Recently, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, a public grade-A tertiary hospital successfully performed the first surgeryto implant a "chip-like tablet"—namely "naltrexone hydrochloride tablet", which can treat alcoholism—in Guangdong. This technology involves the subcutaneous implantation of a slow-release medication that continuously suppresses the desire to drink alcohol over 150 days, offering a solution to the traditional challenges of alcohol abstinence, as patients are likely to give up traditional medical solutions and start to drink again.

Mr. Lin, a 45-year-old man with a decade-long history of alcohol abuse, became one of the first beneficiaries of the surgery. He has previously failed multiple attempts to quit drinking due to withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, mood swings, and even liver damage. After undergoing acute detoxification and a detailed pre-evaluation, the surgery was successfully performed by a team led by Dr. Fan Changhe from the hospital's Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, in collaboration with Dr. Wang Wenjie, a thoracic surgeon at the hospital.

The procedure took only 10 minutes, during which 10 "chip-like tablets" were implanted under Mr. Lin's abdominal skin. These tablets release naltrexone hydrochloride continuously, directly regulating the brain's addiction neural circuits and reducing the physiological urge to drink. "Now, I feel no desire to drink even when I see alcohol," Mr. Lin shared after the surgery.

"Alcohol addiction is essentially a brain disease," explained Dr. Fan. In China, approximately 35 million people suffer from alcoholism. Patients not only require increasing amounts of alcohol but also experience withdrawal symptoms such as hand tremors and delirium. Some may even suffer from hallucinations and cognitive impairment due to chronic poisoning of alcohol. Statistics show that the untreated rate of alcohol addiction is as high as 97.2%, with a relapse rate of 60% within six months of abstinence.

The key of this treatment lies in its ability to provide a long-lasting, controlled release of medication. Through special processing, the medication can be released over six months, equivalent to taking the medication consistently for 180 days. "It's like setting up a 'firewall against relapse' in the brain," Dr. Fan explained. When a patient is exposed to alcohol, the medication immediately eliminates the pleasure of drinking, thereby reducing the likelihood of relapse. Clinical data indicate that this technology can triple the success rate of abstinence compared to traditional therapies.

Source: Lingnan on the Cloud

“芯片戒酒”新技术落地广东

近日，广东省第二人民医院成功实施省内三甲公立医院首例“戒酒芯片”植入手术。该技术通过皮下植入缓释药物，在150天内持续抑制饮酒欲望，为“易复饮、难坚持”的传统戒酒方式提供创新解决方案。

45岁的林先生成为首批受益者。拥有十余年酗酒史的他，曾因戒断反应反复失败，出现失眠、情绪波动，甚至肝功能损伤。经过前期的急性脱瘾治疗和详细术前评估后，广东省二医心理精神科范长河主任团队联合心胸外科主治医师王文杰，为其顺利实施了“戒酒芯片”微创植入手术。  

手术过程仅需10分钟，医生在林先生腹部皮下植入10粒“药物芯片”，通过持续释放盐酸纳曲酮，直接调控大脑成瘾神经环路，从生理层面减少饮酒冲动。“现在看到酒都没欲望了。”林先生术后表示。  

“酒瘾本质上是一种脑部疾病。”范长河指出，我国约有3500万人存在酒精依赖，患者不仅酒量递增，还会出现手抖、谵妄等戒断反应，部分甚至因慢性中毒产生幻觉、智力损伤等。据统计，酒精成瘾未就诊率高达97.2%，戒断后半年复饮率达到60%。  

“药物芯片”的突破在于“长效控释”。通过特殊工艺，其药物释放周期可达6个月，相当于连续稳定服用180天药物。“相当于在大脑设置了一道‘防复饮防火墙’。”范长河解释，当患者接触酒精时，芯片药物会即时消除饮酒快感，从而减少复饮可能。临床数据显示，该技术可将戒断成功率提升至常规疗法的三倍。

文、图 | 记者 张华 通讯员 朱健
译｜黄宇洁
英文审校｜王枥焓