On November 26th, at Tongji Hospital affiliated with Huazhong University of Science and Technology, a 31-year-old spinal cord injury patient named Xiao Liu (pseudonym) underwent surgery to implant an invasive brain-computer interface device. This marks China’s first clinical brain-computer interface procedure performed according to government-approved medical service pricing, signifying that brain-computer interface technology has officially transitioned from research exploration to inclusion in medical service fee catalogs, representing a significant step in promoting technological accessibility and industrialization.
Three years ago, Xiao Liu suffered a high-level spinal cord injury due to an accident. The emergence of brain-computer interface technology renewed his hope. After providing fully informed consent, Xiao Liu and his family chose to undergo surgical treatment at Tongji Hospital. Following precise preoperative positioning and surgical planning, the neurosurgery team successfully performed the implantable brain-computer interface surgery. The procedure utilized an implantable brain-computer interface device manufactured by Wuhan Zhonghua Brain-Computer, featuring 64-channel high-throughput flexible electrodes that precisely monitor brain signals in the hand movement and sensory regions. The surgery proceeded smoothly, and Xiao Liu remained in stable condition postoperatively.
In March 2025, under the guidance of the National Healthcare Security Administration, Hubei Province introduced China’s first brain-computer interface medical service pricing project, clearly defining the cost of invasive brain-computer interface implantation at 6,552 yuan per procedure, invasive brain-computer interface removal at 3,139 yuan per procedure, and non-invasive brain-computer interface adaptation at 966 yuan per procedure. This provides institutional safeguards for the compliant and controlled clinical implementation of the technology.
A hospital representative stated that current brain-computer interface technology remains in the clinical trial stage and has not yet entered market application. Therefore, Xiao Liu’s surgical costs were covered by research funding. However, this represents the nation’s first initiative to incorporate brain-computer interface surgery into the hospital’s diagnostic and treatment project system, conducting clinical practice with standardized fee settlement.
Industry experts evaluate that this surgery’s significance extends far beyond the technical level: for cutting-edge technology to progress from laboratory to clinic, and from clinic to widespread accessibility, it requires not only continuous breakthroughs in research and clinical practice but also scientifically sound policy support and pricing guidance. This surgery represents a crucial leap in achieving “policy implementation.” As technology maturity improves and clinical evidence accumulates, it is foreseeable that more patients will be able to receive assistance from brain-computer interface technology through standardized diagnostic and treatment processes, similar to other neurosurgical procedures.
