"Returning to China for medical care was the wisest decision I've ever made!" said Mr. Li, a 92-year-old Overseas Chinese from Canada, while expressing his gratitude to the medical staff after recovering at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. After the surgery, he is finally free from the pain and regained his ability to walk normally.

In the past two years, Mr. Li suffered from intermittent claudication in his left leg. Over the last year, his pain has progressively worsened, severely impairing his mobility and substantially diminishing his quality of life.

“In Canada, I’d have to wait for over half a year for surgery—a wait I simply couldn’t afford!” To relieve his suffering as soon as possible, Mr. Li and his family decided to return to China to seek treatment at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University.

Vascular surgeon Dr. Ren Wei and his team from the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University quickly diagnosed Mr. Li with lower-extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans (LE-ASO), accompanied by ischemic ulcers. Dr. Ren explained that ASO severely restricts blood flow to the lower limbs, causing tissue hypoxia, necrosis, and ulcer formation, which could lead to amputation without timely treatment. The team promptly developed a comprehensive treatment plan for Mr. Li.

On the third day of hospitalization, Mr. Li successfully underwent endovascular intervention surgery. That night after the surgery, the pain that had troubled him for years disappeared. Reflecting on hissmooth recovery, Mr. Li remarked, “Returning to China for treatment, I’ve experienced not only medical expertise but also trust and reassurance.”

Before discharge, they presented a silk banner reading "Exemplary Medical Expertise and Ethics" to express their gratitude for the medical team’s professionalism, efficiency, and compassionate care.

For elderly patients with comorbidities like Mr. Li, how did the Vascular Surgery Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University achieve rapid and precise treatment? Dr. Li Fenghe, Chief Physician and head of the department, explains that as a leading vascular intervention hub in Southwest China, thedepartment has established a sophisticated technical framework and multidisciplinary collaboration system for diagnosing and treating complex vascular conditions—particularly lower-extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans (LE-ASO). With extensive clinical experience, the department performs over 600 such minimally invasive procedures annually (the highest number in Chongqing). The department continually refines pivotal techniques—from recanalizing complex occlusions to stent implantation—to minimize trauma, accelerate recovery, and substantially enhance patients' quality of life.