Experimental neck surgery claims to reverse Alzheimer's symptoms, scientists urge caution

Deep cervical lymphatic-venous anastomosis, a microsurgical method that connects cervical lymphatics to nearby veins to improve clearance of brain-derived waste, entered the spotlight after a video showed an 80-year-old Alzheimer's patient rapidly regaining speech, mobility and memory following surgery by Qingping Xie in September 2020. The striking footage sparked a frenzy in China, where hundreds of hospitals offered the costly, experimental procedure until regulators limited it to formal clinical research and Xie was detained later that year.

Collaborators such as Wei Chen of the Cleveland Clinic have promoted the approach abroad, leading to small-scale studies that report modest reductions in amyloid-β and tau and slight cognitive gains, alongside occasional dramatic turnarounds. Critics point to the lack of control groups, potential complications like infection or nerve damage, and uncertainty about how quickly effects can appear. Larger trials now underway at the First People’s Hospital of Zunyi, the University of Ulsan College of Medicine, and a U.S. study backed by Medical Microinstruments seek robust evidence on durability and safety. The controversy highlights the tension between desperate demand for Alzheimer's therapies and the need for rigorous validation.