Colorectal Surgery

The Colorectal and Anal Surgery Department of Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine is a doctoral and master's training unit of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Clinical Medicine, Oncology), a doctoral and master's degree authorization point of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (Integrated TCM-Western Medicine Clinical Medicine, Oncology), a national standardized residency training base (TCM, integrated TCM-Western medicine), and a center for the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal diseases with integrated Chinese and Western medicine that is among the strongest in technical capability and most influential in Zhejiang Province. The Colorectal and Anal Surgery Department of Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine is the earliest established and most distinctive TCM-integrated surgical discipline in the province: in 1972 it pioneered liquid nitrogen therapy for anorectal diseases in China, in 1986 it established the Department of TCM Surgery, and in 1992 the Colorectal and Anal Surgery Department was formally founded. The discipline adopts integrated big-department management, and currently has inpatient wards at three campuses — Qiantang, Hubin and Xixi — with 63 beds. It has more than 50 medical staff, including 17 physicians: 3 chief physicians, 4 associate chief physicians, 6 attending physicians and 4 resident physicians, plus more than 30 nursing staff. The discipline has 1 doctoral supervisor and 3 master's supervisors; 4 members hold doctoral degrees, 2 are pursuing doctorates, 13 hold master's degrees, and 1 has completed postdoctoral training.

Technical Advantages

1. Minimally invasive surgical treatment of colorectal malignancies (laparoscopic surgery, da Vinci robotic surgery): In minimally invasive surgical treatment of colorectal cancer, the discipline introduces, digests, absorbs and re-innovates new minimally invasive techniques, including da Vinci robotic surgery for colorectal cancer, laparoscopic surgery, NOSES surgery, TaTME surgery, TEM surgery, sphincter-preserving ultra-low anterior resection for ultra-low rectal cancer, and surgical treatment of pelvic metastatic tumors. It performs colorectal cancer surgery based on fluorescent laparoscopy, such as lateral lymph node dissection for low rectal cancer, sentinel lymph node tracing, and surgery for peritoneal and liver metastases of colorectal cancer.

2. Comprehensive and immunotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer: In the comprehensive treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, the discipline focuses on chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy for colorectal malignancies; ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA); and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). It also conducts investigator-initiated clinical research (IIT studies, RCT studies) and drug and device clinical trials (RCT studies). The discipline actively carries out multidisciplinary team (MDT) diagnosis and treatment for colorectal cancer.

3. Endoscopic treatment of benign colorectal tumors: In endoscopic treatment of benign colorectal tumors, the discipline performs endoscopic diagnosis and treatment (EMR, ESD) of benign colorectal tumors, as well as endoscopic diagnosis and comprehensive treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

4. Integrated Chinese-Western medicine treatment of benign colorectal and anal diseases: The discipline has accumulated rich experience in the diagnosis and treatment of benign anorectal diseases, with distinctive specialty features. Surgical techniques include PPH, RPH and TST procedures, endoscopic rubber-band ligation of internal hemorrhoids, and surgery for high complex anal fistula. It also performs surgical treatment of functional constipation and surgical and comprehensive treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Academic Standing

It is a key specialty of the hospital, a standing committee member of the Anorectal Lesions Committee of the China IBD Alliance of the Wu Jieping Medical Foundation, and a standing committee member unit of the Anorectal Branch of the Zhejiang Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine and of the Anorectal Branch of the Zhejiang Association of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. In recent years, the discipline has been funded for 3 National Natural Science Foundation projects, 1 bureau-province joint key project of the Science and Technology Department of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Zhejiang Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and 5 projects of the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation and the Zhejiang Provincial Public Welfare Research Program, with research funding available of several million yuan. It has trained more than 10 master's students for Zhejiang University and Zhejiang Chinese Medical University.

Research Achievements

In recent years the discipline has published more than 100 SCI-indexed papers. Its members have presided over 3 general-program National Natural Science Foundation projects, 5 projects of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Science and Technology, and 1 bureau-province joint key project of the Science and Technology Department of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Zhejiang Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It has obtained 3 national invention patents and 10 utility model patents, and won the 2017 Zhejiang Provincial Science and Technology Progress Third Prize (ranked 2nd) once.