About Dr. Hong Zhen
Dr. Hong Zhen (洪震) is a Professor, Doctoral Supervisor, and one of China's foremost neurologists specializing in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology, based at the Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University. With extensive clinical and research expertise in the diagnosis, classification, and pharmacological and surgical management of epilepsy — including drug-resistant epilepsy, epilepsy surgery evaluation, and the management of epilepsy in special populations including women of childbearing age and the elderly — Dr. Hong is recognized as a senior authority in epileptology at one of China's most distinguished and internationally recognized neurology departments.
Epilepsy affects approximately 10 million people in China and more than 50 million worldwide, making it one of the most common serious neurological conditions. While the majority of patients with epilepsy achieve seizure control with antiseizure medications (ASMs), approximately 30% have drug-resistant epilepsy — defined as failure of two or more appropriately chosen and tolerated ASMs — and require evaluation for epilepsy surgery, dietary therapy (ketogenic diet), or neuromodulation (vagus nerve stimulation, responsive neurostimulation, deep brain stimulation). The precise diagnosis and classification of epilepsy — including identification of the epilepsy syndrome, seizure type, and underlying etiology — is essential for optimal ASM selection and for identifying patients who may benefit from surgical or non-pharmacological treatment. Dr. Hong's clinical practice at Huashan Hospital — supported by the department's comprehensive epilepsy monitoring unit, advanced neuroimaging program, and epilepsy surgery team — provides international patients with access to the full spectrum of modern epilepsy care, from precise diagnosis and ASM optimization through presurgical evaluation and epilepsy surgery.
Hospital Affiliation: Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital
Huashan Hospital (华山医院), affiliated with Fudan University, is one of China's most prestigious and internationally recognized academic medical centers. Its Department of Neurology is consistently ranked among the top neurology departments in China, with a comprehensive clinical and research program spanning epilepsy, stroke, movement disorders, dementia, multiple sclerosis, neuromuscular disease, headache, and neuro-oncology. The department's epilepsy program is one of the most active in China, with a dedicated epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) equipped with long-term video-EEG monitoring for seizure characterization and presurgical evaluation; advanced neuroimaging including high-resolution MRI epilepsy protocol, FDG PET-CT for epileptogenic zone localization, ictal SPECT, and MRI-negative epilepsy evaluation; intracranial EEG monitoring with stereo-EEG (SEEG) and subdural grid electrodes for invasive presurgical evaluation; and a multidisciplinary epilepsy surgery team integrating epileptology, neurosurgery, neuroimaging, neuropsychology, and neuropsychiatry.
Clinical Specialties: What Dr. Hong Zhen Treats
- Epilepsy diagnosis and classification — comprehensive seizure history and semiology analysis; EEG interpretation including routine EEG, sleep EEG, and prolonged ambulatory EEG; video-EEG monitoring for seizure characterization and classification; epilepsy syndrome diagnosis using ILAE 2017 classification framework; identification of structural, genetic, infectious, immune, and metabolic epilepsy etiologies; MRI epilepsy protocol interpretation; genetic epilepsy panel testing for suspected genetic epilepsies including SCN1A (Dravet syndrome), KCNQ2, CDKL5, and other epilepsy genes
- Antiseizure medication (ASM) selection and optimization — evidence-based ASM selection based on epilepsy syndrome, seizure type, patient age, sex, comorbidities, and drug interactions; optimization of ASM dosing and monitoring of drug levels; management of ASM side effects and toxicity; polypharmacy rationalization for patients on multiple ASMs; newer ASM introduction including lacosamide, perampanel, brivaracetam, cenobamate, and fenfluramine for Dravet syndrome
- Drug-resistant epilepsy evaluation and management — systematic evaluation of drug-resistant epilepsy including confirmation of diagnosis, identification of pseudoresistance, and assessment of surgical candidacy; referral and coordination for presurgical evaluation including video-EEG monitoring, high-resolution MRI, FDG PET-CT, ictal SPECT, neuropsychological assessment, and psychiatric evaluation; SEEG and subdural grid monitoring coordination for invasive presurgical evaluation; ketogenic diet therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy; vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) evaluation and coordination
- Epilepsy surgery — coordination with the neurosurgery team for resective epilepsy surgery including temporal lobectomy, lesionectomy, and extratemporal resections; corpus callosotomy for drop attacks; hemispherectomy and hemispherotomy for hemispheric epilepsies; responsive neurostimulation (RNS) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) for non-resectable drug-resistant epilepsy; post-surgical follow-up and ASM management
- Autoimmune epilepsy — diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis and autoimmune epilepsy including anti-NMDAR, anti-LGI1, anti-CASPR2, anti-GABA-B, and other autoimmune encephalitis antibody testing; immunotherapy with corticosteroids, IVIg, plasma exchange, rituximab, and mycophenolate mofetil; long-term ASM management for post-encephalitic epilepsy
- Epilepsy in women — preconception counseling for women with epilepsy including ASM teratogenicity risk, folic acid supplementation, and seizure control optimization before pregnancy; ASM management during pregnancy and breastfeeding; catamenial epilepsy management; contraception and ASM drug interaction counseling; menopause and epilepsy management
- Status epilepticus management — acute management of convulsive and non-convulsive status epilepticus using established treatment protocols; refractory status epilepticus management with anesthetic agents; new-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) and febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) evaluation and management
- Epilepsy in the elderly — diagnosis and management of late-onset epilepsy including evaluation for structural, vascular, and neurodegenerative etiologies; ASM selection in elderly patients with polypharmacy and comorbidities; driving and safety counseling
Why International Patients Choose Dr. Hong Zhen and Huashan Hospital
International patients seek epilepsy consultation with Dr. Hong Zhen and Huashan Hospital for reasons that reflect both the clinical depth of his epileptology expertise and the comprehensive epilepsy program infrastructure available at the department.
For patients with drug-resistant epilepsy who have not been evaluated for surgical candidacy — a common situation, as epilepsy surgery remains underutilized worldwide despite strong evidence of efficacy for appropriately selected patients — Dr. Hong's systematic approach to presurgical evaluation, supported by Huashan Hospital's comprehensive epilepsy monitoring unit and SEEG capability, provides access to a level of epilepsy surgery evaluation that is available at only a small number of centers in China. For patients with MRI-negative drug-resistant epilepsy — the most challenging group for surgical evaluation — the combination of FDG PET-CT, ictal SPECT, high-density EEG, and SEEG available at Huashan Hospital provides the multimodal localization capability needed to identify surgical candidates who would be missed by conventional evaluation.
For patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy who have not received a precise syndrome diagnosis and evidence-based ASM selection, Dr. Hong's expertise in epilepsy classification and ASM pharmacology provides the diagnostic precision and treatment optimization that maximizes the likelihood of seizure freedom with the first or second ASM — the window of opportunity that is most likely to result in long-term remission. The cost of epilepsy consultation, EEG monitoring, and ASM therapy at Huashan Hospital is substantially below that of equivalent care in Western healthcare systems, and access to specialist consultation can typically be arranged within days through CMCS.
What to Expect at Your Consultation
Consultations with Dr. Hong Zhen at Huashan Hospital arranged through CMCS begin with a comprehensive review of all prior epilepsy records — including seizure description and semiology, EEG reports and recordings where available, brain MRI reports, prior ASM history including agents, doses, efficacy, and side effects, relevant laboratory investigations, genetic testing results where available, and the patient's epilepsy history including age of onset, seizure frequency, and functional impact. CMCS will arrange certified translation of all medical records and investigation results in advance of the consultation. Dr. Hong will assess the epilepsy syndrome and etiology, evaluate the adequacy of prior diagnostic workup and ASM therapy, outline the recommended diagnostic and therapeutic strategy, and assess surgical candidacy where appropriate. A written English-language consultation summary is provided after every appointment, and CMCS will facilitate direct communication between Dr. Hong's team and the patient's home neurologist for continuity of care planning.
Book a Consultation Through CMCS
China Medical Concierge Shanghai (CMCS) provides comprehensive end-to-end support for international patients seeking epilepsy consultation with Dr. Hong Zhen at Huashan Hospital. Our services include priority consultation scheduling, certified medical record and EEG report translation, coordination of video-EEG monitoring, MRI epilepsy protocol, and FDG PET-CT, on-site interpretation throughout the consultation, and written English-language reporting of all findings and recommendations. CMCS will also facilitate direct communication between Dr. Hong's team and the patient's home neurologist to ensure seamless continuity of care.
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