June 10th-11thThe magnificent Wuhan is located on the four sides of two rivers. Three towns stand like the three legs of a tripod, and it has the another name “River City”. Wuhan impression- grand and dignified.

The sunlight shining on the wall in the morning was just at a good angle. The unknown bird was buzzing outside the window. The morning air seemed to be still floating with the slight moisture of yesterday's rain.

At 7 am, a distinguished guest was welcomed in the surgical building of Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. During this trip, Professor Michael Mayer came to Tongji Hospital to conduct a small-scale academic exchange and brought a chance to contact the spine masters face to face to the spinal surgery department of Tongji Hospital.

The title of the speech was "Lumbar Disc Replacement" updated 2018. Spine Surgery Director Feng Li presided over the meeting.

Host- Director Feng Li

The speaker presented by heart, the listeners listened carefully.

The case report began after Professor Mayer’s lecture. The young doctor used fluent English to discuss with the professor.

After the academic meeting, Director Li led Professor Mayer to visit the spine center of Tongji Hospital and introduced the history of the hospital.

Tongji University was formerly known as a medical college established by a German doctor in Shanghai in 1907. It was developed gradually later. In 1927, it was taken over by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of China and became National Tongji University.

After the end of the?Anti-Japanese War, in 1950, in order to support the medical and health undertakings of the six provinces (Central South) of Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong, Guangxi and Henan, all medical schools and affiliated Tongji Hospital were relocated to Wuhan, and merged with the Medical College of Wuhan University and was renamed as Central South Tongji Medical College and Wuhan Tongji Medical College. In August 1955, Central South Tongji Medical College changed its name to Wuhan Medical College. In July 1985, Wuhan Medical College was renamed as Tongji Medical University, which was Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

The Department of Orthopaedics of the Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology is currently a medical institution, teaching institute, and scientific research institute. It is an diagnosis and treatment center of orthopedic disease with high medical and academic reputation in China and abroad.

At the invitation of Director Feng Li, Prof. Mayer visited the spine surgical ward of Tongji Hospital. He also reviewed three patients' cases, checked the films and gave appropriate treatment plans.

The second stop of the trip to Wuhan is the Orthopedic Hospital, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

The hospital is the first hospital within the Union Hospital and it was  Orthopaedics Department of the Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology formerly. It was founded in the 1950s and was designated as one of the “two red flags” of the Chinese orthopaedics in the 1960s, being  commended by Premier Enlai Zhou.

The academic meeting began at 7:30 in the morning. When the staff arrived at the meeting room at 7:00, all seats were occupied. Some doctors entered the meeting room one after another. The meeting was hosted by Prof. Zengwu Shao, President of the Orthopedic Hospital.

Host- President Zengwu Shao

Director Baojun Xiao also attended the meeting, with orthopedic doctors, over 100 people participated in the meeting. At this time, Professor Mayer talked about the 35-year development history of minimally invasive spine surgery.

The conference room was full of participants.

Participating junior doctors interacted with Prof. Mayer

Prof. Mayer answered junior doctors’ questions.

The participating doctors reported the case and brought patient's CT and MRI. They discussed the condition and treatment plan at the meeting.

Director Baojun Xiao participated in case discussion

This is an interesting case. Prof. Mayer said that he would like to go to the ward to see the patient personally. After a physical examination on the patient, Prof. Mayer gave a fair treatment opinion and read the films of other three special cases to give a satisfactory treatment plan.

Ward round at orthopedic wards of Union Hospital

Group photo of Prof. Mayer and his student Director Baojun Xiao

Director Baojun Xiao went to Germany twice in 2003 and 2005 respectively to study minimally invasive spine surgery techniques. He was deeply influenced by the minimally invasive concept of minimally invasive spine surgery authority Prof. Mayer. He has been engaged in orthopedic clinical work for 20 years. Since 2000, he has pioneered minimally invasive spine surgery in Hubei Province - endoscopic discectomy for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. Now, he is working on the treatment and research of minimally invasive techniques in spinal diseases such as lumbar disc herniation, cervical spondylosis, etc. He have accumulated valuable experience. He co-authored the books Minimally Invasive Orthopedics and New Advances in Neurosurgery.