest centers in Hunan Province to implement endoscopic diagnosistreatment. It is also among the most comprehensive endoscopy units in China. The department offers a wide range of procedures, including polypectomy, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), double-balloon enteroscopy, capsule endoscopy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) with stone extraction, biliary stent placement, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) under gastroscopic guidance,metal stent implantation for benignmalignant gastrointestinal strictures. It also performs variceal ligationcombined injection of tissue adhesivesclerosant for esophagogastric varices in cirrhotic patients. In 2010, the department successfully introduced advanced ESD, STER,POEM. In 2024, it further expanded its capabilities by carrying out endoscopic retrograde appendicitis stone removalendoscopic gastric bypass stent placement for weight loss. Each year, the department performs over 70,000 gastroscopycolonoscopy procedures, more than 2,200 EUS examinations,over 11,560 therapeutic endoscopic interventions. To manage acute gastrointestinal bleeding, the department has established a 24-hour emergency green channel for prompt endoscopic hemostasis. It treats approximately 1,000 emergency cases of GI bleeding annually, with a success rate exceeding 95%. Specialized outpatient clinics have been set up for GERD, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), gastrointestinal bleeding,liver cirrhosis. The department has successfully diagnosedtreated numerous cases of refractory GERDcomplex IBD, achieving a cureimprovement rate of over 95%. In addition, the department has demonstrated excellent clinical outcomes in the integrated medicalendoscopic management of conditions such as cirrhosis with ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, acute pancreatitis, common bile duct stones,acute suppurative cholangitis.
Gastrointestinal Surgery
The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China was among the first institutions in Hunan Province authorized to confer master’s degrees in oncology. The Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery comprises two inpatient wardssix subspecialty groups, with a total of 90 beds. It admits over 5,000 patientsperforms more than 3,000 surgical procedures annually, including approximately 1,000 surgeries for gastrointestinal tumorsover 500 for various types of hernia. The department’s clinical scope covers both benignmalignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tractretroperitoneum - such as gastric cancer, colorectal cancer,gastrointestinal stromal tumors - as well as conditions including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), various hernias, obesity-related metabolic disorders,lower extremity varicose veins.
Through years of development, the discipline has established a distinctive “1234567+” development framework:
1.Goal: To build a research-oriented specialty
2.Dimensions of Development: Vertical development based on subspecialties; horizontal development through multidisciplinary collaboration
3.Areas of Coordination: Coordinated advancement in clinical care, education,research
4.Major Projects: National Key Clinical Specialty Development Program in Oncology; Hunan Provincial Key Clinical Specialty; Hunan Provincial Gastric Cancer Research Center; a multi-dimensional system for regular live-streamed surgeries
5.Key Platforms:
Laparoscopic Surgeon Training Base authorized by the Chinese Medical Doctor Association; National Pilot Program for Multidisciplinary Treatment of Digestive Tract Tumors; General Surgery Endoscopy Training Partner of the National Health Commission Talent Exchange Center; National Pilot Program for Standardized Training of General Surgery Subspecialty Physicians; Gastrointestinal Tumor PreventionControl Committee of the Hunan Health Management Association
6.Subspecialty Areas:
Gastricduodenal surgery, Colon surgery, Rectalpelvic surgery, Anti-reflux/herniaabdominal wall/metabolic & bariatric/lower extremity varicose vein surgery, Endoscopic surgery,Surgical nursing
7.Distinctive Features:
Robotic surgery; Totally laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer; Sphincter-preserving surgery for low rectal cancer; Natural orifice specimen extraction for intestinal tumors; Cytoreductive surgeryhyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for peritoneal carcinomatosis; Integrated care model combining medical, nursing, rehabilitation, traditional Chinese medicine,nutrition
The “+” represents emerging strengths in high-quality development, including: anti-reflux surgery, bariatricmetabolic surgery, endoscopic treatment of intestinal obstruction, total pelvic exenteration, day surgeries for herniavaricose veins, as well as woundstoma care.
In addition, the department serves as the Vice Chairing Institution of the Hunan Branch of the China NOSES (Natural Orifice Specimen Extraction Surgery) Alliance, the Vice Chairing Unit of the Hunan Sub-Alliance of the Chinese Colorectal Cancer MDT Alliance,a Demonstration Ward for Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) with Full-course Nutritional Support under the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association. It is also home to the Hengyang Sub-Center of the Hunan Provincial Center for the DiagnosisTreatment of Intestinal Obstruction, the Leading Institution of the HerniaAbdominal Wall Surgery Group of the Hengyang Medical Association, the Hengyang Gastrointestinal Surgery Quality Control Center, the Chairing Institution of the Gastrointestinal Tumor Committee of the Hengyang Anti-Cancer Association,the Chairing Unit of the Hengyang Gastric Cancer DiagnosisTreatment Alliance.
The department currently has two doctoral supervisors, five master’s supervisors, 12 holders of doctoral degrees in medicine,three nursing professionals with master’s degrees. It is staffed by five chief physicianstwo overseas visiting scholars. The discipline lead has received multiple honors, including selection for the Hunan Provincial “225” High-Level Talent Program, recognition as a High-Level Talent by the Hunan Provincial Health Commission, the Hunan Provincial Excellent Doctoral Dissertation Award, the title of Young Core Faculty Member of Hunan Province,accolades such as “Famous Doctor of Hengyang” and “Distinguished Professor of University of South China.” The discipline lead has also been awarded the SecondThird Prizes of the Hunan Provincial ScienceTechnology Progress Award, the Third Prize of the Hunan Medical ScienceTechnology Award,the Third Prize of the ScienceTechnology Award of the Hunan Anti-Cancer Association. He has participated in the formulation of two national clinical guidelinesexpert consensuses,has presided over two projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), along with dozens of projects under the Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundationother programs. The team has published numerous high-quality papers in SCI-indexed journalscore Chinese medical journals,holds more than ten patents. Core members of the department have won nationalregional awards, including Third Prize in the National Gastrointestinal Surgery Elite Team Clinical Skills Invitational Finals, First Prize in the CentralNorthwest Regional Division,First Prize in the Hunan Division of the National Colorectal Surgery Elite Team Invitational Competition.
HepatobiliaryPancreatic Surgery
The Department of HepatobiliaryPancreatic Surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China was established in 2015 through the mergerrestructuring of the former General SurgerySurgical Oncology departments. It is primarily engaged in clinical care, teaching,research in hepatobiliary, pancreatic,splenic surgery. The department is designated as a National Key Clinical Specialty Development Program (Oncology - HepatobiliaryPancreatic Tumors), a National General Surgery Subspecialty Training Base, a National Standardized Residency Training Base,a Laparoscopic Training Base authorized by the Chinese Medical Doctor Association. It is also recognized as a Hunan Provincial Key Clinical Specialty,serves as the supporting discipline for the Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Center. Additionally, it holds several regional leadership roles, including: Chairing Institution of the General Surgery Alliance of Southern Hunan; Chairing Institution of the Hepatobiliary Committee of the Hengyang Medical Association; Chairing Institution of the HepatobiliaryPancreatic Tumor Committee of the Hengyang Anti-Cancer Association;Chairing Institution of the Hengyang General Laparoscopic Surgery Quality Control Center. The department is also a member of the Expert Committee for the Promotion of Laparoscopic Liver ResectionPancreaticoduodenectomy of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (IHPBA), a National Drug Clinical Trial Site, the Vice Chairing Unit of the South China Robotic Hepatobiliary Surgery Alliance,a member of both the China Pancreatic Tumor Specialty Alliancethe South China Minimally Invasive Pancreatic Surgery Alliance. In 2021, the department ranked 59th nationwide in the Hospital Specialty Influence Rankings. Currently, the department has a team of 56 medical, nursing,research personnel, including three specially appointeddual-appointed professors, eight professorschief physicians (of whom one is a recipient of the State Council Special Allowance, two are High-Level Talents of the Hunan Provincial Health Commission, two are Distinguished Young Scholars of Hunan Province, one is a Hunan Youth ScienceTechnology Innovation Talent,two are Huxiang Young Talents),five associate professorsassociate chief physicians. The team includes 14 PhD holders, among them five with overseas doctoral degrees (from the U.S., Japan,Germany), as well as four postdoctoral fellows. The department has 11 master’s supervisorsfour doctoral supervisors. It operates 96 beds,houses dedicated facilities including an intensive care unit (ICU), a biliary endoscopy center, an interventional center, a laparoscopic training center,a hepatobiliarypancreatic research center.
As the largest hepatobiliarypancreatic specialty center in southern Hunan, the department receives over 23,000 outpatient visitsmore than 4,500 inpatient admissions annually. It ranks among the top in the province in both the volume of complex, high-difficulty surgeriesthe proportion of minimally invasive procedures. In recent years, the department has developed an integrated, four-in-one comprehensive minimally invasive system combining robotic surgery, laparoscopy, endoscopy,interventional techniques, achieving a minimally invasive surgery rate of over 90%. In a single month, the number of robotic surgeries performed ranked among the top six nationwide,the department won Second Prize in the Liver CategoryThird Prize in the Pancreas Category in a national robotic surgery competition. The department routinely performs a wide range of complexhigh-difficulty procedures, exemplified by radical resection of Bismuth type IV hilar cholangiocarcinomapancreaticoduodenectomy with vascular reconstruction under minimally invasive approaches. It also specializes in precision surgeries, such as subsegmentalcombined subsegmental liver resection under three-dimensional reconstruction, intraoperative ultrasound guidance, and fluorescence navigation, as well as ultrasound-guided local pancreatic resection. Organ-preserving techniques are regularly employed, including minimally invasive duodenum-preserving total pancreatic head resection, central pancreatectomy, spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy,partial splenectomy. Focusing on hepatobiliarypancreatic tumors as core disease areas, the department promotes diversified, individualized,precise treatment strategies, emphasizing early diagnosisscreening of malignancies. It independently developed the world’s firstonly diagnostic product for hepatocellular carcinoma - the Aldo-Keto Reductase 1B10 (AKR1B10) Detection Kit, which has been approved as a Class III diagnostic reagent by the National Medical Products Administrationlicensed for production by the Hunan Provincial Medical Products Administration. It is applied in liver cancer screening, early diagnosis,disease monitoring. The kit has been awarded three national invention patents, as well as First Prize in the Hunan Provincial InnovationEntrepreneurship Competition, First Prize for Top 10 Clinical New Technologies in Hunan Province,First Prize of the Hunan Medical EducationScientific Innovation Award. As one of the earliest departments in the province to establish a multidisciplinary team (MDT) outpatient clinic for hepatobiliarypancreatic tumors, the department has standardized, orderly,scientifically implemented translational therapy protocols for such malignancies. It operates an independent intensive care unit (ICU), providing critical support for the treatment of severe liver injuries involving hepaticinferior vena cava veins (Grade IV-V), pancreaticoduodenal injuries with hemorrhagic infection (Grade V), as well as severe pancreatitisacute suppurative cholangitis, achieving a success rate exceeding 90%. The department also houses a dedicated endoscopyinterventional therapy center,routinely performs advanced procedures such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HIAC), tumor ablation,a wide range of endoscopic ultrasound-guided diagnostictherapeutic techniques. To date, it has completed over 10,000 endoscopicinterventional procedures.
The Department of HepatobiliaryPancreatic Surgery has established a comprehensive training system spanning undergraduate, master’s, doctoral,postdoctoral education, along with a well-structured postgraduate education framework that includes standardized residency training, subspecialty training, advanced studies,chronic disease education. To date, the department has trained over 100 master’s students15 doctoral candidates. It is home to national award-winning instructors in the National Clinical Skills Competition for Medical Students, provincial Outstanding Residency Training Educators,provincial Outstanding Chronic Disease Education Mentors.
Over the past three years, the department has ledparticipated in five national-level research projects29 provincialministerial-level scientific research programs, with a total research funding accumulation of nearly 10 million RMB. Faculty members have authoredco-authored five academic monographs, obtained 24 national inventionutility model patents,published more than 60 SCI-indexed papers, including 21 articles in Q1 journals25 in Q2 journals (CAS rankings), with 17 papers having an impact factor greater than 10. In addition, the team has published six papers in core Chinese journals under the Chinese Medical Association (CMA)contributed to the development of three national clinical guidelinesexpert consensuses.