Clinical Expertise

Neurospine, Pain

Lumbar disc herniation, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, cervical spondylosis (both radicular and myelopathic types), spinal cord tumours and various types of refractory pain.

Research Interests

1. Research on the Occurrence, Regulation, and Technical Systems of Neuropathic Pain (including motor cortex stimulation, spinal cord stimulation, dorsal root ganglion stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, and transcranial magnetic stimulation).

2. Research on the Pathogenesis and Treatment Mechanisms of Cranial Nerve Diseases, including real-world studies on the selection of treatment methods for cranial nerve diseases.

3. Basic and Clinical Research on Minimally Invasive Neurospinal Surgery, with a focus on comparative studies of endoscopic and microscopic treatments for degenerative diseases of the cervical and lumbar spine.

Background

Prof. Dr. Zhu, Hongwei was born in Lvliang City, Shanxi Province, where he completed his primary and secondary education. From 1989.09 to 1994.07, he completed his undergraduate studies at Shanxi Medical University. From 1994.09 to 1999.07, Prof. Zhu trained in neurosurgery at the Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University. From 1999.09 to 2005.07, he completed both his Master's and Doctoral studies at Capital Medical University, earning his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees. He then joined the Functional Neurosurgery Department at Xuanwu Hospital in 2005.07. His team focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of spinal cord disorders and various forms of refractory pain. In 2025.01, he became the deputy director of the Neuro-Spine Center at Xuanwu Hospital. He is married and has two daughters.

Education

1989 — 1994 Bachelor, Shanxi Medical University

1999 — 2002 M.A. Neurosurgery, Capital Medical University

2002 — 2005 M.D., Ph.D. Functional Neurosurgery, Capital Medical University

Residencies

1994 — 1999 Residency of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University

1999 — 2005 Specialist training of Functional Neurosurgery in Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University

Fellowships

1999-2005 Ph.D., M.D., Functional Neurosurgery of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University

2007-2007  Visting fellow in Yonsei University and Samsung Medical Center for epilepsy surgery in Seoul, South Korea(Prof. Byung In Lee).

2011-2011  Visting fellow in DISC center for minimally invasive spine surgery, Phoenix, Arizona, USA(Prof. Anthony T. Yeung).

2011-2011  Visting fellow in Desert Pain Center for pain management surgery in Palm Spring, California, USA(Prof. Ed Anderson).

2013-2013 Visting fellow in Ligamente Spinecenter for Endoscopic treatment of herniated disc Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany(Prof. Ralf Wagner).

2013-2014 Visting Scholar in University of Minnesota(Prof. David Polly) and UCLA(Prof. Nader Pouratian) .

2019-2019 Visting fellow in Hynes Hospital for OLIF surgery in Melbourne, Florida, USA(Prof. Richard A Hynes).

Certifications

Certificated Neurosurgeon of Shanxi Municipal Health Commission(1998)

Certificated Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon(2011)

Certificated Professor of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hosipital, Caipital Medical University(2022)

Awards and honors

1. Beijing Famous Doctor - Gold Medal Good Doctor(2014)

2. The Good Doctor of China(2020)

3. People's Good Doctor(2022)

4. Beijing Peak Talent(2023)

Professional Memberships

Founding Chairman, Neurospinal and Pain Specialty Committee of the China Association for the Promotion of Human Health and Technology.

China Region Vice President, World Minimally Invasive Medicine Association (WMIMA).

Chairman, Spinal and Spinal Cord Group, Minimally Invasive Spine Committee.

Standing Committee Member, Spinal and Spinal Cord Committee, World Chinese Neurosurgical Society.

Standing Committee Member, Spinal and Spinal Cord Specialty Committee, Neurosurgical Branch of the Chinese Medical Association.

Vice Chairman, the Clinical Neuroanatomy Branch, Chinese Society of Anatomy.

Research & Publications

1. Yan-Ping Sun, Hong-Wei Zhu, Shou-Wen Zhang, Zhao-Yang Huang, Li-Ping Li, Liang Qiao, Wei Du, Yu-Ping Wang. Seizure-free after surgery in a patient with non-lesional startle epilepsy: A case report. Epilepsy & Behavior. 2012, 25: 700-703.

2. Xiaolei Zhang, Hongwei Zhu, Wei Tao, Yongjie Li, Yongsheng Hu. Motor Cortex Stimulation Therapy for Relief of Central Post-Stroke Pain: A Retrospective Study with Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg. 2018, 96(4):239-243.IF1.905.

3. Shu W, Wang H, Zhu H, Li Y, Zhang J, Lu G, Ni B. Nerve root entrapment with pseudomeningocele after percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy. Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine.

4. Bing N, Tao D, Wei S, Guang L, Hongwei Z. Percutaneous endoscopic C2-C3 medial branches neurotomy for cervicogenic headache: a case report. World Neurosurgery. 2019, 126: 498-501.

5. Wei Shu, Hongwei Zhu, Ruicun Liu, Yongjie Li , Tao Du, Bin Ni, Haipeng Wang, Tao Sun. Posterior percutaneous endoscopic cervical foraminotomy and discectomy for degenerative cervical radiculopathy using intraoperative O-arm imaging. Videosurgery and Other Miniinvasive Techniques. 2019, 14(4): 551-559.

6. Issabekov G, Zhu H. Spinal Cord Stimulation for Treatment Refractory Stump Pain Following Pelvic Trauma Hemicorporectomy: Case Report. Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society, 2020, 23(5): 713-715.

7. Wei Shu, Hongwei Zhu, Yongjie Li, Ruicun Liu. Clinical analysis of repeat microvascular decompression for recurrent hemifacial spasm. Acta Neurol Belg, 2019. 119(3): 453-459.

8. Tao Du, Bing Ni, Wei Shu, Yongsheng Hu, Hongwei Zhu, Yongjie Li. Neurosurgical choice for glossopharyngeal neuralgia: A benefit-harm assessment of long-term quality of life. Neurosurgery. Neurosurgery. 2020. 88(1):131-139.

9. Bing Ni, Yongsheng Hu, Tao Du, Xiaohua Zhang, Hongwei Zhu. Reoperation after failed microvascular decompression for glossopharyngeal neuralgia. Acta Neurochirurgica. 2020.162(11): 2783–2789.

10. Bing Ni, Yongsheng Hu, Tao Du, Xiaohua Zhang, Hongwei Zhu. Selection of treatment strategies for recurrent glossopharyngeal neuralgia after MVD. Acta Neurochirurgica. 2021, 163(6):1613–1614.

11. Tao Du , Guang Lu Junchi Li, Bing Ni, Wei Shu, Tao Sun, Dou Yang, Hongwei Zhu. Pain-Free Survival After Endoscopic Rhizotomy Versus Radiofrequency for Lumbar Facet Joint Pain: A Real-World Comparison Study. Pain Physician. 2022 Jan;25(1):E87-E94.

12. Endoscopic Versus Microscopic Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Prospective Controlled Study. Pain Physician. 2024 Jan;27(1):E79-E88.

13. Safety and efficacy of endoscope-assisted versus microscopic microvascular decompression surgery for hemifacial spasm: a prospective cohort study. Acta Neurol Belg. 2024 Oct;124(5):1555-1560. doi: 10.1007/s13760-024-02539-4. Epub 2024 Apr 16.

14. Bidirectional Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Analysis Reveals Causal Associations Between Modifiable Risk Factors and Fibromyalgia. J Pain Res. 2024 Oct 9;17:3297-3311. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S473101. eCollection 2024.

15. Revision surgery of microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm: 2-Dimensional operative video. World Neurosurg. 2024 Nov 20:S1878-8750(24)01912-0. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2024.11.051.

16. National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2022YFC3602203)

17. National Natural Science Foundation of China (U20A20391)