Members of the 10th Chinese medical team to Samoa perform a bronchoscopy along with bronchoalveolar lavage and biopsy on a patient in Apia, Samoa, on Jan. 16, 2026. (The 10th Chinese medical team to Samoa/Handout via Xinhua)
SUVA, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese medical team has successfully performed Samoa's first bronchoscopic alveolar lavage and biopsy at the Tupua Tamases Meaole (TTM) Hospital, marking a breakthrough in the diagnosis of respiratory diseases in the Pacific island nation.
The patient, a 76-year-old man, had been repeatedly hospitalized due to right lung atelectasis complicated by infection.
Following multiple consultations between Samoan and Chinese specialists, doctors decided to conduct a bronchoscopy to determine the underlying cause.
After a comprehensive preoperative assessment, Liu Han, a physician specializing in respiratory and critical care medicine from the Chinese team, performed the bronchoscopy along with bronchoalveolar lavage and biopsy.
The patient remained in stable condition after the procedure.
Cong Xiaoqiang, head of the team, noted that invasive bronchoscopic procedures had never previously been carried out in Samoa.
Due to a lack of specialized equipment at the local hospital, the First Hospital of Jilin University in northeast China's Jilin Province dispatched a shipment of dedicated surgical supplies from China to ensure the operation could proceed smoothly.
During the procedure, the team also provided hands-on training and multidisciplinary collaboration with local medical staff, offering standardized technical guidance and laying the groundwork for the gradual establishment of a respiratory disease diagnosis and treatment system in Samoa.
The 10th Chinese medical team to Samoa consists of 10 specialists from the First Hospital of Jilin University, covering disciplines including cardiology, ophthalmology, gynecology, otolaryngology, intensive care medicine, and traditional Chinese medicine.
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