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

For international patients confronting a malignant bone tumor — and told that amputation may be the only option — Tangdu Hospital's Department of Orthopedics in Xi'an offers something rare: more than 30 years of clinical experience with microwave ablation limb-salvage surgery, a technique that inactivates the tumor in situ and preserves the limb. And bone tumors are only the beginning: the department delivers full-spectrum orthopedic care across spine surgery, joint replacement, complex trauma, and hand/microsurgery, making it a practical destination for patients from Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and beyond.

At Medora, we've guided international patients to Tangdu for limb-salvage consultations, degenerative spine and joint disease, and complex fractures. Here's what you need to know.

About the Hospital

Tangdu Hospital — formally 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 PLA medical research institutes, 8 PLA medical specialty centers, and 9 Shaanxi provincial key and advantage disciplines, and is equipped with a 7.0T MRI, PET/MR, a fourth-generation da Vinci surgical robot, and MR-guided focused ultrasound, among other advanced facilities.

Among the six flagship technologies the hospital publicly lists as internationally and domestically leading is "microwave ablation treatment for bone tumors" — and the Department of Orthopedics is the core department behind it.

About the Department

The Department of Orthopedics is one of Tangdu Hospital's key advantage disciplines, integrating clinical care, teaching, and research. Its subspecialty coverage is comprehensive:

• Spine surgery — degenerative disease, spinal cord injury, deformity, minimally invasive techniques
• Joint surgery — primary and revision joint replacement
• Orthopedic trauma — complex fractures of the limbs, pelvis, and spine
• Bone and soft-tissue tumor surgery — the department's signature field
• Hand surgery and microsurgery — including replantation of severed limbs and fingers

The department's academic leader is Liao Bo (廖博) — Director of the Department and Head of the Spine Ward, associate chief physician, associate professor, and master's supervisor; a recipient of the Shaanxi Provincial Distinguished Young Scholars Fund and academic leader of a Shaanxi Provincial Key Science and Technology Innovation Team.

The department's standing rests on generations of experts: Fan Qingyu (范清宇), a founding figure of microwave ablation limb-salvage surgery; Ma Bao'an (马保安); Tang Nongxuan (唐农轩); and Qian Jixian (钱济先), a spine surgery specialist — among the department's senior and founding experts.

Academic Standing

• Hospital signature field: "Microwave ablation treatment for bone tumors" is one of six flagship technologies that Tangdu Hospital publicly lists as internationally and domestically leading; the Department of Orthopedics is its core department.
• Pioneer and reference unit in China: The orthopedic team has long performed microwave ablation limb-salvage surgery for malignant bone tumors and is one of the pioneering and reference units for this technique in China. A representative study, Microwave ablation of malignant extremity bone tumors (published 2016, cited more than 40 times), was authored by Tangdu Hospital.
• 30+ years of clinical application: The technique has been applied clinically for more than three decades — experience that few centers anywhere can match.
• Guideline-issuing unit: The department's work helped shape the Clinical Guideline for Microwave Ablation of Bone Tumors in Extremities (2020), issued by the Orthopedic Surgeons Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association and published in the Chinese Journal of Orthopaedics — marking the standardization of the field in China.

Core Technologies

Microwave Ablation Limb-Salvage Surgery for Bone Tumors

The department's most representative original technique. In situ microwave ablation inactivates the bone-tumor lesion, followed by internal fixation or prosthesis reconstruction — achieving limb salvage for malignant bone tumors and minimizing amputation. It is a landmark achievement of the hospital, recognized at home and abroad.

Bone and Soft-Tissue Tumors and Metastases

Limb-salvage surgery and chemotherapy for osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and soft-tissue malignancies; minimally invasive treatment of bone metastases; repair and reconstruction of bone defects.

Spine Surgery

Treatment of spinal cord and spine injuries; degenerative cervicothoracolumbar diseases; surgical and minimally invasive treatment of spinal deformities; minimally invasive spine surgery.

Joint Surgery

Total hip and knee replacement (THR/TKR), revision after joint replacement, and treatment of degenerative and other joint diseases.

Trauma and Hand/Microsurgery

Emergency trauma care; high-energy fractures and fracture complications; complex fractures of the limbs, pelvis, and spine; replantation of severed limbs and fingers; microsurgical repair.

Bone Disease, Defects, and Infection

Clinical work and research in bone disease, malignant bone-tumor surgery, and repair of bone defects.

Expert Team

• Dr. Liao Bo (廖博): academic leader; Director of the Department and Head of the Spine Ward; associate chief physician, associate professor, master's supervisor; Shaanxi Provincial Distinguished Young Scholars Fund recipient and academic leader of a Shaanxi Provincial Key Science and Technology Innovation Team.
• Prof. Fan Qingyu (范清宇): senior orthopedic expert and founding figure of microwave ablation limb-salvage surgery for bone tumors.
• Prof. Qian Jixian (钱济先): chief physician; spinal cord and spine injury treatment and minimally invasive spine surgery.
• Prof. Zhou Yong (周勇): chief physician, professor, and master's supervisor; member of the Bone Tumor Society of the Chinese Orthopaedic Association and vice chairman of the Bone Tumor Society of the PLA Orthopaedic Association; specializes in bone and soft-tissue tumors, metastatic cancer, and bone defect repair.
• Dr. Zhang Minghua: chief physician; surgical treatment of and research on bone and soft-tissue tumors and complex orthopedic diseases.
• Dr. Yang Tongtao: associate chief physician; bone disease and malignant bone tumors.
• Dr. Long Hua: associate chief physician; bone and joint surgery and bone tumor surgery.
• Dr. Ding Yong: chief physician; joint replacement, trauma, bone disease, and spine surgery.
• Dr. Li Jun: associate chief physician; hip, knee, and foot/ankle disorders and fractures in pediatric, limb, pelvic, and spinal regions.
• Dr. Zhang Yong: associate chief physician; orthopedic trauma, artificial joint surgery, pediatric orthopedics, and surgical treatment of neck, shoulder, waist, and leg pain.
• Dr. Zheng Lianhe: associate chief physician; emergency trauma care, high-energy fractures, and fracture complications.
• Dr. Li Cunxiao: associate chief physician; spine surgery.
• Dr. Fan Degang: associate chief physician; surgery and minimally invasive treatment of spinal cord/spine injury and degenerative spinal diseases.
• Dr. Shan Lequn (单乐群): associate chief physician; surgical and minimally invasive treatment of spinal cord/spine injury, degenerative cervicothoracolumbar diseases, and spinal deformities.
• Dr. Hu Yunsheng: associate chief physician; orthopedic trauma, hand surgery, and joint surgery.
• Dr. Wang Yucai: associate chief physician; orthopedic trauma and microsurgery.
• Dr. Huang Tao: attending physician; limb-salvage surgery and chemotherapy for osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, and soft-tissue malignancies, and minimally invasive treatment of bone metastases.
• Dr. Niu Shun: associate chief physician; total hip and knee replacement and early diagnosis of joint diseases.

Other senior experts of the department include Ma Bao'an (马保安), Tang Nongxuan (唐农轩), Fan Pei, Cui Haixiang, and Sun Honghui, alongside a full roster of mid-career subspecialty surgeons covering spine, joints, trauma, bone tumors, and hand surgery. Together they staff the department's wards and emergency service around the clock.

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

Conditions Suitable for Referral

• Bone and soft-tissue tumors: osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, soft-tissue malignancies, Ewing sarcoma (limb-salvage treatment)
• Bone metastases and pathological fractures
• Bone defects, nonunion, and bone infection
• Degenerative spinal diseases: cervical spondylosis, lumbar disc herniation, lumbar spinal stenosis, lumbar spondylolisthesis
• Spinal cord/spine injury and spinal deformities (scoliosis/kyphosis)
• Osteoarthritis, femoral head necrosis, and hip/knee joint diseases requiring joint replacement or arthroscopy
• Sports injuries: ligaments, meniscus, rotator cuff
• Complex fractures and trauma of the limbs, pelvis, and acetabulum
• Replantation of severed limbs (fingers) and microsurgical repair of limb tissue defects

Address and Contact

Tangdu Hospital, Air Force Medical University No. 1 Xinsi Road, Baqiao District, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China Tel: +86-29-84777777 (main line / inquiries / appointments); +86-29-84777114 (directory assistance) Website: tdwww.fmmu.edu.cn

Getting there: International patients typically fly into Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY); the hospital is in Baqiao District, about 40 minutes by car. Bus lines 42, 508, 401, and 416 stop at "Tangdu Hospital," and Metro Line 1 (Fangzhicheng Station) is within walking distance.

Language support: The hospital routinely receives international patients and can arrange medical interpreters for English-, Russian-, and Arabic-speaking patients. International patients may request a remote consultation and submit medical records and imaging before travelling.

---

At Medora, we specialize in connecting international patients with China's top orthopedic 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 neurosurgery at Tangdu and thoracic surgery at Tangdu.