A controversial Alzheimer's surgery is said to reverse symptoms
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
A controversial neck surgery for Alzheimer's may improve symptoms, but scientists are deeply divided.
The surgery, deep cervical lymphatic-venous anastomosis (dcLVA), connects lymphatic vessels in the neck to veins to improve brain waste drainage. Pioneer Qingping Xie first performed it in 2020; video of a patient's dramatic recovery sparked rapid adoption in China, despite no hard evidence. Over 100 hospitals offered it for up to $30,000. Chinese regulators restricted it to clinical settings in 2024; Xie has been detained since September for undisclosed reasons. Small studies show modest cognitive gains and reduced amyloid-β and tau levels, but some patients reportedly backslide within a year. Many researchers question how the surgery could produce benefits so quickly.
What commenters are saying
Commenters are split. Some see promise if the surgery addresses a specific drainage blockage, offering temporary but meaningful relief. Others warn of grifters exploiting desperate families, citing historical parallels with cancer and autism cures. Several note that Chinese regulators have restricted the procedure and the pioneer surgeon is detained, though reasons are unclear. One skeptic argues that any cognitive improvement from anesthesia or hospitalization would already be known from other surgeries. The dominant view is that rigorous studies are essential before drawing conclusions.