Controversial surgery appeared to reverse Alzheimer’s
A controversial surgery that sparked a frenzy in China after dramatic videos showed people with severe Alzheimer’s appearing to recover is now entering controlled clinical trials around the world, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports, citing Nature.
The procedure, known as deep cervical lymphatic-venous anastomosis (dcLVA), involves connecting tiny lymphatic vessels in the neck to nearby veins. The goal is to improve the drainage of fluid and waste proteins from the brain into the bloodstream.
The technique was developed by Chinese microsurgeon Qingping Xie, who performed the first operation on an 84-year-old man in September 2020. Video of the patient showed striking changes within months, including the apparent return of speech, memory and mobility. The footage later spread internationally and helped fuel demand for the procedure.
Hundreds of hospitals in China began offering the experimental surgery, with thousands of patients reportedly seeking treatment. Some paid more than 200,000 yuan (about US$30,000). In response, Chinese regulators restricted the procedure in 2025 to ethics-approved clinical research.
Early studies have produced encouraging but limited results. More than a dozen small studies involving a few hundred patients have reported reductions in amyloid-beta and tau proteins, along with modest improvements in memory and attention. A study published in February involving more than 100 people with severe Alzheimer’s also found modest cognitive and functional improvements.
However, researchers remain divided over whether the surgery actually changes the course of Alzheimer’s disease. Most existing studies were conducted at a single site, lacked comparison groups and provided limited evidence explaining how the treatment might work. Some clinicians have also reported that patients can decline again within a year.
Scientists are particularly puzzled by how quickly some patients appear to improve. Possible explanations include reduced pressure in fluid-filled spaces around the brain, better removal of inflammatory molecules or faster clearance of soluble forms of amyloid-beta and tau. But there is currently no clear answer as to why the procedure might produce such rapid effects.
The surgery also carries risks, including infection, bleeding and injury to nearby nerves. Its methods vary between surgeons, with no broad agreement on the best way to perform the procedure.
More rigorous trials are now underway. In China, one study is following 192 patients across 14 centers, while a randomized study involving 376 people is examining who is most likely to benefit. Trials are also underway in South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States, with a larger European study expected to begin later this year.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that a blood test could detect Alzheimer's early in people with Down syndrome.
