A 72-year-old Alzheimer’s patient flew from Australia to Chongqing, where her condition improved after undergoing a deep cervical lymphatic-venous anastomosis at the hospital. Four years ago, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and despite receiving standardised drug treatment, her condition continued to deteriorate. For many years, her family actively sought treatment. Mr. Yao, a family member of the patient, stated that after seeing an introduction online about the relevant surgery by Professor CHENG Chongjie, the Associate Chief Physician from the neurosurgery department of the First Affiliated Hospital, they decided to come to Chongqing for treatment.
According to traditional treatment methods, Alzheimer's patients can only delay the progression of the disease through medication and other internal medicine approaches. In recent years, the medical community has discovered that there are specific proteins in the human brain that cause Alzheimer's disease. If these proteins accumulate in the brain, it can lead to or exacerbate Alzheimer's disease. The lymphatic system in the neck can play a role in draining this protein. The surgical procedure conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital involves connecting the patient's blocked lymphatic vessels to the veins near the neck, accelerating the flow and drainage of lymph fluid, thereby reducing the accumulation of metabolic waste and providing a new treatment option for Alzheimer's patients.
As the chief surgeon for this operation, Prof. Cheng expressed hope for further optimising the surgical process and details so more patients can benefit. Most importantly, he hopes that through performing this surgery, they can further uncover the core mechanism of this disease and truly conquer Alzheimer’s disease.
Since October 2024, when the First Affiliated Hospital first implemented surgical treatment for Alzheimer's patients, within just a few months, they have successfully performed over 80 surgeries, achieving a short-term efficacy rate of approximately 90%, which is leading nationwide.
(Translated by AI)
