Author: Zeng Dejun
Translated by: Wu Xia
Among the teams fighting the new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic, medical experts play a crucial guiding role, and Tong Zhaohui is one of them. He is a nationally renowned intensive respiratory expert, an expert from the Central Steering Group, vice president of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, and an outstanding alumnus of Wuhan University (seventh).
On January 18, Tong Zhaohui arrived in Wuhan as the first batch of aid experts, focusing on guiding and responsible for the clinical treatment of critically ill patients, and fought for a whole month on the front line of the epidemic. Recently, the reporter interviewed him by telephone, and gained more and more in-depth understanding of his front-line work.
SARS veterans return to the new battlefield
The domestic medical community is no stranger to Tong Zhaohui. He graduated from the Medical School of Wuhan University in 1988 and was assigned to work in the respiratory department of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital; in 1995, he obtained a master's degree in medicine from Peking Union Medical College. In 2002 he received a doctorate in medicine from the Medical School of Essen University in Germany, under the guidance of Professor Costabel, former editor-in-chief of the European Journal of Respiratory Diseases.
In 2003, Tong Zhaohui take the mission in great danger and did not go home for 3 months. He led 43 medical staff to establish China's top SARS ward. None of the more than 100 SARS patients under his supervision died. In fact, it is not just SARS, he has also played an important role in many national public health emergencies.
This time, Tong Zhaohui went to the frontline of the epidemic. Facing the concern of leaders, friends, colleagues and colleagues, he wrote in the circle of friends in WeChat, "Your care and love has given me immense warmth and is the motivation for my hard work! I am a veteran and have rich combat experience. I will definitely complete the mission successfully! "
Tong Zhaohui (third from left) at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University
In the past month, Tong Zhaohui's work has become increasingly busy. After coming to Wuhan as an expert group member of the National Health Commission, he was mainly responsible for the treatment of critically ill patients at Jinyintan Hospital, Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital, and Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University. Daily work is to diagnose and treat patients, optimize treatment procedures and plans, and deploy critical care professionals and respiratory critical doctors and nurses.
"At present, all work is running smoothly and orderly, the critical case fatality rate has decreased, and the proportion of discharged patients has also increased." Tong Zhaohui introduced that after the Tongji Hospital Sino-French District and the Xiehe Hospital East District were designated as critical care hospitals; he needs to screen critically ill patients so that they can be transferred to designated hospitals in a timely manner.
Tong Zhaohui's other important work is to train medical teams in Hubei, including training in diagnosis and treatment techniques, and psychological stress relief. He said that some of the new team members were initially nervous, but everyone quickly adapted to the working environment, and they were engaged in clinical anti-epidemic work with a full and high spirit.
Tong Zhaohui is also doing live broadcast on CCTV, accepting interviews with many media such as newscast, Chaowen Tianxia, etc., to popularize scientific knowledge, answer people's questions, eliminate social panic, and make positive contributions to the epidemic prevention work.
Clinical experts should act base on science
As a critical respiratory specialist, Tong Zhaohui's focus has always been on how to treat patients more scientifically. In the "New Coronavirus Infected Pneumonia Diagnosis and Treatment Plan (Fifth Edition)" issued by the National Health Commission, a new clinical diagnosis case classification was added, which undoubtedly reflected the important recommendations of the expert group.
Tong Zhaohui explained that increasing the diagnosis of clinical cases is in line with clinical diagnosis and treatment and clinicians' thinking of diagnosis and treatment. After the clinical diagnosis is added, more suspected patients and patients who meet the clinical diagnosis will be better treated and managed, and it will be more conducive to the treatment of severe patients.
Regarding the various so-called special-effect treatment schemes and special-effect drugs on the Internet, he said, "Every time a disaster or epidemic occurs, people always hope to find a special-effect drug to control related diseases. However, unfortunately, there will never be any "specific antiviral drugs." Since SARS in 2003, humans have experienced the ravages of viruses such as H5N1, H1N1, H7N9, and MERS. For a long 17 years, no special effective antiviral drugs has been found at home and abroad.
"When I was in college, the teacher told us that it is not rigorous and unscientific to prove anything based on individual and individual experience." Tong Zhaohui repeatedly emphasized that new coronavirus pneumonia is a new disease and there are many unknowns. The treatment of critically ill patients is still comprehensive treatment, support and protection treatment, and patients are fully diagnosed and treated with scientific, dialectical thinking and evidence base.
Tong Zhaohui accepted an exclusive interview with CCTV News
Tong Zhaohui, in addition to her daily busy work, recorded her thoughts on clinical diagnosis and treatment and shared it in the circle of friends in Wechat.
For example, the role of antibacterial drugs, nutritional support for critically ill patients, plasma therapy during recovery, how to treat lymphopenia in patients with new coronavirus pneumonia, and so on. Sometimes he yelled: Important things are said a hundred times and I don't know if it works! Sometimes, he reminded his colleagues: "For patients with a non-invasive ventilation at 100% oxygen and higher conditions for 2 hours and an oxygenation index of less than 150, tracheal intubation should be performed as soon as possible."
If his doctor friends did not see his notes in Wechat for two consecutive days, they would start to worry whether he was infected. He had to send a note to explain: Yesterday was busy, and did not have time to share experience. I am in good health, thank you for your concern and greetings!
Stand up bravely when the country needs it
"As doctors, it is our duty to treat illness and save lives, and to help the wounded. When the country needs it, we should stand up bravely!" According to Tong Zhaohui, "just as soldiers are going to fight on the front lines, the country is in danger, and soldiers will definitely charge. The fight against the new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic is actually a war, and it is a big war, so we need our medical staff to stand on the front line, to cure and save people and prevent and control diseases! "
Tong Zhaohui has been engaged in respiratory, critical care medicine, teaching, and research for 32 years, and has carried out a large number of innovative clinical diagnosis and treatment and scientific research. He first applied ECMO technology to respiratory support in China and treated a large number of patients with severe respiratory failure. After experiencing SARS, as an emergency expert of the National Health Commission, he has been sent to treat respiratory infections and critically ill patients across the country, and has extensive clinical treatment experience. In recent years, he has achieved multiple firsts: the first H5N1 bird flu patient in Beijing was found in 2008, the first H7H9 patient in Beijing was diagnosed and treated in 2013, and the first H5N6 bird flu patient in Beijing was discovered and successfully treated in 2019. Wait.
Tong Zhaohui (second from left) guides the treatment of critically ill patients at Xiehe Hospital
Among Tong Zhaohui's students, eight are fighting against the epidemic in Wuhan. He wrote a paragraph to the students in the circle of friends in Wechat--
"I'm proud of you! Lu Xun said," Since ancient times, there have been people who work in silence, who work hard and regardless of their lives, who plead for people, and who sacrifice themselves for the greater good... this is China's Spine. "You are such a hero in the eyes of your family and the whole society! Please pay attention to your protection and be careful. Remember that your loved ones are waiting for you day and night and looking forward to your return. There is always a lamp for you at home! "
Tong Zhaohui is one of the above mentioned people. Coming back to the battlefield this time, Tong Zhaohui became more determined and confident. He asked the reporter to tell his alma mater and student: Thank you for your concern. My current work and health are good! Please don't worry.
