Singer Tank (Lü Jianzhong), from the island of Taiwan, undergoes Asia's first simultaneous heart and liver transplant for familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy combined with liver failure at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/People's Daily)

Singer Tank (Lü Jianzhong), from the island of Taiwan, posted "thanks to my motherland" after he underwent a heart and liver transplant at a hospital in Hangzhou. He has recovered and been discharged, Tank said in a post on China's social media Sina Weibo on Monday.

His operation was reportedly Asia's first simultaneous heart and liver transplant for familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy combined with liver failure, according to People's Daily on Wednesday.

Tank shared his medical journey on Weibo on Monday afternoon, noting he had largely recovered by the time of discharge. "Thanks to my motherland, thanks to Hangzhou. This is the strongest support, helping me overcome the biggest challenge of my life," he wrote. The related topic became trending with 66.19 million views.

The surgery Tank received marked Asia's first simultaneous heart-liver transplant for familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with liver failure. It is understood that this surgery is extremely difficult, involves complex perioperative management, and requires a high level of multidisciplinary collaboration. Only a few medical centers worldwide can perform it, according to People's Daily.

According to People's Daily, Tank rose to fame in 2006 with his debut album Fighting, which sold 100,000 copies. Hits like Three Kingdom Love and Personal Angel quickly swept through the Mandarin pop scene. However, in 2007, he suddenly fainted on stage due to his hereditary heart condition. After having a pacemaker implanted, doctors warned him that even singing loudly could be fatal, leaving Tank to step away from the stage.

By late March 2024, Tank was admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, by which time his health had severely deteriorated. After a comprehensive examination, doctors found he was suffering from multiple serious conditions, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, decompensated cirrhosis, and heart failure, People's Daily reported.

Given the complexity of his case, hospital experts determined that a single-organ transplant would be insufficient. They unanimously concluded that only a simultaneous heart-liver transplant could resolve his condition and save his life, the report said.

After over six months of declining health, Tank finally received matching donors in November 2024. The hospital team quickly assembled and performed the simultaneous heart and liver transplant.

During the postoperative phase, the medical team navigated critical challenges such as delayed graft function, dual immunosuppressive balance, and overlapping infection risks, the People's Daily reported.