In March, a 53-year-old woman named Chen collapsed at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport while waiting to fly with her husband and daughter. She showed signs of cardiac arrest. Doctor Eduard Quintana, a cardiovascular surgeon who happened to be passing by, performed CPR on the spot and saved her life before the medical team arrived. His quick actions and expertise have been praised by Chinese media, referring to him as a “hero.”
Upon arriving at the hospital, Ms. Chen was diagnosed with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition where the walls of the heart’s ventricles thicken, obstructing blood flow. Dr. Quintana traveled to Wuhan Tongji Hospital to collaborate with a group led by Professor Wei Xiang, specializing in transapical beating myocardial ablation surgery, a minimally invasive procedure tailored for Ms. Chen’s issue.
Following the training and preparation, Ms. Chen underwent open-heart surgery successfully. After many hours of surgery, her enlarged heart muscle was removed, and she has since recovered. Ms. Chen expressed her gratitude and called the events leading up to her surgery “fate.” Dr. Quintana, who played a crucial role in saving her life, also sent his best wishes to her.
In recent years, China has been focusing on promoting CPR training among the public due to the low percentage of people who know how to perform this life-saving procedure effectively. The success rate of CPR in saving lives during out-of-hospital heart attacks in China is less than 1%, which is significantly lower than that in developed countries. Efforts are being made to increase awareness and training to improve these numbers and save more lives in the future.
The story of Doctor Eduard Quintana and his quick thinking in saving Ms. Chen’s life serves as an example of how important it is for medical professionals to be prepared for unexpected emergencies while traveling or working abroad.
Furthermore, it highlights how vital it is for individuals to receive timely medical attention during such situations as out-of-hospital heart attacks or any other emergency situation they may encounter while traveling or working abroad.
As such, it is essential that individuals take steps towards obtaining appropriate travel insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation services or emergency medical assistance plans that can provide immediate access to critical medical care when needed.
Overall, this incident underscores the importance of being vigilant while traveling or working abroad and taking proactive measures towards ensuring one’s safety while navigating through unfamiliar territories or cultures.
