TCM Classic Wards

Brief Introduction

Established in 1984, the Department of Emergency is the first authorized department to award doctor's degree and postdoctoral degree on TCM emergency medicine in China. It is Sichuan Stroke (Major Diseases) Prevention and Control Center, Sichuan Clinical Medicine Research Center for TCM cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases approved by Sichuan government. It is also National TCM Emergency Medical Center, the Emergency Clinical Base of TCM and Integrative Medicine, National Key Specialty (emergency medicine on encephalopathy), National and Regional TCM (Specialty) Center and National Key Clinical Specialty (TCM emergency medicine) approved by National Health Commission. We have one national key discipline, TCM emergency medicine.   

We have an expert with outstanding contribution to nation, 2 experts enjoying special government allowance of the State Council, 1 post-doctoral instructor, 2 national TCM expert mentors for passing down clinical experience, and 2 academic and technical leaders in Sichuan province, 1 national famous TCM doctor, 2 Top-10 TCM doctors in Sichuan province, 4 famous TCM doctors of Sichuan province, 1 academic pioneer of health care system in Sichuan, 5 chief doctors, 4 associate chief doctors, 2 doctoral tutors, a large number of attending doctors and primary doctors, one deputy chief nurse and a large number of nurses.

Emergency medicine has developed into a superior TCM discipline that integrates tradition and modernity after more than 30 years’ efforts. Our department integrates pre-hospital first aid, emergency outpatient service, emergency inpatient service, emergency intensive care unit (EICU), classic ward, department of emergency medicine teaching and research, institute of TCM emergency medicine and first aid, and studio of famous TCM doctor. Our department is equipped with cardiopulmonary resuscitation instrument, ECG monitor, defibrillator, external cardiac pacemaker, ventilator, automatic gastric lavage machine, electric rescue bed, blood gas analyzer, multi-channel ECG machine, multi-function ambulance, etc. Routine pre-hospital first aid, hospital first aid, intensive treatments and surgery intervention of critical cases such as cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and respiratory failure are carried out. The treatment of acute, critical and complex diseases covering nervous, respiratory, digestive, cardiovascular and other systems, as well as various traumatic diseases are carried out. We also participate in epidemic prevention and control work to solve patients’ problems.

Characteristics and Advantages of the Department of Emergency

Under the endeavor of several generations, our department has developed into an emergency medicine center that integrates traditional and modern medicine. Efficacy has been proved in the treatment of common emergencies such as stroke (acute cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction), lung distension (pulmonary heart disease), chest pain (coronary heart disease), blood desertion (upper gastrointestinal bleeding), acute tonsillitis, exogenous fever, acute splenic precordial pain (pancreatitis), blood syndrome, stranguria syndrome, etc., consequently a systematic TCM diagnosis and treatment plan has been made. The academic thoughts in treating emergency cases with TCM or integrative medicine are mainly reflected in the following aspects.

1. TCM treatment of stroke (acute cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction)

Based on abundant clinical experiences, Professor Chen Shaohong has conducted systematic scientific research on TCM syndromes of stroke and obtained research programs supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China and Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province. Zhongfeng Xingnao Liquid he developed can significantly reduce both mortality and severity of disability, and improve patient’s life quality especially in acute cerebral hemorrhage. The expert group led by Academician Wang Yongyan believes the liquid has “reached the leading level of similar researches in China”. The core pathogenesis of stroke has been written into the national planning textbooks and western China excellent textbooks. The stroke diagnosis and treatment plan and clinical norms have been promoted nationwide by National Health Commission and National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Zhongfeng Xingnao Liquid has obtained the national new drug invention patent.

2. Treatment of pulmonary heart disease based on stages and therapeutic schemes by integrative medicine

As for pulmonary heart disease, our expert team summarized the experiences of lung distension by generations of famous TCM doctors, and gave full play to the advantages of TCM in multiple sites and multiple targets. According to the symptoms of "cough, phlegm, and asthma", we proposed the differentiation thought during acute stage that the main syndrome is lung qi stagnation caused by phlegm accumulation in the lung, and the accompanied syndrome is yang deficiency and water diffusion caused by both lung and spleen deficiency. Therefore, we made a comprehensive scheme: Integrative Medicine for Acute Attack of Pulmonary Heart Disease, and created a series of prescriptions in treating pulmonary heart diseases. The comprehensive scheme adopted during acute stage of pulmonary heart disease can significantly improve patient’s life quality, and the mortality of severe pulmonary heart disease cases has dropped to 8.80%, which has reached the leading level among similar researches in China. The scheme was listed by National Health Commission as health technique in the first "100 Items in Ten Years" and promoted nationwide. So far, more than 30,000 medical personnel have been trained in 13 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions across the country. We won Sichuan Science and Technology Progress Award of 2019, and made one hospital preparation "Sanju Kechuan Oral Liquid".

3. Treatment based on syndrome differentiation and treatment of integrative medicine for blood desertion

We have been committed to rescue blood desertion (upper gastrointestinal bleeding) patients with TCM and integrative medicine for many years. Based on decades of working experience, Prof. Chen Shaohong, one of the first batch of national famous TCM doctor, put forward the viewpoints that both Chinese and Western medicine multi-methods, and interdisciplinary cooperation should be adopted. Gancao Renshen Tang (Glycyrrhiza Ginseng Decoction) and Xiangpi Shengji Powder have been formulated for acute and chronic bleeding, preventing rebleeding, and can improve long-term prognosis. With the help of TCM, survival rate has been increased and inpatient cost has been reduced.

4. Treatment of acute splenic precordial pain (pancreatitis) with TCM preparations Heweitongxie Mixture

Acute pancreatitis is a dangerous acute abdomen disease that develops rapidly with many complications and higher mortality in severe cases. Sudden death may occur in few cases. According to its pathogenesis “pathogenic qi overwhelming healthy qi, obstruction of qi in the organs and invasion of turbid”, our expert team made the therapeutic principle of “boosting qi to harmonize the stomach, unblocking the bowels to discharge turbidity", and the hospital preparation "Heweitongxie Mixture" was made. Combining with nasal feeding, enema, and TCM external application, a comprehensive treatment scheme of integrative medicine was made, which can shorten the course of acute pancreatitis and reduce its recurrence rate.

Liqi Paste

5. Treatment of high fever with TCM compound preparation

High fever is a common and frequently-occurring disease in emergency department and it is often seen in serious and miscellaneous cases. Prof. Chen Shaohong classified them into four types based on three channels. Significant therapeutic effect has been achieved in treating febrile diseases by applying Zhongjing’s theory and prescriptions, which is of great scientific value. A new drug "Sanhan Jiere Oral Liquid" has come into the market and has been included in the Guideline for Influenza 2011 issued by National Health Commission. At the same time, it won the second prize of Sichuan Science and Technology Progress Award and the National New Drug Certificate.

6. Treatment of acute tonsillitis with TCM compound preparation

Acute tonsillitis is a common and frequently-occurring disease. Our department formulates TCM clinical pathway and diagnosis and treatment protocol for acute tonsillitis. We completed the verification work in 37 units across the country. In 2012, the technology promotion was carried out nationwide. The hospital preparation "Huabian Mixture" is clinically widely used.

7. Chest pain (coronary atherosclerotic heart disease) , fainting (shock) by integrative medicine

Since the establishment of our department, we have been committed to the treatment of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease and shock by integrative medicine. Through long-term clinical practice, Prof. Chen Shaohong, one of the first batch of national famous TCM doctor, put forward the treatment principle of “boosting qi and invigorating blood” and developed Yiqi Huoxue Powder, which obtained good effect in clinical application. The prescription can also eliminate carotid artery plaque. Clinical researches show that the prescription can improve myocardial blood supply, scavenge oxygen free radicals, resist lipid peroxidation, promote the establishment of coronary collateral circulation, improve ventricular remodeling, etc. In addition, it has been made into hospital prescription, which benefits thousands of patients every year. During the treatment of shock, based on the characteristic of multi-target and dual regulation of TCM, we used Shenfu Injection and Shengmai Injection to rescue various shock patients, which is significantly effective.   

8. TCM compound preparations for vertigo

Vertigo is a common and frequently-occurring disease in emergency department. Its etiology and pathogenesis are complicated. Based on the clinical manifestations of vertigo, series of "vertigo" hospital preparations developed by our expert team are widely used.

There are 3 preparations of Wufu Yuntong Prescription: Wufu Yuntong Powder, Wufu Yuntong Acupoint Application, and Wufu Yuntong Tincture.

Characteristic diagnosis and treatment techniques and hospital preparations

Main emergency diagnosis and treatment techniques:

1. We carry out routine pre-hospital first aid. Since the establishment of the 120 sub-station, the number of patients to our hospital has increased significantly, pushing our capacity to a new height. The opening of the green channel ensures the rapid, convenient and effective treatment of critical cases.

2. Routine deep vein catheterization, invasive hemodynamic monitoring, external pacing and temporary bedside pacing are carried out. We also carry out electrical cardioversion, AED and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, interventional diagnosis of acute cerebrovascular disease, thrombolysis. Noninvasive and invasive ventilators are used to treat critical cases such as acute respiratory failure and acute left heart failure.

3. We give full play to integrative medicine to carry out diagnosis, treatment and scientific research on cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, pulmonary heart disease, cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation, etc. We adopt new medical technology and integrative medicine to treat emergencies such as acute heart failure, respiratory failure, hypertension, etc. We carry out emergency thrombolysis and minimally invasive surgery, open the “green channel for acute chest pain " and cooperate with cardiology department to do PCI for acute coronary syndrome, which has reached the advanced level in China.

4. Give full play to TCM in various natural disasters and public health emergencies

During the Wenchuan earthquake, Prof. Chen Shaohong prescribed series of TCM prescriptions for 2 million people to prevent post-disaster epidemic. Prof. Chen also participated in making TCM prevention and treatment protocol for SARS, H1N1 influenza A, Streptococcus suis infection, and COVID-19, and became the chief expert of public health emergencies and National Key Infectious Disease Laboratory.

Special preparations:

       1. Zhongfeng Xingnao Liquid: For stroke (cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage).

       2. Sanju Kechuan Oral Liquid: For acute attacks of pulmonary heart disease.

       3. Hewei Tongxie Mixture: For acute pancreatitis.

       4. Sanhan Jiere Oral Liquid: For acute fever due to exogenous infection.

       5. Huabian Mixture: For acute tonsillitis.

We have a large number of TCM scientific research projects of national and provincial level. We have successively completed 7 national projects, 15 provincial projects, and 2 international cooperation projects. We have won several provincial scientific and technological progress awards, such as 4 second prizes, 1 third prize, and a national new drug certificate. With outstanding TCM characteristics, our department has built an appropriate medical team and gradually developed into a regional and national TCM (emergency medicine) center that incorporates medical service, education and scientific research. With increased capacity of innovation, our department is quite influential both home and abroad.

Professor Chen was invited by Yale University for academic exchange with top American neurologists at School of Medicine, Boston University

Photo of professor Chen Shaohong (second from left) and Professor Zhang Xiaoyun (first from left) with Gong Zhongshu (first from right, scientist approved by the US Congress) and Zheng Yongqi (second from right, scientist approved by the US Congress), at the School of Medicine, Yale University

Professor Zhang Xiaoyun teaches international students in clinic

Academic lectures

Director Lu Yun goes on teaching ward round