We provide clinical service for both cardiac and thoracic pathologies.

We have developed a high quality world-class service for the most complex of aortic and cardiac cases including multiple valvular surgeries, complex re-operative surgeries (12% of our workload) as well as routine coronary revascularisation procedures. Our mortality for elective coronary revascularisation has been < 1% for the last 5 consecutive years. Our mitral repair programme has flourished and we now have 3D echo for all patients pre and post-operatively with a repair success rate in ischemic and degenerative disease of > 90%. Our aortic surgery programme utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach to provide complete treatment options for complex aortic cases involving interventional radiology, vascular surgery, cardiology and anaesthesia. We opened a 'state of the art' hybrid operating theatre in 2013 to facilitate streamlining of our aortic programme and we have provided endovascular treatments with or without hybrid interventions since 2007. We also provide full spectrum open aortic surgery including aortic root, arch, descending and thoracoabdominal aorta with excellent outcomes.

The thoracic side of our division provides world-class service in areas of minimally invasive video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for all thoracic conditions in adults and children, bronchoscopic and airway surgery, minimally invasive and bronchoscopic treatment for emphysema. More recently, the division has become the leader in the region for single port (uniportal) VATS, chest wall resection and reconstruction, and complex surgery utilizing state-of the-art hybrid operating theatre for localization and non-invasive ablation of lung tumours. Our team works closely with the internationally renowned lung cancer group from Department of Clinical Oncology to provide the best possible treatment plan and care for cancer patients.

• Developed an integrated cardiac surgical database which reports outcomes in the public domain supported by the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau, The Government of The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. http://www.surgery.cuhk.edu.hk/surgical-audit
• Contributed data to an International Benchmarking Project with The Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery of Great Britain and Ireland: awarded "Best Quality Improvement Initiative" by British Medical Journal 2010. http://www.scts.org/modules/resources/info.aspx?id=31
• Organised the very first 'single-port' lung resection symposium & live surgery in Asia in 2013.
• Co-Conveners for the Asian Cardiothoracic Specialty Update Course in association with the National University Hospital, Singapore and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
• Performed Hong Kong's First Major Chest Wall Reconstruction with MatrixRib Precontour Plate system
• Performed Hong Kong's First Robotic Thoracic Surgery
• Performed Hong Kong's First Single Port (Uniportal) VATS Major Lung Resections (Lobectomy, Pneumonectomy, Segmentectomy and Bilobectomy)
• Performed Hong Kong's first Total Aortic Replacement / Elephant Trunk and sequential endovascular stenting for complex arch/descending aortic dissection using the Sienna (TM) graft http://www.annalscts.com/article/view/2009/2739
• Performed South East Asia's first Total Arch Replacement/ Frozen Elephant Trunk with Thoraflex^TM hybrid stent graft system in Aug 2014
• Performed Asia’s first Nexus^TM arch branched TEVAR for arch aneurysm in 2018
• NTEC Outstanding Team 2018 - Aortic Multidisciplinary Team



• Invited collaborators with the CORE group and the International Aortic Arch Study Group, a worldwide initiative to collate data and define practice in complex aortic surgery. http://www.coregroupinternational.org
• Performed Asia-Pacific's First Hybrid OR Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy procedure
• Performed Asia-Pacific's First Hybrid OR Navigation Bronchoscopy Microwave Ablation of Lung Cancer
• Performed Asia's First E-Vita Open Neo Total Arch Replacement and Frozen Elephant Trunk in October 2020
• HA Outstanding Team Award 2021 - Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary Team



• Successfully Performed World’s First Robotic-assisted bronchoscopy Endobronchial Microwave Ablation for lung tumour (metastasis). 24th Oct 2022
• HA Outstanding Team Award 2023 - NTEC Multidisciplinary Complex Coronary Revascularisation Team



• Our HEART team Successfully performed first Transcarotid and Transcaval TAVR in HK

The Division has ongoing clinical and basic science research interests which include:

• Molecular biology of lung cancer
• Hybrid operating room navigation bronchoscopy treatment of lung cancer
• Novel endoscope and robotic technologies for thoracic surgery
• Clinical outcomes and monitoring of of cardiac surgery outcomes
• Myocardial endothelial function and protection
• Radiogenomics study of Genetically triggered thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection
• Valvular surgery, repair techniques and echo follow-up
• Complex aortic surgery, neuroprotection and outcomes
• Total Arch Replacement and Frozen Elephant Trunks clinical and radiological outcomes
• 3-D printing guided cardiovascular Intervention
• Pocket Mobile Echocardiogram screening for Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm

• Transbronchial Therapies in the Treatment of Pulmonary Malignancies
• Organoid and Aptamer use for the management of thoracic cancers
• AI-assisted multimodalities risk prediction model of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection

• Conen D, Ke Wang M, Popova E, Chan MTV, Landoni G, Cata JP, Reimer C, McLean SR, Srinathan SK, Reyes JCT, Grande AM, Tallada AG, Sessler DI, Fleischmann E, Kabon B, Voltolini L, Cruz P, Maziak DE, Gutiérrez-Soriano L, McIntyre WF, Tandon V, Martínez-Téllez E, Guerra-Londono JJ, DuMerton D, Wong RHL, McGuire AL, Kidane B, Roux DP, Shargall Y, Wells JR, Ofori SN, Vincent J, Xu L, Li Z, Eikelboom JW, Jolly SS, Healey JS, Devereaux PJ; COP-AF Investigators.
  Effect of colchicine on perioperative atrial fibrillation and myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery in patients undergoing major thoracic surgery (COP-AF): an international randomised trial.
  Lancet 2023 Aug 25:S0140-6736(23)01689-6. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01689-6.
• Ho JY, Kim CH, Chow SCY, Kwok MWT, Lee H, Kim TH, Fujikawa T, Wong RH, Song SW.
  Initial Asian experience of the branched E-vita Open NEO in complex aortic pathologies.
  J Thorac Dis Feb 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9992573/
• Lum RT, Wang X, Zhang MR, Zhang XR, Ho JY, Chow SC, Fujikawa T, Wong RH.
  Emerging role of radiogenomics in genetically triggered thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection: A narrative review.
  Ann Translational Med 2023 Aug 30;11(10):356. doi:10.21037/atm-22-6149
• Lim K, Ho YK, Chow SCY, Fujikawa T, Lee AP, Wong RH.
  Peri-procedural Trans-esophageal Echocardiographic sizing of the native let ventricular outflow tract during Edwards INTUITY valve implantation.
  Front Cardiovasc Med. 2021 Jul 15;8:690752. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.690752
• Lim K, Chow SC, Ho JY, Wan S, Underwood M, Wong RH.
  Hepatorenal Dysfunction predicts operative mortality after triple valve surgery: Utility of MELD-Na.
  J Card Surg 2021. 16. doi:10.1111/jocs.15745
• Chow SC, Ho JY, Kwok MW, Fujikawa T, Lim K, Wan S, Wong RH.
  Coronary endarterectomy in coronary artery disease: Factors affecting graft patency and survival.
  Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann. 2021 Apr 6:2184923211006851 doi:10.1177/02184923211006851
• Ho JY, Chow SC, Fujikawa T, Wong RH.
  Total aortic arch replacement and frozen elephant trunk.
  Sem Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. Nov 2020. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.semtcvs.2020.11.016
• Wong RH, Ho JY, Bashir M, Jakob H.
  First-in-man implantation of Evita Open Neo in Hong Kong.
  CTSNet 2020. https://doi.org/10.25373/ctsnet.13373762.v1
• Ho JY, Chow SC, Fujikawa T, Wong RH.
  Surgical ventricular restoration with double patch postinfarction ventricular septal rutpure repair.
  Int Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2020. doi. 10.1093/icvts/ivaa181
• Chow SC, Wong RH, Cheung GS, Lee AP, Chui HK, So KC, Wu EB.
  Short term clinical outcomes and analysis of risk fators for pacemaker implantation: A single center experience of self-expandble TAVI valves.
  J Cardiothorac Surg 2020. Jul 29;15(1):200. doi. 10.1186/s13019-020-01241-9
• Wong RH, Yang F, Fujikawa T, Wong MC, Yu SC, Underwood MJ, Lee AP.
  Pocket-size Mobile Echocardiography screening for thoracic aortic aneurysm in hypertensive patients.
  Ann Thorac Surg. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.athoracsur.2020.07.018
• Ng CSH, Ong BH, Chao YK, Wright GM, Sekine Y, Wong IYH, Hao Z, Zhang G, Chaturvedi H, Thammineedi SR, Law SYK, Kim HK.
  The use of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging in thoracic and esophageal surgery.
  Ann Thorac Surg 2023 Apr;115(4):1068-76
• Chan JWY, Chang ATC, Yu PSY, Lau RWH, Ng CSH.
  Robotic Assisted-Bronchoscopy with Cone-Beam CT ICG Dye Marking for Lung Nodule Localization: Experience Beyond USA.
  Frontiers in Surgery 2022 Jun 28;9:943531
• Hongsheng Deng, Jun Liu, Xiuyu Cai, Jiawei Chen, Rocco Gaetano, René Horsleben Petersen, Alex Brunelli, Calvin S H Ng, Thomas A D'Amico, Wenhua Liang, Jianxing He.
  Radical Minimally Invasive Surgery following Immuno-chemotherapy in Initially-unresectable Stage IIIB Non-small cell lung cancer.
  Ann Surg 2022 Mar;275(3):e600-e602
• Chan JWY, Lau RWH, Ngai JCL, Tsoi C, Chu CM, Mok TSK, Ng CSH.
  Transbronchial Microwave Ablation of Lung Nodules with Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy Guidance – A Novel Technique and Initial Experience with 30 Cases.
  Transl Lung Cancer Res 2021 Apr;10(4):1608-1622.
• Yu PSY, Chu CM, Lau RWH, Ng CSH.
  Hybrid Theatre Facilitates Lung-Preserving Multimodal Treatment for Multiple Pulmonary Metastases.
  Ann Thorac Surg 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2020.05.098.
• Chan JWY, Lau RWH, Ng CSH.
  Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy Fiducial Marker Margin Identification plus Triple Dye for Complete Lung Nodule Resection.
  J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Techniques 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.xjtc.2020.07.010.
• Fujikawa T, Chow SCY, Chang ATC, Wong RHL.
  Open descending aortic replacement in a patient with a fractured Djumbodis™ dissection system.
  Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2020 Jul 1;58(1):199-201. doi: 10.1093/ejcts/ezz367
• Chow SC, Wong RH, Lakhani I, Wong MV, Tse G, Yu PS, Ho JY, Fujikawa T, Underwood MJ.
  Management of acute type A intramural hematoma: Upfront surgery or individualized approach? A retrospective analysis and meta-analysis.
  J Thorac Dis. 2020 Mar;12(3):680-689. doi: 10.21037/jtd.2019.12.109.
• Ho JY, Chan JY, Chow SC, Yu PS, Kwok MW, Cheung GS, Wong RH.
  Application of Cerebral Protection System in open mitral replacement with extensive calcified left atrial thrombus.
  Innovations. 2020 Jan/Feb;15(1):85-87. doi: 10.1177/1556984519892242
• Fan Yiting, Wong RH, Lee AP.
  Three-dimensional printing in structural heart disease and intervention.
  Ann Transl Med. 2019 Oct; 7(20):579. doi: 10.21037/atm.2019.09.73.
• Fujikawa T, Ho JYK, Wong HMK, Wong RHL.
  Open descending aortic replacement after Thoraflex™ hybrid graft implantation.
  Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2019 Sep 1;56(3):612-614. doi: 10.1093/ejcts/ezy481
• Fujikawa T, Yamamoto S, Oshima S, Ozaki K, Shimamura J, Asada H, Wong RH.
  Open Surgery for Descending Thoracic Aorta in an Endovascular Era.
  J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2019 Jun;157(6):2168-2174. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2018.08.094
• Zhang L, Wang L, Kadeer X, Zeyao L, Sun X, Sun W, She Y, Xie D, Li M, Zou L, Rocco G, Yang P, Chen C, Liu CC, Petersen RH, Ng CSH, Parrish S, Zhang YS, Giordano R, di Tommaso L; AME Thoracic Surgery Collaborative Group.
  Accuracy of a 3-Dimensionally Printed Navigational Template for Localizing Small Pulmonary Nodules: A Noninferiority Randomized Clinical Trial.
  JAMA Surg. 2019 Apr 1;154(4):295-303
• Zhang J, Sheng J, Dong L, Xu Y, Yu L, Liu Y, Huang XR, Wan S, Lan HY, Wang HS.
  Cardiomyocyte-specific loss of RMP causes myocardial dysfunction and heart failure.
  Cardiovasc Res 2019;115:1617-1628
• Zhao ZR, Lau RWH, Long H, Mok TSK, Chen GG, Underwood MJ, Ng CSH.
  Novel method for rapid identification of micropapillary or solid components in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma.
  J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2018 Dec; 156:2310-8
• Zhang J, Yu LM, Xu YL, Liu Y, Li Z, Xue XD, Wan S, Wang HS.
  Long noncoding RNA upregulated in hypothermia treated cardiomyocytes protects against myocardial infarction through improving mitochondrial function.
  Int J Card 2018;266:213–217
• Zhao ZR, Lau RWH, Ng CSH.
  Hybrid theatre and uniportal VATS: the perfect match for lung nodule localization.
  Thorac Surg Clin 2017 Nov;27(4):347-55
• Zhao ZR, Situ DR, Lau RWH, Mok TSK, Chen GG, Underwood MJ, Ng CSH.
  Comparison of segmentectomy and lobectomy in stage IA adenocarcinomas.
  J Thorac Oncol 2017 May;12(5):890-896
• Liang WH, He JX, Shen YX, Shen JF, He QH, Zhang JR, Jiang GN, Wang Q, Liu LX, Gao SG, Liu DR, Wang Z, Zhu ZH, Ng CSH, Liu CC, Petersen RH, Rocco G, D’Amico T, Brunelli A, Chen HQ, Zhi XY, Liu B, Yang YX, Chen WS, Zhou Q, He JX.
  Impact of Examined Lymph Node Count on Precise Staging and Long-term Survival of Resected NSCLC: A Population Study of the U.S. SEER Database and a Chinese Multi-Institutional Registry.
  J Clin Oncol 2017 Apr 10;35(11):1162-1170
• Ng CSH, Zhao ZR, Lau RWH.
  Tailored Therapy for Stage I Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.
  J Clin Oncol 2017 Jan;35(3):268-270
• Wang L, Luo JY, Li B, Tian XY, Chen LJ, Huang YH, Liu J, Deng D, Lau CW, Wan S, Ai D, Mak K, Tong KK, Kwan KM, Wang NP, Chiu JJ, Zhu Y, Huang Y.
  Integrin-YAP/TAZ-JNK cascade mediates atheroprotective effect of unidirectional shear flow.
  Nature 2016 Dec;540:579-582
• Dai CY, Shen JF, Ren YJ, Zhong SY, Zheng H, He JX, Xie D, Fei K, Liang WH, Jiang G, Yang P, Petersen RH, Ng CSH, Liu CC, Brunelli A, Chen C, He JX, written on behalf of the AME Thoracic Surgery Collaborative Group.
  Choice of surgical procedure for patients with NSCLC ≤1 cm or >1 to 2 cm among lobectomy, segmentectomy and wedge resection: A population-based study.
  J Clin Oncol 2016 Sept 10;34(26):3175-82
• Ng CSH, Yu SCH, Lau RWH, Yim APC.
  Hybrid Dyna - CT Guided Electromagnetic Navigational Bronchoscopic Biopsy.
  Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2016 Jan;48(S1):i87-88