Henan's First Brain-Computer Interface Implantation Successfully Performed

Background

Henan Provincial People's Hospital performed the province's first wireless minimally invasive implantable brain-computer interface surgery on July 18, 2025. The neurosurgery team was led by Director Wang Bin. The patient, referred to in reports as Mr. Lü from Ye County in Pingdingshan, had sustained a high-level spinal cord injury two years earlier after falling from a height. This resulted in quadriplegia, with complete loss of distal grasp function. Pre-operative testing by the hospital's rehabilitation department showed scores mostly at zero; he could not grasp an egg-weight wooden block or manipulate steel balls.

What was achieved

The system was activated on August 15, 2025, with the expert team present at the patient's home. Using brain signals to control a brain-computer interface exoskeleton pneumatic glove on his right hand, Mr. Lü accurately grasped a training cylinder and placed it in a designated spot on a colored nine-grid mat. He then lifted a mineral water bottle to his mouth and drank independently. Reports state this was the first time in two years he had performed such actions without full assistance.

Testing confirmed stable brain electrical signals with strong activation in active and passive tasks. Decoding accuracy reached 95%. The hospital described the case as marking a major breakthrough in brain-computer interface clinical translation in Henan Province. The hospital is the only institution in the province selected as a sub-center for a national multi-center clinical trial on implantable brain-computer interfaces.

How it works

The procedure involves a wireless, minimally invasive, semi-invasive brain-computer interface. Two implants approximately the size of a one-yuan coin were placed under the scalp, with electrodes positioned on the epidural surface overlying the sensorimotor cortex, the brain area involved in hand movement and sensation. The surgery used stereotactic image navigation, neuroelectrophysiological monitoring, and functional magnetic resonance imaging for precise placement without penetrating brain tissue. High-quality neural signals were recorded immediately upon implantation.

When the patient imagines a movement such as grasping, neurons in the sensorimotor cortex generate electrical signals. These are captured by the electrodes and transmitted wirelessly through an adapter to an external processor. The processor decodes the signals into control commands that drive the exoskeleton pneumatic glove to assist the patient's hand in performing the intended action. This bypasses the injured spinal cord. The domestically developed technology enables the translation of thought into movement via the external assistive device.

What it means for international patients

Henan Provincial People's Hospital established an International Medical Center in 2016 to serve international and high-end patients. The center features dedicated outpatient, inpatient, imaging, endoscopy, consultation, surgical, and health management facilities. It employs a multidisciplinary team approach, appointment-based care, privacy-focused consultation rooms, and bilingual Chinese-English services including ward rounds, consultations, and medical records.

International patients interested in brain-computer interface technology or related neurosurgical care at the hospital should directly contact the International Medical Center to confirm current availability, eligibility criteria, and any applicable clinical trial requirements. This case was conducted as part of a clinical research protocol following extensive patient screening.

About the hospital

Henan Provincial People's Hospital is a large tertiary Grade A comprehensive public hospital located at No. 7 Weiwu Road in Zhengzhou, Henan Province. Its predecessor was the Kaifeng Gospel Hospital founded in 1904; it was renamed in 1950 and relocated to Zhengzhou in 1955. It operates as a provincial-level facility with strong affiliations including past collaborations with Zhengzhou University.

The hospital maintains an International Medical Center and has established the Henan Brain Science and Brain-Computer Interface Innovation Transformation Center along with related key laboratories. It is recognized for specialties including neurosurgery, cardiovascular care with the Henan Heart Center, ophthalmology with the Henan Eye Hospital, organ transplantation, and stroke treatment. It possesses multiple national clinical key specialties and provincial medical centers.