China's Top Departments: Neurosurgery at Changzheng Hospital (Naval Medical University)

If you or a loved one is facing traumatic brain injury, a brain tumor such as glioma, cerebrovascular disease, pituitary adenoma, or a cranial nerve disorder like trigeminal neuralgia, the Department of Neurosurgery at Changzheng Hospital is one of China's most established destinations — a National Key Discipline at a military medical university tertiary hospital, home to the PLA Institute of Neurosurgery, and renowned for both traumatic brain injury care and fully endoscopic skull-base surgery.

Overview

The Department of Neurosurgery is one of the six traditional flagship disciplines of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University (Shanghai Changzheng Hospital). It is a National Key Discipline, a National "Project 211" Key Discipline, and a National Key Clinical Specialty. The department hosts both the Shanghai Institute of Neurosurgery and the Chinese PLA Institute of Neurosurgery, and serves as a training base of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association for neuroendoscopy and a neurosurgery residency/specialist training base, with doctoral programs and a post-doctoral station.

Led by traumatic brain injury (TBI) as its flagship direction and driven by neuro-oncology and cerebrovascular disease, the department's clinical service capacity, management of complex conditions and critical care rank at a leading level in Shanghai and an advanced level nationally; its TBI/neurocritical care, neuro-oncology and cerebrovascular programs place among the top nationally. The department has undertaken more than 130 research projects with research funding exceeding RMB 110 million.

Hospital Background

The Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University (Shanghai Changzheng Hospital) is a tertiary (Class A) general hospital integrating clinical care, teaching and research. Its predecessor was established in September 1958 as the Second Affiliated Hospital of the Second Military Medical University, and in September 1966 it was officially named "Shanghai Changzheng Hospital."

The hospital has six traditional flagship disciplines: orthopedics, urology, neurosurgery, nephrology, burns & plastic surgery, and emergency & critical care medicine. The main campus is located at 415 Fengyang Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai (near People's Square), with an additional Pudong campus (1366 Jinzuan Road, Caolu Town, Pudong New Area, opened in April 2026).

Academic Leader

Dr. Hou Lijun (侯立军)

• Director of Neurosurgery at Changzheng Hospital; Professor, Chief Physician, Doctoral Supervisor; Director of the Shanghai Institute of Neurosurgery and the PLA Institute of Neurosurgery
• Selected as a "National-Level Candidate" of the Ten-Thousand Talents Program and a "National Young-and-Middle-Aged Expert with Outstanding Contributions"; recipient of a State Council Special Allowance; listed among Shanghai Leading Talents, Shanghai Outstanding Discipline Leaders, the Shanghai "New Hundred Talents Program"; a PLA Leading Talent and Shanghai "Science & Technology Elite," and honored in the second and third "National Famous Doctor" (Guo Zhi Ming Yi) lists
• Holds leadership roles including Vice Chair of the Trauma Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, member of the Neurosurgery Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and Chair of its Trauma Group, President-Elect of the Trauma Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, Chair of its Skull-Base Trauma Expert Committee, Vice Chair of its Neuroendoscopy Committee, and Vice Chair of the Shanghai Medical Doctor Association Neurosurgery Branch
• Focuses on traumatic brain injury and endoscopic skull-base surgery; a pioneer of skull-base trauma neurosurgery who has successfully treated more than 6,000 patients with TBI and neurocritical illness, and performed China's first microsurgical decompression for TBI combined with multiple cranial nerve injuries
• First-place winner of one National Science and Technology Progress Award (First Prize) and one (Second Prize), plus a PLA Science and Technology Progress First Prize and a PLA Medical Achievement First Prize; received the 2021 Wu Jieping Medical Innovation Award; awarded one First-Class Merit, two Second-Class Merits and three Third-Class Merits
• Has led more than 10 major national and provincial/ministerial research projects totaling over RMB 50 million in funding; author of 150+ SCI and core-journal papers, several published in JAMA, Journal of Neurosurgery and Injury; invited speaker at the World Congress of Neurosurgery for three consecutive terms
• Trained as a visiting scholar at Harvard University (USA) and Humboldt University / Hannover Institute of Neuroscience (Germany); editor-in-chief of China's first monograph on open craniocerebral injury

Dr. Xu Tao (徐涛), Deputy Director

• Deputy Director of Neurosurgery; Associate Chief Physician, Associate Professor, MD, Master's Supervisor; member of the Neurosurgery Group of the Shanghai Medical Association; member and secretary of the Trauma Surgery Branch of the Shanghai Medical Doctor Association

Core Strengths

Traumatic Brain Injury Care (Flagship)

• Among the first in China to conduct systematic basic and clinical research on TBI, establishing a complete set of protocols for TBI and its associated injuries
• Related achievements include one National Science and Technology Progress Award First Prize (2018), two National Science and Technology Progress Award Second Prizes (2000, 2013), two PLA Medical Achievement First Prizes and one PLA Science and Technology Progress First Prize
• Extensive experience in comprehensive management of severe TBI and in arousal therapy for long-term coma patients

Fully Endoscopic Skull-Base Surgery

• Combines fully endoscopic surgery with image-guided technology, opening a new field of skull-base trauma surgery and filling multiple domestic and international gaps
• Level of care: skull-base trauma at an internationally advanced level; fully endoscopic skull-base surgery (skull-base trauma, skull-base aneurysms and skull-base tumors) at a nationally leading level

Neuro-Oncology & Glioma

• Among the first in China to conduct basic and clinical research on gliomas and one of the earliest centers to apply gene therapy for glioma
• Founded the Changzheng Hospital Glioma Center in 2013; glioma chemotherapy at a nationally leading level; received a Shanghai Science and Technology Progress First Prize

Cerebrovascular Disease

• The first in East China to carry out endovascular treatment of brain and spinal vascular diseases
• Distinctive strengths in interventional and minimally invasive treatment of complex aneurysms, brain and spinal vascular malformations, and carotid-cavernous fistulas

Neuroendoscopy & Cranial Nerve Disorders

• Minimally invasive neuroendoscopic surgery for pituitary adenoma and craniopharyngioma; management of giant pituitary adenoma with hydrocephalus reaches an internationally advanced level
• Minimally invasive surgery for cranial nerve disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm; neuroendoscopic surgery for spinal canal tumors, disc herniation and spinal vascular malformations

Rankings & Honors

• National Key Discipline, National "Project 211" Key Discipline, National Key Clinical Specialty
• Host of the Shanghai Institute of Neurosurgery and the Chinese PLA Institute of Neurosurgery
• Shanghai Leading Medical Discipline; Shanghai "Top Priority" Key Clinical Discipline; Shanghai "Zhenlongtou" Key Clinical Specialty
• Multiple high-level national and military awards in TBI care and fully endoscopic skull-base surgery
• Note: This guide does not cite specific ranking placements from unverified sources; the department's standing is described based on official qualifications and award information

Location & Contact

• Main campus (Huangpu): 415 Fengyang Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai (near People's Square; Metro Lines 1/2/8)
• Pudong campus: 1366 Jinzuan Road, Caolu Town, Pudong New Area, Shanghai (Metro Line 9, Caolu Station; opened April 2026)
• Hospital switchboard (public): 021-81886999 / 021-63586818

For more top departments in China, see our spotlights on Changhai Hospital urology and Huashan Hospital neurosurgery.