China's Top Departments: Neurology at The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University

If you or a loved one is facing a complex neurological condition — stroke, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, myasthenia gravis, or a rare neuromuscular or genetic disorder — the Department of Neurology at The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (FAH-SYSU) is one of South China's most capable centres for diagnosis and treatment.

The hospital was founded in 1910 and is one of the largest and strongest comprehensive Class 3A hospitals in South China. In the 2023 Fudan comprehensive ranking it holds the top tier A++++ designation — one of only 20 nationwide — and it is consistently No. 1 in South China. As early as 2004, it was named "the mainland medical institution most trusted by people of Hong Kong."

The Department of Neurology was founded in 1954 and is one of South China's most capable centres for complex and critical neurological disorders, as well as a leading national training base for neurologists. It consistently ranks among the top 6 nationally and No. 1 in South China (No. 6 nationally in the Fudan 2021 Neurology reputation ranking).

At Medora, we help international patients navigate FAH-SYSU's neurology team. Here's what you need to know.

Scale and Capacity

The department is one of the busiest and most comprehensive neurology units in the region.

Subspecialties cover cerebrovascular disease, neurodegenerative and movement disorders, neuromuscular and genetic disorders, neuroimmunology and CNS infection, and epilepsy.

Academic Standing

• National Key Discipline (Ministry of Education)
• National Key Clinical Specialty (2012)
• One of China's earliest doctoral and master's programs in neurology, with a post-doctoral station
• Leading department of the National Regional Medical Centre for Neurological Diseases and the Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Centre for Neurological Diseases
• Home of the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Major Neurological Disease Diagnosis & Treatment and the South China International Cooperation Base for Early Intervention and Functional Restoration in Neurological Diseases
• Publishes the national core journal Chinese Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases (since 1975)
• Hosted the "Sun Yat-sen International Neurology Summit Forum" for 20+ consecutive years
• Research: 88+ grants in 2016–2020 (incl. 5 national key R&D projects), ~380 papers (nearly 200 SCI), awards incl. a Second Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award

Core Expertise

1. Stroke Care

A Comprehensive Stroke Centre (Chinese Stroke Association) and Advanced Stroke Centre (NHC). An emergency stroke green channel with one-stop CT angiography/perfusion imaging enables hyperacute thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy/stenting. The team performs interventional recanalisation for severe cerebral venous thrombosis and complex chronic intracranial/extracranial arterial occlusions, supported by high-resolution MRI vessel-wall imaging, TCD monitoring and bubble tests.

2. Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders

International-standard DBS — the department performed China's first DBS procedure under total intravenous anaesthesia. PET molecular imaging enables early diagnosis of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. It runs South China's first botulinum toxin clinic for hemifacial spasm (35,000+ injection sessions to date).

3. Neuromuscular & Genetic/Rare Diseases

Genetic diagnosis and counselling; comprehensive Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) care; one of the first member units of China's SMA Diagnosis & Treatment Alliance (nusinersen therapy research); monthly multidisciplinary meetings on difficult neuromuscular cases.

4. Myasthenia Gravis & Neuroimmune Diseases

Integrated perioperative management of thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis; immunoadsorption and rituximab targeted therapy; long-term collaboration with the Duke University Medical Center myasthenia gravis programme (USA).

5. Epilepsy

Comprehensive individualised care; modified Atkins diet for drug-resistant epilepsy; epilepsy surgery and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS); integrated treatment of epilepsy with psychiatric comorbidities.

Expert Team

Conditions Treated

• Stroke (cerebral infarction/haemorrhage): hyperacute treatment and secondary prevention
• Arterial stenosis/occlusion intervention; cerebral venous sinus thrombosis
• Parkinson's and other movement disorders (DBS); hemifacial spasm (botulinum toxin)
• Dementia and cognitive disorders
• Myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, neuroimmune diseases
• DMD, SMA, neuromuscular/genetic rare diseases
• Epilepsy (incl. surgery and neuromodulation)
• Complex neurological critical illness consultations

Patient Information

The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University

• Main campus: 58 Zhongshan Er Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
• Nansha campus: 8 Hengshun Er Road, Hengli Town, Nansha District
• Website: www.fahsysu.org.cn
• Switchboards: +86 (20) 87755766 / +86 (20) 87332200

Patients can reach Guangzhou by high-speed rail from Hong Kong West Kowloon, or fly into Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

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This guide is prepared for international patients. If you need assistance with medical consultation, appointment booking, or travel arrangements to the Neurology Department of The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, contact Medora for personalized support.