On December 4, 2023, Professor Chen Mao, an expert in structural heart diseases from West China Hospital (WCH), was invited to Chile's National Chest Hospital (Nacional del Tórax Santiago Chile) to present the Venus-PowerX technology, the world's first fully-retrievable transcatheter heart valve after full release developed in China. This technology could provide solutions for heart valve diseases to countries along the Belt and Road Initiative. During the visit, Mr. Niu Qingbao, Chinese Ambassador to Chile, met with Professor Chen Mao and his team.

Professor Chen Mao introduced the academic exchanges and collaborations between our hospital and medical institutions in Chile, outlining the primary activities of this visit. He expressed willingness to further advance academic exchanges and collaborations in medicine with Chile. Ambassador Niu Qingbao highlighted Chile's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, emphasizing the cooperation between the two countries as a testament to people-to-people connectivity. He expressed hopes that future collaborations would bring tangible benefits to patients in Chile and promote friendship between the two nations.

WCH's cardiology department is one of China's largest Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) centers. Since performing the first TAVR in the central and western regions of China in April 2012, the department has conducted around 2000 TAVR procedures, along with transcatheter mitral and tricuspid interventions, accumulating extensive experience in interventional treatment for aortic valve diseases.

The Venus-PowerX utilizes the original Venus-Endura technology, providing superior durability, biocompatibility, and anti-calcification properties to the valve, allowing for dry storage of the valve. Even after 100% complete release, the valve can still be retrieved, exhibiting outstanding prevention of paravalvular leakage. This innovative technology offers a brand-new solution to the clinical challenges faced by patients globally with existing aortic valve stenosis.