A Shanghai Couple Had 50 Black Pearl-Like Gallstones Removed, Blamed on Their Diet
Mr. N had been working in Shanghai for eight years.?Due to the nature of his job,?he had frequent business engagements.?He also had a greasy diet.?One night, he suddenly felt discomfort in his upper abdomen?and rushed to the hospital.?He was diagnosed with gallstones.
Due to his busy work schedule?and a lingering fear of surgery,?Mr. N opted for conservative drug treatment.?However, the treatment was ineffective,?with recurrent symptoms every two to three months,?accompanied by unbearable pain during attacks.
As urban elites, Mr. N and his wife, Ms. F, often find themselves juggling demanding work schedules and occasionally commuting between Shanghai and Shenzhen for their careers. Desiring to address Mr. N’s gallstone issue within their limited leisure time while benefiting from comprehensive, customized medical services and direct commercial insurance payments, they, upon discovering the information through promotional channels, made the journey together from Shanghai to the International Medical Center (IMC) of the Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, situated in Guangming District, Shenzhen City, for consultation and treatment.
Ma Lin, Director of IMC, and her team offer Mr. N with comprehensive, “one-stop” and culturally sensitive services. They also invited Tang Di, Associate Chief Surgeon of General Surgery, to conduct a professional assessment and provide detailed explanations. After careful deliberation, Mr. N decided to undergo surgical treatment at the Seventh Affiliated Hospital.
Subsequently, Tang Di and his team devised a tailored surgical plan for Mr. N and successfully executed a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a minimally invasive procedure.
“Upon examination, Mr. N’s gallbladder was significant enlarged, with notably inflammation surrounding it. Upon removal, a large number of black stones were found, resembling the ‘pearls’ in milk tea, varying in size and totaling an astonishing 50 pieces!” explained Dr. Tang Di.
As Mr. N successfully completed his surgery, Ms. F disclosed her own health issue, noting that she had adhered to similar dietary habits as her husband and, shortly after giving birth, began experiencing upper abdominal discomfort, which was attributed to a diet rich in greasy foods.
Ms. F, placing her trust in the IMC team of the Seventh Affiliated Hospital, underwent a thorough examination at IMC. The results revealed that she was also afflicted with gallstones, much to their surprise.
The couple found themselves in a dilemma of mixed emotions. Determined to overcome her fear of surgery, Ms. F resolved to undergo treatment at the Seventh Affiliated Hospital, mirroring Mr. N’s earlier decision. The couple successfully completed their respective surgical procedures, ultimately ridding themselves of their gallstone woes.
Photo of Mr. N, Ms. F, Tang Di and his team & Health Rehabilitation Center Team
It is not uncommon for both spouses to be diagnosed with gallstones.
Experts provide a warm reminder for healthy individuals to pay close attention to the following four aspects in order to prevent the occurrence of gallstones:
1. Environmental Factors: Residents of certain regions may experience a higher incidence of gallstones due to factors such as the quality of drinking water.
2. Lifestyle Habits: Prolonged consumption of high-fat diets, sedentary behavior, skipping breakfast, and frequently sitting or lying in a hunched position after meals can impair bile excretion.
3. Individual Constitutional Factors: Obesity, a history of liver cirrhosis, familial predisposition to gallstones, prolonged parenteral nutrition (nutrition administered intravenously), diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hemolytic anemia are all risk factors.? For women, abnormal secretion of female hormones and pregnancy may also increase their risk.
4. Post-Surgical Complications: Surgeries involving other parts of the body, such as gastrectomy, gastrointestinal anastomosis, and resection or diseases of the terminal ileum, can impact bile secretion due to their effects on related organs.
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Expert
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Ma Lin
Director of the Reproductive Medicine Center and International Medical Center,
Chief Physician, PhD’s Supervisor, Medical Doctor (M.D.)
Clinic Hours:
Expert Consultations: Wednesday mornings, Saturday mornings Specialty Consultations: Tuesday mornings
Medical Expertise:
Dr. Ma Lin specializes in the comprehensive management of a wide array of reproductive disorders, including tubal infertility, endometriosis, ovulation dysfunction, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), immune-related infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, and reproductive tract infections. She excels in applying human assisted reproductive technologies (HART), such as ovulation induction protocols and artificial insemination techniques.
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Tang Di
Associate Chief Surgeon of General Surgery
Master’s Supervisor, Associate Chief Surgeon
Clinic Hours:
Expert Consultations: Monday mornings, Tuesday, and Thursday mornings
Medical Expertise:
Dr. Tang Di, with over 25 years of clinical experience in general surgery, is a highly skilled surgeon specializing in minimally invasive procedures. He possesses expertise in performing complex da Vinci Robotic assisted laparoscopic surgeries for conditions affecting the liver, biliary tract, pancreas, and spleen. His proficiency extends to radical and extended thyroidectomies for thyroid cancer, as well as endoscopic thyroidectomies. Dr. Tang Di is also an expert in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which encompasses a range of advanced techniques including Endoscopic Papillotomy, biliary balloon dilation, stone removal and lithotripsy, covered retrievable metal stent placement, nasobiliary or nasopancreatic drainage, intraductal radiofrequency ablation for cholangiocarcinoma, and SpyGlass cholangioscopy. In addition to his surgical skills, Dr. Tang Di has extensive experience in the immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and interventional therapies (such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC)) for liver, biliary, and pancreatic cancers. Over his career, he has successfully performed thousands of level-4 surgeries and minimally invasive procedures. Dr. Tang Di has been a pioneer in several groundbreaking surgeries at the Seventh Affiliated Hospital. He successfully performed the hospital’s first robotic and laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy, a procedure that is widely regarded as the “Everest of pancreatic minimally invasive techniques”. Furthermore, Dr. Tang Di was instrumental in conducting the initial robotic radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) for pancreatic body and tail cancer. In addition to these achievements, Dr. Tang Di executed the first robotic Kimura procedure, preserving the splenic artery, splenic vein, and spleen during distal pancreatectomy. He further extended his expertise by carrying out the hospital’s first robotic liver resection and choledochal cyst excision. Moreover, Dr. Tang Di was the pioneer in performing a resection of a massive liver cancer under total hepatic vascular exclusion. He also spearheaded the associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) procedure. In the realm of laparoscopic surgery, Dr. Tang Di executed the first laparoscopic splenectomy combined with pericardial devascularization for a massive spleen. His expertise also extended to Spyglass-guided biopsy of biliary and pancreatic duct tumors, making him one of the pioneers in the province and the region to perform this advanced diagnostic procedure. Dr. Tang Di conducted the first ERCP-guided ERBD with cell brushing and EST for pancreatic cancer since the inception of the Seventh Affiliated Hospital. Furthermore, He innovated the “transumbilical scarless cholecystectomy” technique, which has been adopted and promoted in multiple primary hospitals.
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Introduction to International Medical Center (IMC)
The International Healthcare Center (IHC) of the Seventh Affiliated Hospital was officially inaugurated on October 13, 2022.
The International Healthcare Center of the Seventh Affiliated Hospital is a specialized department that converges medical treatment, nursing care, rehabilitation, and a range of other healthcare services tailored for international patients. It is committed to delivering a broad spectrum of premium, multi-faceted, and tiered medical services to Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan compatriots, foreigners, high-end medical clients, and providing medical support and rescue services for major international conferences. Leveraging the robust and advanced diagnostic and treatment system of the Seventh Affiliated Hospital, the IHC operates under a “dedicated personnel, full-process service, and integrated management” model. It embraces the service philosophies of “patient-centeredness”, “one-stop service”, and “concierge-style” care, offering comprehensive outpatient and inpatient services to individuals from all sectors. The “medical green channel” facilitates a streamlined and convenient medical treatment process, while “direct insurance reimbursement” alleviates patients’ financial concerns. Multilingual services, cultural sensitivity, and a welcoming treatment environment ensure that patients experience a homely comfort. For further information, please contact us at: 0755-81207368, 0755-81207365 (Inquiry hours: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM, 2:30 PM - 5:30 PM).
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Getting Here
1. By Public Transportation
Guangmingcheng High-speed Railway Station
Hong Kong resident can travel by train on routes G6534, G6546, and G6550 from Hong Kong West Kowloon to Guangmingcheng Station. For those departing from other provinces and cities, you may check the train schedules via the 12306 China Railway mobile app.
Shenzhen Metro Line 6 Extension - Zhenmei Station
Exiting from Gate A1 will directly lead you to the West Entrance of the hospital.
By Bus
- The Seventh Affiliated Hospital Transfer Hub 1: Services include E3, E39, B901, M356, M411 (operating from the Seventh Affiliated Hospital South to Gongming Underwear City Depot), Express Bus No. 24, Express Bus No. 33, and Guan Bus No. 747.
- The Seventh Affiliated Hospital Transfer Hub 2: Bus routes B963 and M490 are available.
- The Seventh Affiliated Hospital Stop: Passengers can take B914, 325, M490, and Express Bus No. 25.
- The Seventh Affiliated Hospital East Stop: Routes serving this stop are 325 and M411 (also operating from the Seventh Affiliated Hospital South to Gongming Underwear City Depot).
- The Seventh Affiliated Hospital South Stop: M411 bus stops here.
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2. Drive Here
Please follow the WeChat Service Account of the Seventh Affiliated Hospital. Navigate to “Medical Services” at the bottom left corner and select “Navigation & Parking”.
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