12-year-old becomes youngest complex heart procedure patient

12-year-old becomes youngest complex heart procedure patient

2026-03-31

A 12-year-old boy in Taichung has become the youngest person in Taiwan to undergo a complex heart procedure that replaces a failing valve without the need for open-heart surgery. The boy was born with congenital heart disease and had a heart transplant by the age of 10. By the age of 12, he was still ill. Doctors judged that surgery was too risky and instead used a minimally invasive cardiac catheterization technique known as a “transcatheter tricuspid valve-in-valve procedure.” The boy is now back at school and is in good health. Let’s find out more.

A 12-year-old boy with complex congenital heart disease had already undergone three open-heart surgeries and still suffered from severe stenosis and regurgitation. He still successfully avoided major surgery. Instead, his medical team used minimally invasive cardiac catheterization to perform a transcatheter tricuspid valve-in-valve procedure on the youngest-ever person in the nation.

Boy
Received surgery
I’m so happy to be back at school and be able to play and attend classes with everyone.

Boy’s mother
Happy to see son thriving
Over the past ten years, we’ve faced extremely difficult times, but I am very happy that we have successfully overcome every obstacle.

Most new minimally invasive cardiac catheterization techniques are performed on adults, but due to the boy’s severe adhesions, the medical team carefully evaluated the situation and decided to implant a new valve via cardiac catheterization to avoid high-risk surgery.

Chuang Tzu-yao
CMU Children’s Hospital
For surgery, we need to open the sternum and then open the pericardium. Because his heart has severe adhesions, there would be significant bleeding after the pericardium is opened. This is the main surgical risk.

Shyu Tsung-cheng
CMU Children’s Hospital
If you have a cardiac catheterization, you can go home after two or three days in hospital. The incision is a small one in the groin or neck.

At 12 years old, he is the youngest patient in Taiwan to undergo this procedure, marking a major breakthrough in pediatric cardiac catheterization. For children with heart disease, it offers hope and a new treatment option.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#heartdisease #catheterization #pediatrics

全國最年輕"經導管三尖瓣瓣中瓣"微創手術 12歲童重返校園

2026-03-31

台中一名12歲男童，出生就有複雜型先天性心臟病，一出生就接受動脈轉位手術，之後接受心臟移植手術，10歲接受人工瓣膜置換，接連動了3次開胸手術，仍有嚴重狹窄與逆流問題。中國醫大兒童醫院評估後，完成台灣最年輕12歲男童，接受「經導管三尖瓣瓣中瓣置放術」，以微創心導管技術，取代高風險的開心手術，讓男童健康重返校園。

12歲的小弟，罹患複雜型先天性心臟病，已經歷經3次開胸手術，仍有嚴重狹窄與逆流問題，但這次沒有"動大刀"，醫療團隊以微創心導管技術，完成全國最年輕12歲男童"經導管三尖瓣瓣中瓣置放術"。

[[男童]]
“回到校園就是很開心，可以跟大家一起上課，可以跟大家一起玩”

[[男童母親]]
“10幾年的歷程，過程中，很多次很難過，很難過，很難過，但是我很開心的是，我們每一個關卡都有順利通過”

新式的微創心導管技術大多使用在成人，但由於男童的沾黏嚴重，醫療團隊審慎評估後，以心導管方式植入新瓣膜，避免高風險手術。

[[中醫大兒醫兒童心臟科醫生莊子瑤]]
“手術的話我們要打開胸骨，然後要把心包膜打開來，因為他心臟沾黏的比較厲害，所以他心包膜打開後，會出血比較嚴重，這是我們手術的風險”

[[中醫大兒醫兒童心臟科主任徐宗正]]
“做心導管的話，住院2天3天就回家，傷口就是在腹股溝，或者頸部的小傷口”

創下國內最年輕12歲成功接受該手術案例，是兒童心導管技術的重要突破，為病童帶來新的治療方式與希望。

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Senior gamers show off skills by beating FTV reporter

What do you usually do with your grandparents? If not chatting or taking walks, then what about video games? Esports aren’t just for young people anymore. Last year, Taipei and New Taipei created a team of all senior gamers, with an average age of over 65. But don’t underestimate them—they can give people a fraction of their age a run for their money. Want to see how they play? We sent a reporter to go find out!

Headphones on, these gamers are focused and ready to play.

As speed is of the essence when positioning and using abilities, how good are these seniors, really? One of our reporters challenged them to find out.

They’re no joke. They clobbered her. She had to ask for mercy!

Even though she had a coach giving her advice, our reporter was knocked out in less than a minute. There’s a saying that you should never stop learning, even into old age. These seniors are living proof.

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Life starts at 70. I’m just four years old. It’s really hard. No game is harder than this. But I believe you should never stop learning. You have to train your brain to keep it nimble and stave off dementia.

Seagull
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I’m someone who knows nothing about computers and now I can play this. It’s weird. My hands used to not be very nimble, but after playing this, my mind’s a bit sharper, too.

As gaming has been getting more popular among seniors, Taipei and New Taipei finally created a team in October last year called the Soaring Cranes. Their average age is over 65.

Richard
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We interact with a lot of young people. I find it much easier to express myself and gesture with my hands, movements like that.

Swallow
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During the pandemic, there were three months when we couldn’t go outside. We were all stuck at home. A lot of my friends and relatives started getting dementia. They just watched TV every day, became a slave to the screen. Their children had to take care of them. It was so sad.

Taiwan is already a super-aged society, and the issue of senior care is only going to get worse. Any strategy to stave off dementia and disability should be an urgent priority.

Shih Kai-chun
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I’ve been providing senior care for five or six years now. But when it comes to health, we’re always brainstorming what could invigorate the conversation. So we introduced esports. First, they can talk with people of all different ages, since they’re playing a young person’s game. Second, they can learn something new. Third, it prevents and delays deterioration.

Who said that video games are only for young people? These seniors can play with the rest of them. Their golden years are just getting started.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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Historic Dadaocheng attracts trendy international brands

Dihua Street in Taipei’s Dadaocheng has long been a popular spot for tourists to get a feel for old Taipei – some of the buildings are over 150 years old. But recently it’s been changing. Many global trendy brands such as Le Labo and M.A.C. are setting up shop, giving the area a contemporary feel that blends in nicely with the historical aesthetic. Let’s find out more.

Lin Li
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When you go to Dadaocheng, besides strolling through its retro-style streets, you can also have a fashionable experience. Wig shops have tapped into new business opportunities, offering any hairstyle imaginable—long, short, straight or curly.

The wig market is no longer limited to older adults or people experiencing hair loss. It’s increasingly attracting younger consumers, especially in recent years. With personal styling and travel photos on the rise, changing your look anytime is easy—with just a single wig.

Sabrina
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Our best selling product is actually hair extensions, because they can be worn every day and you don’t need to make too many or too drastic changes to your hairstyle. There are also people who like to change their hairstyle but don’t want to dye their hair too often.

An international wig brand has set up shop in Dadaocheng, introducing Taiwan’s first fully transparent wig care, washing and fitting space. Customers can bring their wigs in for complimentary cleaning and maintenance every two to three weeks or about once a month. From natural styles to gradient colors, as well as the latest spring and summer hair trends, professional stylists are available to provide personalized consultations and even offer on-the-spot trimming and styling.

Nancy
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In terms of colors, the trends for spring and summer are more about cream and golden yellow tones and the hairstyles are more structured and sharp, or a little neater.

Dihua Street is becoming increasingly internationalized, with global brands moving in one after another. Brands like Jo Malone greet visitors at the entrance, while M.A.C, Le Labo Fragrances, and trendy sportswear brand Adidas have cleverly incorporated their logos into traditional window lattices, creating a blend of old and new that visitors find very appealing.

Visitor
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I find it quite novel, combining local architecture with culture.

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Before, this felt like a place to visit historical sites, but now there are many new and trendy shops.

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Adidas is new, it wasn’t there when I last came. It’s a fusion project, the new brand utilizes the original architecture with minor modifications.

Walk along the historic streets of Dadaocheng, where old and new are blended together. This historic district that reflects Taiwan’s past has been transformed into a battleground for fashion styles.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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Officials blast KMT Chair’s planned visit to China

KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun announced she’ll be leading a delegation to visit China on April 7, at CCP Chair Xi Jinping’s invitation. Cheng justified the trip by claiming that that “the whole world follows the One China policy” and the so-called “1992 Consensus.” Her plans have drawn sharp criticism in Taiwan. Among the critics is Premier Cho Jung-tai, who says Cheng is belittling Taiwan. Let’s hear more.

Cheng Li-wun (March 30)
KMT Chair
The whole world follows the One China policy, and the shared consensus is not supporting Taiwan independence.

Cho Jung-tai
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If you go into the negotiations wearing these two hats: the One China policy hat and the 1992 Consensus hat, then the talks are destined not to benefit Taiwan.

Rosalia Wu
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According to an international study by a Singaporean scholar, there are only 50 countries in the world that support China’s “One China principle,” all of which are countries with positions similar to China’s. Among the remaining 100-plus countries, the majority of democracies resist China and support Taiwan.

Wellington Koo
Defense Minister
We must strengthen our self-defense capabilities and ensure we do not become a breach in collective deterrence across the Indo-Pacific region.

In her statement, Cheng seemed to conflate China’s “One China principle” with the “One China policies” of different countries. The former is China’s assertion that Taiwan belongs to the PRC, which is not necessarily the case in other countries’ “One China policies.” Cheng is set to depart for Shanghai on April 7. The next day, the first stop will be Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing to pay respects. The KMT says that any Taiwanese media that wishes to accompany the delegation must apply for permission on their own with China’s Taiwan Affairs Office. The arrangement has raised concerns that control lies with China, and that Cheng’s trip would be used for China’s united front propaganda. In response, the KMT says the party doesn’t have a press corps, and cannot select which media outlets to include.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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President receives EU, UK parliamentary delegations

The Presidential Office on Tuesday morning welcomed parliamentary delegations from the EU and the UK. Both groups expressed hope for deeper economic and trade relations with Taiwan and underscored the importance of key issues such as free navigation in the Taiwan Strait and maintaining peaceful cross-strait relations. On the other hand, a group from the US Congress also wrapped up its Taiwan visit in the evening at the Taipei Guest House.

An 11-member delegation of the European Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defence was received by President Lai Ching-te Tuesday morning on the first day of their four-day visit to Taiwan. The group will later visit the Ministry of Defense and the Institute for National Defense and Security Research.

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Only by continuing to strengthen our self-defense capabilities, will we have the means to safeguard regional peace and stability.

The president also welcomed the British-Taiwanese All-Party Parliamentary Group, making for a busy week in diplomacy. Meanwhile, a US Congressional delegation currently in Taiwan also wrapped up their visit with a press event at the Taipei Guest House.

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It’s crucial that all parties in Taiwan come together to approve robust supplementary defense spending, a package that enables not only purchases of critical American equipment, but also asymmetric capabilities that are produced right here in Taiwan. The US must fulfill our commitments, which include delivering arms and capabilities as quickly as we can.

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This dashcam footage shows a row of scooters on the road, when suddenly, one driver notices something unusual and quickly swerves aside. No one else did, and soon afterwards, a car appears in their direction and crashes into the row of scooters, sending vehicles and drivers flying.

A motorbike lies strewn in the middle of the road, surrounded by traffic cones. Moving forward, more debris is to be seen all over. Paramedics rush to send the injured to the hospital.

Amid the chaos are numerous scooters that have been knocked over. The driver that caused this accident was behind the wheels of this black car, which has also been deformed. A spider web-like pattern crept across the windshield, suggesting great impact.

The chain collision happened in Anding District, Tainan at around 7 Monday morning, about 1km off the embankment near a Xigang Bridge exit to Guanliao. The driver, a woman surnamed Chen, had just gotten off work at Southern Taiwan Science Park, presumably fatigued. She drove in the opposite lane and ran directly into the row of scooters, causing one man to lose his breath and heartbeat, and left seven others with injuries. The one 35-year-old man could not be resuscitated and was pronounced dead.

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The driver surnamed Chen was driving on the road along the embankment from east to west. For unknown reasons, she drove in the opposite direction and crashed into several scooters driving from west to east. As a result, several scooter drivers were hospitalized. Our initial findings suggest that none of the drivers in the incident were driving under the influence.

A long trail of tire marks was left on the road by the car driver, while a scooter she ran into was left in shambles. The police said that the driver herself was not under the influence of alcohol. It remains to be clarified why the driver ended up causing this chain collision that killed one and injured seven.

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A fish flops on the floor in a struggle after leaping from the tank. A member of staff rushes and picks it up with her bare hands to put it back in the water. But even then, its swimming is a little wonky.

The fish was sent for medical treatment due to the severity of the injuries. Netizens are slamming the aquarium, saying that the design of the tanks is causing harm, and that aesthetics are being prioritized over animal welfare, creating a death trap.

The video was captured at the third-floor exhibition area in Taichung Aquarium, which features several tanks resembling cocktail glasses, simulating the Dajia River ecosystem. Visitors can walk under the tanks to see the freshwater fish from different angles. So what changes could prevent a repeat?

Ms. Shih
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Voice of Lin Chen
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The species in the video is a Thai silver barb. If visitors knock on the tank or make loud noises, the vibration of the sound waves are amplified in the water, which feels like a really loud thunderclap for the fish.

Taichung Aquarium says it will look into making adjustments based on each species’ needs, such as potentially relocating some species. It reminds visitors to not tap on the tanks or get too close to avoid startling the fish.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Taiwanese film slammed for ‘Taiwan, China’ origin on Weibo

A heartwarming movie about a baby born in a woman’s prison has been involved in a controversy over its social media promotion in China. The Taiwanese film “Sunshine Women’s Choir” has had an impressive run in Taiwan. Already, it’s achieved a box office figure of NT$740 million and is set to be released in international markets including Malaysia, North America, the UK and China. But a recent post on the film’s official Weibo account described it as a film from “Taiwan Region, China.” The designation sparked outrage among Taiwanese fans, who pointed out that the production had received NT$18 million in subsidies from the Taiwanese government, including the Ministry of Culture. Culture Minister Li Yuanhas responded to the incident, acknowledging that Chinese authorities have a tight grip on China’s film market. Let’s hear from him.

Li Yuan
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Yesterday the production team of “Sunshine Women’s Choir” approached us directly. The reality is that Taiwanese films that are to be distributed in China have to go through the China Film Group and the Huaxia Film Distribution Company, both of which are state-run companies. Once the film is sold to China, all promotional materials are in their hands. China takes advantage of its large market to promote unification, but the most concerning part is that it can stir up division and hostility within Taiwan. I believe we must stand united and continue to promote our film industry. By expanding into more markets, we can avoid being manipulated by the Chinese market.

Film producer Liu Wei-jan has attempted to calm the situation on social media, saying that Taiwanese films released in China have always been labeled as being from “Taiwan, China.” She added that it was not a voluntary decision made by anyone in the Taiwanese side. She also posted that according on the relevant regulations, government subsidies must be repaid in full if a film turns a profit. She later deleted her account and the posts.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
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