Two shanghai hospitals yesterday said they have conducted successful charity surgeries on needy patients in critical condition.

One operation was performed on a pregnant Anhui Province woman with a cerebral hemorrhage, the other on a 14-year-old girl with a congenital heart condition. Both were recovering.

Changhai Hospital paid for the pregnant woman; the girl's community covered her costs.

Changhai Hospital received the Anhui Province native, 10-month pregnant and having a cerebral hemorrhage, over the weekend.

Wang Shuxia, in her 30s, had broken vessels in her brain, due to aorticaneurysm. That is a swelling or dilation of a weakened wall in an artery and has a tendency to expand and burst, causing life-threatening bleeding.

"The surgery is very risky, as the woman herself is in critical condition and the anesthesia in surgery can influence the fetus," said Dr Liu Jianmin, director of Changhai's neurosurgery department. Surgeons decided to perform the brain surgery and a Caesarean section at the same time.

The surgery was performed on Tuesday.

Doctors repaired the brain damage and helped Wang deliver a healthy daughter. Both are in stable condition and will be discharged in a week.

Since Wang is from a needy family, the hospital is providing free surgery and treatment - 50,000 yuan (US$6,173).

"We want to arouse the awareness of more people to help migrant people in financial difficulty," said Zhu Kui, a Changhai official.

Another charity surgery was conducted yesterday at Shanghai Children's Medical Center.

Fourteen-year-old Wang Yuxian, an Anhui Province girl, underwent surgery for a congenital heart condition.

Medical expenses were donated by residents in Ningbo, where her parents are migrant workers. A Ningbo television station reported Wang's story and viewers donated 100,000 yuan.

Wang was admitted to Shanghai Children's Medical Center on November 30.

"Her heart disease is serious, but treatable, and her life quality is better," said leading surgeon Liu Jinfen. Enditem

(Shanghai Daily December 16, 2005)