Gastrointestinal Surgery

The Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery of Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is a modern specialized department integrating clinical care, teaching, and research, and is a member institution of the Shanghai General Surgery Alliance. The department follows the practice principles of “great physicians’ sincerity, patients first, and quality first,” adheres to the surgical philosophy of “striving for excellence and precision in minimally invasive surgery,” and the “minimally invasive + integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment technology” it advocates is at a leading level among tertiary Grade A hospitals in Shanghai.

The department currently has 40 open beds and more than 30 medical and nursing staff members, including 2 chief physicians, 1 associate chief physician, and 2 master's supervisors. It is equipped with the currently most advanced fourth-generation da Vinci robotic surgical system, 3D/full-HD/fluorescence laparoscopic systems, an AirSeal insufflator, and other high-end, sophisticated, and cutting-edge equipment. More than 700 minimally invasive procedures of various types are performed annually. Its services focus primarily on the surgical diagnosis and treatment of general surgical diseases, with core conditions including benign and malignant tumors of the stomach and colorectum, hernias, and abdominal wall diseases, while also including surgical treatment of common and frequently occurring general surgical diseases.

The department's academic leaders, Directors Gong Hangjun and Han Gang, have engaged in clinical and basic research in general surgery for more than 30 years and have actively explored and promoted minimally invasive and refined approaches to gastrointestinal tumors and hernia diseases. The department was among the first in China to perform total laparoscopic gastrointestinal reconstruction after gastrectomy; for colorectal tumors, it has developed new technologies and procedures including totally laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery with transanal/transvaginal specimen extraction (NOSES) and single-port laparoscopic radical surgery for colorectal cancer; more than 90% of all types of abdominal wall hernias are treated laparoscopically, resulting in less pain, faster recovery, and more aesthetically pleasing incisions for patients. After the da Vinci robotic surgical system was introduced in August 2020, the department successively completed our hospital's first robot-assisted radical surgery for colon cancer, first robot-assisted radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer, first robot-assisted bariatric surgery, first robot-assisted hiatal hernia repair (NISSEN), and first robot-assisted multivisceral resection (radical surgery for rectal cancer combined with gastric cancer, radical surgery for rectal cancer combined with right-sided colon cancer, and synchronous resection of rectal cancer with liver metastases), among others; to date, it has completed nearly 200 robotic surgeries. Compared with traditional laparoscopic surgery, the da Vinci robot offers advantages including high-resolution operative views, clearer exposure, and precise, flexible manipulation, enabling better preservation of organ function, fewer complications, and faster recovery.

The department has undertaken 7 research projects in integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine under the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, the Pudong New Area Health Commission, and other bodies. It has cumulatively published more than 50 papers in core journals and more than 10 SCI papers, served as editor-in-chief or co-editor of 5 surgical monographs, participated in translating 3, and obtained 1 utility model patent. The department has successively received honors including the Shuguang Hospital Civilized Collective (Team) commendation, the Good People and Good Deeds in Spiritual Civilization commendation, and the Outstanding Contribution Award for Poverty Alleviation. The project “Key Technologies and the Promotion and Application of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer,” in which the department participated, received the second prize of the Science and Technology Award of the Chinese Association of Integrative Medicine.

Within the department's overall framework, the gastrointestinal surgery nursing team continuously improves and optimizes nursing services with traditional Chinese medicine characteristics, with the goals of being quality-oriented, education-oriented, culture-oriented, efficient, and safety-oriented, thereby comprehensively enhancing the quality of nursing services. In recent years, leveraging the department's strengths in specific diseases, the team has implemented case management for gastrointestinal tumors and established the “Bowel Health Club,” providing patients with multifaceted nursing care including nutrition, ostomy, and catheter care. The team has undertaken 5 projects, including projects on underdeveloped disciplines in traditional Chinese medicine nursing, projects of the Shanghai Nursing Association, and institutional-level projects of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; it has received 1 “Xinglin Scholars-Nursing Youth” talent project from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, published more than 20 papers, delivered 5 conference presentations, and obtained 8 utility model patents.

[Medical Features]

Minimally invasive radical surgery for gastric and colorectal cancers, especially with the da Vinci robotic and 3D/fluorescence laparoscopic systems, makes gastrointestinal tumor surgery more precise and less invasive, facilitates regional lymph node dissection and functional preservation of vital organs, nerves, and blood vessels, and involves smaller incisions, less postoperative pain, and faster recovery.

Minimally invasive repair of inguinal, incisional, parastomal, hiatal, umbilical, and lumbar hernias; patients can be discharged 1-2 days after surgery.

Minimally invasive surgical treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, and hypertension.

Synchronous combined resection of resectable colorectal cancer and liver metastases.

Laparoscopic minimally invasive total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for the treatment of chronic constipation and ulcerative colitis.

Endoscopic resection of gastric polyps, colorectal polyps, and early tumors, as well as combined endoscopic-laparoscopic surgery, reducing the pain of open surgery

Comprehensive perioperative treatment of gastrointestinal tumors, including conversion therapy for peritoneal metastases from gastric cancer and liver metastases from colorectal cancer, neoadjuvant chemotherapy/radiotherapy for advanced tumors, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy/radiotherapy, traditional Chinese medicine treatment, and more.

Multidisciplinary collaborative diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal malignant tumors (MDT): for difficult and severe cases, the department brings together the oncology, radiation oncology, imaging, pathology, endoscopy, and other departments to tailor the optimal treatment plan for each patient.

Drawing on the hospital's strengths in traditional Chinese medicine, the department was among the first in China to implement the clinical application of “integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine fast-track surgery.” Patients with gastrointestinal tumors are not routinely fitted with nasogastric tubes, can drink water until 2 hours before surgery, and can begin eating early after surgery, resulting in less discomfort, lower hospitalization costs, and shorter hospital stays.

[Key Technologies]

Da Vinci robot-assisted radical surgery for gastric and colorectal cancers; Da Vinci robot-assisted sleeve gastrectomy (bariatric surgery).

Totally laparoscopic delta-shaped gastroduodenostomy (Delta), uncut/cut Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy, reverse-puncture esophagojejunostomy, and overlap anastomosis techniques

Totally laparoscopic radical resection for rectal and sigmoid colon cancer, with specimens extracted transanally without an auxiliary incision (NOSES)

Sphincter-preserving radical surgery for (ultra) low rectal cancer with intersphincteric resection (ISR)

Transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) for low/ultralow rectal cancer

Laparoscopic hernia repair (TEP, TAPP, IPOM, TEA)

To help patients receive more precise diagnostic and treatment services through “symptom-based registration” and “disease-specific care,” our hospital's Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery also operates two specialized outpatient clinics: obesity and metabolic diseases (Monday morning) and abdominal wall hernia (Monday to Sunday), enabling patients to receive “personalized” and “one-stop” examination and treatment plans.