Canadian child undergoes spleen-preserving pancreatic surgery at Shanghai's Ruijin Hospital

A ten-year-old girl from Canada was discharged after a complex robotic pancreatic operation at Ruijin Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. A February 27, 2026 report from Shanghai's foreign affairs office describes how her family sought a surgical plan that could preserve her spleen.

Overseas consultations and a remote review

The girl's father Kevin, a Chinese-origin doctor who had practised in Vancouver for 20 years, said the large solid pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas was discovered following an accidental event. The family consulted specialists in Canada and sought online opinions from the United States, Japan and other countries.

According to Kevin, those consultations indicated that complete tumour removal would require removing the spleen as well. Concerned about the loss of an organ at his daughter's young age, he continued looking for options.

A patient account on social media led him to Ruijin's pancreatic surgery service and its robotic approach. He contacted pancreatic surgeon Jin Jiabin through the platform and uploaded CT images obtained in Canada. After reviewing the diagnosis, Jin developed a minimally invasive robotic plan aimed at preserving the spleen.

Separating the tumour from splenic vessels

The family travelled to Shanghai, where the girl was admitted to the pancreatic surgery international ward. On January 10, 2026, Jin's team used the robotic system to separate the pancreatic tumour from the closely attached blood vessels supplying the spleen.

The surgeons also precisely sutured small branches of those vessels. The report states that the large tumour was completely removed and that the spleen was preserved. The child subsequently recovered and left hospital.

The family's reported treatment costs

Kevin said the two-week period of diagnosis, treatment and related expenses totalled approximately 160,000 yuan. Although Canadian citizens have publicly funded healthcare at home, he explained that the decision centred on the surgical technique and the possibility of retaining his daughter's organ. The family described the spleen-preserving result as worth the journey and expense.