Surgeons test neck operation to drain toxic proteins linked to dementia

A surgical procedure designed to clear harmful proteins from the brain is being praised by Chinese surgeons as a potential breakthrough in treating dementia.

The operation, known as lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA), is already used on the NHS to treat lymphedema in breast cancer patients.

Doctors now apply the same principle to combat Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

Instead of operating directly on the brain, surgeons make a small incision in the neck, under the chin.

They connect a lymphatic vessel that carries waste fluid from the brain to a nearby vein, allowing toxic proteins linked to dementia to flow into the bloodstream and be naturally eliminated by the body.

Scientists believe that aging slows down the brain’s waste clearance system, allowing amyloid proteins to form into plaques associated with memory loss, confusion, and personality changes.

Nearly 2,000 patients with dementia in China have undergone this procedure, and claims have emerged that some patients who were no longer able to recognize their relatives regained their memories and were able to converse again.

Two small studies conducted in China also reported improvements in cognitive test scores after surgery.

However, experts called for caution. In July 2025, China restricted the procedure to only be performed as part of research projects.

Trials are now underway in Singapore and the US, raising hopes that the controversial approach could soon face proper scientific testing.