An In-Depth Exploration of Wake-Promotion Techniques for Patients with Disorders of Consciousness at Nanjing Zijin Hospital

When the brain slips into slumber and consciousness is hit the pause button, how do we reboot the signals of life? At Nanjing Zijin Hospital, nearly a thousand patients with disorders of consciousness seek the answer to “revival” each year. From deep comas to independent movement, from complete unresponsiveness to smiles and waves—behind these transformations lies a set of cutting‑edge “hardcore codes” that bring life back. The Medical Panorama’s flagship annual series, “Socially‑Run Healthcare in Jiangsu,” is a multimedia investigative project jointly produced by the Jiangsu Provincial Radio and Television Station, the Jiangsu Association of Privately‑Run Medical Institutions, and the Jiangsu Science Communication Center. This installment takes an in‑depth look at Nanjing Zijin Hospital, unveiling the core technological system this tertiary rehabilitation hospital has developed for awakening patients with disorders of consciousness.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber: The “Oxygen Supply Station” for Hypoxic Brain Tissue

Patients with consciousness disorders often experience cerebral hypoxia. How can oxygen be delivered more efficiently to the damaged brain? At the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Center of Nanjing Zijin Hospital, a hyperbaric environment at 2.0 ATA enables oxygen to penetrate the blood–brain barrier more effectively. Data show that under hyperbaric conditions, the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood can increase from the atmospheric level of 100 mmHg to over 1,000 mmHg, while cerebral blood flow perfusion improves by approximately 35%. According to Ge Jiangping, President of Nanjing Zijin Hospital, hyperbaric oxygen therapy can specifically alleviate cerebral hypoxia, promote neuronal metabolism and repair, and lay a solid foundation for subsequent treatment. Currently, the hospital is equipped with three large‑capacity multi‑person hyperbaric chambers, five single‑person chambers, and an onboard emergency‑critical care system centered on pneumatic pressure‑resistant ventilators within the hyperbaric chambers.

Rehabilitation Robots: “Rebuilders” of Neural Pathways

Restoration of consciousness is only the first step; functional rehabilitation is the ultimate goal. Lower‑limb exoskeleton robots, through standardized gait training, help re‑establish connections in damaged neural pathways. Their precisely coordinated mechanical joints guide patients’ legs to take slow, deliberate steps, ensuring smooth, rhythmic movement. Rehabilitation therapists note that early passive training can stimulate the brain’s motor centers, laying the groundwork for the patient’s eventual independent ambulation. With 800–1,000 standardized steps per day and error margins kept within 5%, this approach delivers a level of precision in rehabilitation that human effort alone cannot achieve.

Chinese Scales: A “Unified Standard” for Diagnosis and Treatment

At Nanjing Zijin Hospital, the assessment of every patient with a disorder of consciousness invariably relies on a “Chinese standard”—the China Nanjing Consciousness Recovery Scale (CNCRS). For a long time, China remained largely without its own validated tools for evaluating disorders of consciousness, with clinical scales predominantly developed in Europe and North America. In 1996, Nanjing Zijin Hospital, in collaboration with pioneering Chinese experts in brain‑resuscitation, introduced the China Nanjing Persistent Vegetative State Scale. Over the following decades, this scale underwent six revisions, ultimately evolving from the original China Nanjing Persistent Vegetative State Scale (CNPVSS) to the current China Nanjing Consciousness Recovery Scale (CNCRS). The latest version of the CNCRS comprises five subscales—visual, auditory, motor, feeding, and emotional responsiveness—each scored from 0 to 4, for a total possible score of 20. It enables dynamic, quantitative assessment of patients with brain injury across the full continuum, from deep coma through the vegetative state and minimally conscious state to emergence from minimally conscious state. In October 2024, a multicenter study led by Nanjing Zijin Hospital—“Reliability and Validity Analysis of the China Nanjing Consciousness Recovery Scale”—was officially launched. By December 2025, the “Revised China Nanjing Consciousness Recovery Scale and Multicenter Study Expert Consensus” had been formally published in the Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. As of March 2026, the multicenter initiative had systematically completed high‑quality standardized clinical data entry for 1,540 patients. This “Chinese standard” is helping to establish a unified framework for clinicians across different hospitals and specialties, ensuring consistent and reliable assessments of patients’ states.

Personalized Treatment: A “Customized Plan” for Rehabilitation

With a standardized assessment framework in place, the next step is precision treatment tailored to each individual. No two patients’ recoveries follow the same template; instead, personalized plans are crafted based on EEG data, physical condition, and scale‑based scores. From initial admission assessments to hyperbaric oxygen therapy, from EEG monitoring to robotic rehabilitation, every stage is meticulously aligned with the patient’s needs. Pan Xingming, director of the Awakening Promotion Center at the Jiangning Campus, explains: “We develop an awakening protocol by integrating the patient’s imaging studies, EEG findings, and other diagnostic evaluations.” In the video, the patient’s progress—from an improvement in GCS scores to a rise in CNCRS scores, and from complete unresponsiveness to actively making an “OK” gesture—serves as a key indicator that the individualized plan is working effectively.

Clinical Efficacy Data: A “True Testament” to Our Strength

Data provide the most compelling evidence. At Nanjing Zijin Hospital, the clinical efficacy rate for patients with disorders of consciousness exceeds 40% (based on the hospital’s clinical statistics and applicable only to a specific patient population). Behind this figure lies the hospital’s comprehensive strength—fueled by seamless integration of hardware and software and robust multidisciplinary collaboration. As Nanjing’s first tertiary‑level rehabilitation hospital and Jiangsu Province’s first privately‑run tertiary rehabilitation hospital, Nanjing Zijin Hospital operates two major campuses in Jiangning and Qinhuai, offering eight subspecialties—including neurological and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation—as well as key clinical departments such as a hyperbaric oxygen therapy center. Guided by the hospital motto “Excellence through Sincerity, Compassion for Lasting Impact,” the institution is dedicated to the rehabilitation of patients with brain injury and disorders of consciousness.

Immersive Exploration: A Complete Closed Loop from Assessment to Rehabilitation

The reporter experienced firsthand the core stages of patient care, from assessment to rehabilitation: entering the hyperbaric oxygen chamber and donning an oxygen mask, with blood oxygen saturation rapidly climbing to 99%; putting on an EEG cap, after which stable brainwave signals appeared on the screen within three seconds; and strapping into a robotic exoskeleton to complete gait training with device assistance. Throughout the entire process, meticulous technology and robust capabilities were evident at every step. “This is precisely where the key to patient recovery lies,” said a clinician. In the rehabilitation area, patients who had once been in a deep coma are now fully conscious, able to communicate normally, and poised to return home and resume their lives. In the footage, the two patients’ steps move forward in perfect synchrony—hardcore technology combined with a precision‑driven system represents the greatest potential for reviving life.

Decoding the Question: Hard Power + Soft Power = Awakening of Life

Hyperbaric oxygen chambers and intelligent rehabilitation equipment are the “hard weapons” that help overcome formidable challenges; the China Nanjing Scale for Recovery of Consciousness, personalized treatment, and multidisciplinary collaboration constitute the “soft power” underpinning precision‑based interventions. When these hard tools meet soft expertise, they open the door to a new beginning for patients with disorders of consciousness. As Qian Yangming, Party Secretary and President of the China Association of Private Medical Institutions, remarked during his field visit, Nanjing Zijin Hospital has, over the past 39 years, remained steadfastly committed to the field of rehabilitation medicine, centering on critical‑care rehabilitation and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It has thus set a benchmark for specialized development in privately run healthcare, establishing a distinguished industry brand. From its origins in 1987 as the Cerebrovascular Disease Rehabilitation Center of the Nanjing Military Medical College of the Second Military Medical University, to its 2022 upgrade as Nanjing’s first tertiary‑level rehabilitation hospital, nearly four decades of accumulated experience have enabled Nanjing Zijin Hospital to wield a “hardcore formula,” illuminating the guiding beacon of recovery for countless lives once left in a state of dormancy.

Original article link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/2mMqc3Y4CcIZQhJUzfiyuw