Professor Sun gets interviewed. (Photo/CNS)

On a flight from San Francisco to Xi'an on May 20, a female passenger suddenly became unconscious. Luckily for her, doctors from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, together with two American doctors, were on the same flight. The doctors saved the woman’s life. One of the doctors, Sun Zhongmin, later offered some details about the incident.

The passenger, surnamed Zhang, fainted on her way to the restroom approximately five hours after the plane took off. Flight attendants quickly looked to the passengers for medical assistance. The Chinese and American doctors administered emergency treatment to the unconscious passenger. 

Doctors perform emergency treatment on the passenger on the plane. (CNS/Ren Hui)

Based on her symptoms, the doctors agreed that Zhang was suffering from a hypovolemic shock. They soon came up with a first aid plan, and revived Zhang within one hour. Zhang was able to answer basic questions after she regained consciousness.

Sun said that cooperation with the American doctors was easy and pleasant. “When it comes to saving lives, there are no national boundaries for doctors,” he said.