China's Top Departments: Neurosurgery at Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University

If you're seeking world-class neurosurgery in Western China, Tangdu Hospital's Department of Neurosurgery is the region's undisputed leader. Founded in 1962 and established as an independent specialty in 1973, it has grown into one of China's largest and most comprehensive neurosurgery centers, ranked Top 8 nationally and #1 in Northwest China.

The department operates 281 beds across 6 general wards and a dedicated neurosurgical ICU, with 7 conventional operating rooms and 2 hybrid ORs performing over 10,000 surgeries annually. With 311 registered specialist physicians, it is a National Key Discipline, a National "Double First-Class" Discipline, and home to the PLA Institute of Functional Neurosurgery — the only institute of its kind in the PLA.

Its nine subspecialty teams cover functional neurosurgery, cerebrovascular disease and stroke, traumatic brain injury and neurocritical care, comprehensive glioma treatment, skull base and endoscopic surgery, refractory epilepsy, minimally invasive spine and spinal cord surgery, pediatric neurosurgery, and disorders of consciousness.

At Medora, we've helped international patients access Tangdu's expertise for conditions ranging from Parkinson's disease to complex cerebrovascular disorders. Here's what you need to know.

Signature Programs

Functional Neurosurgery and DBS — A National Pioneer

Tangdu is one of China's earliest and highest-volume centers for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson's disease, performing over 100 DBS procedures annually. The department's functional neurosurgery program holds:

• 8 world-first clinical techniques
• 20 internationally leading techniques
• 30+ domestically leading techniques
• PLA Institute of Functional Neurosurgery (the only institute of its kind in the PLA)

The team has treated more than 3,000 patients with Parkinson's disease, dystonia, essential tremor, spasmodic torticollis and chorea using DBS and lesioning techniques, with marked efficacy and low complication rates.

What this means for you: If you have Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, or another movement disorder, Tangdu's DBS program offers one of the most experienced surgical teams in Asia. High procedure volume means refined surgical protocols and predictable outcomes.

Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke — Five-Star National Stroke Center

Tangdu is designated a National Advanced Stroke Center (five-star) — the highest rating — with full-spectrum comprehensive care for cerebrovascular disease:

• Interventional treatment of acute ischemic stroke (thrombectomy, thrombolysis)
• Aneurysm clipping and endovascular coiling
• Treatment of arteriovenous malformations (AVM)
• Carotid endarterectomy and stenting
• A round-the-clock on-call neurointervention team

What this means for you: If you or a family member has had a stroke or is at high risk, Tangdu's five-star stroke center provides rapid, evidence-based intervention with outcomes comparable to top international centers.

Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurocritical Care

Tangdu was among the first departments in China to introduce Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) into neurosurgery. The dedicated neurosurgical ICU provides:

• Intracranial pressure monitoring
• Multimodal neuromonitoring
• Early rehabilitation protocols
• A multidisciplinary neurocritical care team

What this means for you: For traumatic brain injury, post-surgical recovery, or complex neurological critical care, Tangdu's ERAS protocols mean faster recovery, shorter ICU stays, and better functional outcomes.

Comprehensive Glioma Treatment

Tangdu combines precision microsurgery with molecular targeted therapy:

• Navigation-guided maximal safe resection
• Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring
• Molecular subtyping to guide individualized adjuvant therapy

Skull Base and Endoscopic Surgery

For complex intracranial tumors, Tangdu offers minimally invasive endoscopic approaches:

• Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal resection of pituitary tumors
• Extended endoscopic skull base approaches
• Fewer complications and faster recovery than traditional open surgery

Other Specialties

• Refractory epilepsy: epileptogenic focus resection and neuromodulation
• Minimally invasive spine and spinal cord surgery: channel spinal surgery techniques
• Pediatric neurosurgery: comprehensive care for children with neurological conditions
• Disorders of consciousness: awakening surgery for vegetative state — one of China's leaders in this challenging field

Conditions Treated

• Movement disorders: Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, spasmodic torticollis, chorea (DBS)
• Stroke (ischemic/hemorrhagic), intracranial aneurysm, cerebral vascular malformation, carotid stenosis
• Traumatic brain injury and neurocritical illness
• Brain and spinal tumors: glioma, pituitary tumor, meningioma, acoustic neuroma, craniopharyngioma
• Refractory epilepsy
• Spinal and spinal cord diseases: intraspinal tumors, cervical spondylosis, tethered cord
• Trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm, glossopharyngeal neuralgia
• Disorders of consciousness (awakening from vegetative state)
• Pediatric neurological diseases

National Recognition

Tangdu's neurosurgery department holds multiple prestigious designations:

• National Key Discipline
• National "Double First-Class" Discipline
• National "Project 211" Key Discipline
• PLA Institute of Functional Neurosurgery (the only one in the PLA)
• National Advanced Stroke Center (five-star) — the highest rating
• National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases — Shaanxi Branch
• National Neurosurgery Residency Training Base
• National Health Commission Neurointervention Training Base

Leading Experts

• Prof. Qu Yan (屈延), Department Director: chief physician, professor, and doctoral supervisor. The first recipient in the field of neurosurgery of China's National Science Fund for Excellent Young Scholars and a National "Young and Middle-aged Science and Technology Innovation Leader". Specializes in neuronavigation and minimally invasive treatment of intracranial and spinal tumors, traumatic brain injury, hydrocephalus, trigeminal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm.
• Prof. Gao Guodong (高国栋): renowned neurosurgeon long engaged in functional and stereotactic neurosurgery; a corresponding author of the Chinese expert consensus on DBS therapy for Parkinson's disease.
• Prof. Wang Xuelian (王学莲): chief physician, professor, and Director of Functional Neurosurgery. Has treated more than 3,000 patients with movement disorders using DBS (brain pacemaker) and lesioning techniques. Recipient of the National Technological Invention Award (second class) and the PLA Medical Achievement Award (first class).
• Dr. Li Weixin (李维新): associate chief physician and visiting scholar at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich; among the first neurosurgeons in China certified in spinal neurosurgery. Specializes in cervical spondylosis, intraspinal tumors and complex spinal diseases.

Note: expert titles and clinic schedules are subject to the hospital's official announcements on the day.

The Hospital Behind the Department

Tangdu Hospital — the Second Affiliated Hospital of the Air Force Medical University of the Chinese PLA — traces its origins to 1939 in Yan'an and today ranks among the largest military-affiliated general hospitals in northwest China. The hospital covers 241,000 m² with 3,251 beds and 46 specialty departments, handling over 2 million outpatient and emergency visits, 80,000 surgeries and 130,000 admissions annually. It hosts 4 national key disciplines, 3 national key (cultivation) disciplines, 3 PLA medical research institutes and 8 PLA medical specialty centers, and is equipped with a 7.0T MRI, PET/MR, a fourth-generation da Vinci surgical robot and other advanced facilities.

Why International Patients Choose Tangdu

1. Geographic advantage: Xi'an, the starting point of the ancient Silk Road and a key Belt and Road hub, offers direct international flights and is especially accessible for patients from Central Asia (including Russian-speaking regions), Southeast Asia and the Middle East
2. Comprehensive expertise: all major neurosurgery subspecialties under one roof
3. High surgical volume: over 10,000 surgeries annually means experienced teams and refined protocols
4. Language support: medical interpreters can be arranged for English, Russian and Arabic speakers
5. Remote consultation: international patients can submit medical records and imaging for a remote consultation before travelling

Practical Information for International Patients

Getting there: Fly into Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY); the hospital is in Baqiao District, about 40 minutes by car from the airport.

Language support: The department routinely receives international patients and can arrange medical interpreters for English, Russian and Arabic speakers.

Appointment process: International patients may request a remote consultation and submit medical records and imaging before travelling. Please confirm arrangements through the hospital's official channels.

Treatment timeline: For elective procedures like DBS surgery, plan for approximately 2–3 weeks in Xi'an (pre-operative evaluation, surgery, post-operative programming, and follow-up).

Address & Contact

Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University No. 1 Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China Tel: +86-29-84777777

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At Medora, we specialize in connecting international patients with China's top neurosurgery centers. If you're considering treatment at Tangdu Hospital, contact us for a free consultation and second opinion. You may also be interested in our guides to thoracic surgery at Tangdu and infectious diseases at Tangdu.