Doctors from various departments study and discuss Michael Horvath's condition before surgery for critical infective endocarditis at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

He received cardiac surgery on April 12, right after imagery provided vague evidence of infective endocarditis.

Life support facilities, such as intra-aortic balloon pump and continuous renal replacement therapy were used in the treatment and his rare Rh negative blood type was supplied by the city's blood center.

"When I came to the hospital, it was really bad. I could hardly breathe. They had to force air into my lungs. That's the last thing I remember," Horvath said.