Recruiting

Surgical lymphatic procedure combined with standard care for moderate-to-severe memory loss

Plain-English translation of NCT07073066 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated May 2026 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.

What is this trial?

This trial is testing a surgical procedure called deep cervical lymphatic venous anastomosis (DC-LVA) to see if it can help people with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease. The surgery creates a new connection between lymph vessels in the neck to help clear harmful proteins from the brain. Researchers will compare people who receive this surgery plus their usual care to people who receive usual care alone, measuring changes in memory and thinking over 12 months.

Most current Alzheimer's treatments only work for early-stage disease, leaving millions of people with moderate-to-severe memory loss with very few options. Some case studies suggest this surgical approach may help, but doctors need a large, rigorous trial to prove whether it truly works and is safe.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are between 50 and 80 years old
you have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease using current medical criteria
you have moderate-to-severe memory loss (Clinical Dementia Rating score of 1 or higher, and Mini-Mental State Examination score between 10 and 20)
your Alzheimer's diagnosis has been present for at least 6 months
you have a caregiver who can support you throughout the study and attend all visits
you or your family member has signed an informed consent form agreeing to participate

You likely don't qualify if…

you have other neurological conditions affecting thinking, such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, or brain tumors
you have a different type of dementia unrelated to Alzheimer's disease
you have had head or neck surgery, radiation, or significant trauma in the past month
you have serious heart, lung, liver, or kidney problems that would make surgery unsafe
you have severe bleeding problems or are taking blood-thinning medications that cannot be stopped safely before surgery

What participation looks like

If you are selected, you will be randomly placed into one of two groups: one group will receive the neck surgery plus their usual medications, and the other group will continue with usual care only. You will have study visits at the hospital or clinic at baseline, 7 days after enrollment, and then every 3 months for 12 months, where doctors will test your memory and thinking using questionnaires and possibly brain imaging. After 12 months, people in the usual-care-only group will have the option to receive the surgery, and everyone will continue follow-up visits every 3 months until 24 months.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 13, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(9 sites)

China

Dongguan Chashan Hospital, Dongguan, Guangdong

Guangdong Second People's Hospital, Guangdong, Guangzhou

Zhengzhou Central Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan

First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong

Shandong Provincial Public Health Clinical Center, Jinan, Shandong