Neurology (Brain Diseases Department)

Key Specialty of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine——Introduction to the Department of Encephalopathy of Chongqing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine I. Department Overview The Department of Encephalopathy (Neurology) of Chongqing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine was established in 1998. It is a key specialty of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and a key discipline of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine in Chongqing. It is a key discipline of a large Grade III Class A hospital of traditional Chinese medicine integrating medical care, teaching, scientific research, and preventive health care. The department has a Key Specialty Research Laboratory for Encephalopathy, a Teaching and Research Office of Neurological Diseases, and a GCP Office. It has 1 supervising teacher in a Famous Physician Studio of the TCM Administration. Over the past nearly 3 years, the department has led and participated in leading 1 National Fund project, obtained 3 Chongqing municipal scientific research achievements, led more than 30 national-, provincial-, and ministerial-level scientific research projects, 15 department- and bureau-level scientific research projects, and 10 in-hospital scientific research projects, obtained 16 patents, and published more than 150 academic papers. It has trained 12 postgraduate students, more than 80 advanced-study trainees, and more than 300 standardized residency trainees, and has hosted more than 10 national continuing-education programs. The department has specialized outpatient clinics for stroke, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and other diseases, and has a NICU, a Neuroelectrophysiology Room, an Advanced Stroke Center, a Cognitive Center, a TCM Characteristic Treatment Room, a TCM Comprehensive Treatment Room, and a Motor/Occupational/PNF Training Rehabilitation Room, among others. It is a specialized department for encephalopathy integrating emergency care and rehabilitation, and traditional Chinese and Western medicine. It is especially proficient in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases including cerebral stroke, vertigo, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, psychosomatic diseases, migraine, central nervous system infections, epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic and hereditary diseases, trigeminal neuralgia, sciatic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, and myasthenia gravis. The department currently has 104 open beds, more than 3,600 discharges annually, and more than 90,000 outpatient visits annually. “Scientific and standardized, compassionate and efficient” is our philosophy. The Department of Encephalopathy will certainly reach a higher level in clinical care, scientific research, and teaching, provide high-quality and efficient medical and nursing services for the vast number of patients, and safeguard “healthy brains”. II. Disciplinary Team The Nanqiaosi Hospital Campus Department of Encephalopathy has an experienced, highly skilled, boldly innovative, harmonious, and united medical and scientific team. The department currently has 80 medical personnel (including 1 retired person rehired), including 26 members of the medical team, among whom are 2 doctoral supervisors, 2 master’s supervisors, 3 chief physicians, and 4 deputy chief physicians. The department has 3 postdoctoral fellows currently studying, 7 medical doctors, 19 master’s degree holders, 42 nursing personnel, 8 rehabilitation therapists, 4 neuroelectrophysiology technicians, and 1 psychological counselor. III. Disciplinary Advantages (1) National Advanced Stroke Center After nearly 20 years of development, the department has been built into the Chongqing Emergency and Rehabilitation Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Cerebrovascular Diseases Integrating Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. It is a National Advanced Stroke Center. The center combines traditional Chinese medicine, Western medicine, and interventional surgery so that patients with acute ischemic stroke and cerebral hemorrhage can receive timely diagnosis. It uses ultra-early intravenous and/or intra-arterial thrombolysis and thrombectomy, as well as intracranial and extracranial vascular stent implantation, together with characteristic TCM techniques such as unblocking the channels and awakening the spirit, bloodletting to awaken the brain, purging fire and calming the liver, and warming yang and unblocking the collaterals. Early specialized neurological rehabilitation treatment is also carried out, greatly improving the treatment effect of stroke and markedly reducing stroke mortality and disability rates. (2) Neurorehabilitation Center The Neurorehabilitation Center has 8 professional rehabilitation therapists and acupuncturists, who have successively undertaken further study at well-known rehabilitation centers throughout the country. It was among the first to carry out various leading neurophysiological treatment techniques in China and abroad (Bobath, PNF, Rood, Brunstrom, motor relearning technique, sling therapy), assessment and treatment techniques for feeding and swallowing disorders (balloon dilation, electrical stimulation of swallowing, etc.), and assessment and treatment techniques for speech disorders and cognitive disorders. It also carries out acupuncture therapies (Jiejie acupuncture, umbilical acupuncture, intradermal acupuncture, Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture), bloodletting to awaken the brain, moxibustion with an intermediary, finger-point acupressure, and other traditional Chinese medicine rehabilitation treatment programs. Through systematic and effective physical therapy (PT, OT), targeted functional training, and occupational therapy, it has formed a rehabilitation specialty in which modern and traditional rehabilitation are used together. More than 90% of patients recover or improve their functions. (3) TCM Characteristic Treatment Under the leadership of Professor Zeng Dinglun, a famous senior TCM physician in Chongqing, and Tang Jun, Chief TCM Physician and an outstanding young TCM physician in Chongqing, our department uses the method of purging fire and calming the liver to treat cerebral hemorrhage, the method of bloodletting to awaken the brain to treat cerebral infarction, and qi supplementation, spleen strengthening, and blood activation together with ventilators and immunotherapy to rescue myasthenic crisis, acute Guillain–Barré syndrome, severe disseminated encephalomyelitis, and other conditions, with marked results. The method of calming the liver, extinguishing wind, and transforming turbidity is used to treat headache, vertigo, tic disorder, and restless legs. Zhongfeng Xingshen Powder has marked effects in treating coma caused by stroke. Modified Gushen Decoction markedly improves the motor and non-motor symptoms of mid- and late-stage Parkinson’s disease, with significant efficacy. III. Advantageous Diseases Focusing on the construction and development of the dual centers, the department has worked steadily for many years, summarized its diagnostic and treatment experience in acute cerebral infarction, acute cerebral hemorrhage, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, vertigo, myasthenia gravis, and epilepsy, standardized clinical pathways, and achieved good results, safeguarding the life and health of the people. (1) Acute Stage of Stroke (Cerebral Infarction, Cerebral Hemorrhage) During the acute stage of stroke, the Stroke Center uses advanced technologies including intravenous thrombolysis, intra-arterial thrombolysis, mechanical thrombectomy, carotid artery stent angioplasty, and carotid endarterectomy. It highlights the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine: the Tongmai Xingshen method, the bloodletting-to-awaken-the-brain method, and Xuming Tongmai Decoction for acute cerebral infarction; the method of purging fire and calming the liver for acute cerebral hemorrhage; and TCM acupuncture for swallowing disorders and language disorders. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine interventions are precisely incorporated into every stage, including primary prevention, secondary prevention, the acute stage, the recovery stage, and complications of stroke, fully bringing into play the characteristic advantages of acupuncture and TCM and creating the brand effect of a TCM stroke center. (2) Vertigo The department has internationally advanced electrophysiological examination and treatment equipment, such as a vestibular examination system, a Japanese Koden electromyograph, an evoked-potential instrument, TCD, cerebral circulation dynamics testing, and an EEG physiological feedback therapy instrument, providing the conditions for accurate diagnosis and treatment of vertigo. A specialized vertigo outpatient clinic has been established and can rapidly and efficiently diagnose various vertigo disorders and carry out various specialized vertigo examinations. It can effectively resolve the differential diagnosis of various vertigo diseases, including benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, Ménière’s disease, vestibular neuronitis, and central vertigo. DSA, intracranial and extracranial arterial stenosis stent implantation, and subclavian artery stent implantation are routinely performed to comprehensively address vertigo caused by various vascular lesions. (3) Parkinson’s Disease (Tremor Syndrome) The department currently has a specialized Parkinson’s disease outpatient clinic and can rapidly and efficiently diagnose Parkinson’s disease, parkinsonism, and Parkinson-plus syndromes. For the motor and non-motor symptoms of patients with Parkinson’s disease, integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment is used. On the basis of precise diagnosis and treatment with Western medicine, treatment methods including auricular acupoint pressure pellets, acupuncture, moxibustion with an intermediary, intradermal acupuncture, and a transcranial magnetic field stimulation instrument are used to improve patient symptoms, fully bringing into play the characteristic advantages of TCM and creating the brand effect of TCM chronic disease management. (4) Dementia The department is currently building a Cognitive Center and has established a specialized memory outpatient clinic. It carries out cognitive assessment and cognitive training and can rapidly and efficiently diagnose early dementia and cognitive decline. Integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment is used for various dementias. On the basis of precise diagnosis and treatment with Western medicine, the characteristic kidney-tonifying and turbidity-transforming method is adopted, combined with auricular acupoint pressure pellets, acupuncture, moxibustion with an intermediary, intradermal acupuncture, and a transcranial magnetic field stimulation instrument to improve patient symptoms and delay disease progression. Department of Encephalopathy Outpatient Clinic (Nanqiaosi Hospital Campus) Address: A Building, 3rd floor Tang Jun Department of Encephalopathy Outpatient Clinic, Consultation Room 4 Monday morning, Wednesday morning, Thursday morning, Sunday morning (special needs) Shu Jianzhong Famous TCM Physician Studio Tuesday morning, Thursday morning, Friday morning, Saturday morning Ding Jilan Department of Encephalopathy Outpatient Clinic, Consultation Room 2 Monday through Wednesday all day, Friday through Saturday all day Sun Ke Department of Encephalopathy Outpatient Clinic, Consultation Room 3 Monday through Saturday all day Wu Lirong Department of Encephalopathy Outpatient Clinic, Consultation Room 6 Monday through Thursday all day, Friday morning Sunday all day Ran Li Department of Encephalopathy Outpatient Clinic, Consultation Room 1 Monday through Thursday all day, Friday morning Sunday all day ◎Outpatient address: A Building, 3rd floor, Department of Encephalopathy Outpatient Clinic (Nanqiaosi Hospital Campus) ◎Inpatient wards: C Building, 7th to 8th floors, Department of Encephalopathy ◎Telephone: 023–67783246023–67733923