Dr. Li Yi, Neurosurgeon 

@Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital

Dr. Li Yi, a distinguished neurosurgeon at Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, serves as the Administrative Deputy Director of the Neurosurgery Department, Executive Director of Neurosurgery (Northern Division), Chief Physician, Doctoral Supervisor, and a Visiting Scholar at Harvard University. Recognized as one of the “Top Ten Outstanding Individuals of the Ninth Hospital,” he specializes in stroke emergency protocols, green channel establishment, and comprehensive stroke treatment technologies, including intracranial and extracranial arterial stenosis, aneurysms, and arteriovenous malformations. He pioneered a one-stop, full-cycle stroke treatment system, integrating medication, intervention, and surgery to significantly enhance stroke outcomes.

Clinical Expertise: As the Executive Director of Neurosurgery (Northern Division), he handles over 1,500 outpatient cases annually, leading a stroke treatment platform that has increased stroke surgeries by over 20 times since 2018. He also mentors in emergency thrombectomy and intracranial aneurysm surgeries.

 Research & Innovation: Professor Li introduced the “Thrombectomy-Bridged Decompressive Craniectomy” concept for severe acute ischemic stroke and performed 15 first-of-their-kind cerebrovascular surgeries at the hospital. He has chaired the Binjiang Neurointervention Summit for five consecutive years and developed educational materials like the “Stroke Prevention Handbook” and “Ten Questions on Intracranial Aneurysms.” He secured multiple grants, including two National Natural Science Foundation projects and two Shanghai Science and Technology Commission projects, with over 5 million RMB in research funding. He holds nine cerebrovascular-related patents, one of which is in the transformation phase.

    Talking with him, you’re struck by his grounded presence.
    His calm smile radiates quiet confidence, putting you instantly at ease. When he speaks of his youth, you envision a spirited young man—darting across a basketball court with effortless grace, a streak of freedom against the wind.

    Who could have predicted how destiny would gently steer this wind-chasing boy into the world of medicine? Those exhaustion-soaked days and nights under the relentless glare of operating lights became the silent witnesses to his journey—from volume to mastery.

    His ears even developed intermittent deafness from chronic fatigue, a testament to the profound physical and emotional toll. Yet he never slowed his stride. These trials, perhaps, deepened his understanding: A true healer must learn to become a beacon for others—not just for patients, but for fellow warriors on the front lines, and for anxious families waiting in the wings.

    Being able to offer strength in critical moments, he believes, is medicine’s most tender calling. Every precise movement of his hands lifts not just a fragile life, but the trembling hope of entire families—their dreams of a future held in his steady grip.

    Reflecting on his path, Professor Li Yi often muses: “Life has both randomness and inevitability.” The turning points that quietly guided him to medicine’s rigorous yet profoundly meaningful path began in his youth.

The Basketball Prodigy

    As a teenager, Li was a kinetic bundle of energy who dribbled through his adolescent years. “Beyond schoolwork,” he recalls with a grin, “basketball consumed me.” His world revolved around study, practice, and more practice – a testament to his fierce focus. 

    His parents’ educational careers meant constant oversight: “My mom taught my elementary class, then Dad took over in middle school. Let’s just say teenage privacy wasn’t in the cards.” Basketball became his sanctuary – the one outlet where pressure transformed into pure joy. 

Forging Resilience

    That athletic discipline forged Olympian-level stamina which later carried him through medical training’s grueling demands. When college applications loomed, his aerospace-engineer parents hoped he’d choose a technically solid but less taxing field. But Li’s mind flashed to childhood scrapes healed by kind pediatric nurses whose gentle hands made broken knees feel better. 

    “I want to study pediatrics at Nanjing Medical University,” he declared. Hearing his conviction, his parents traded their blueprints for bandages – supporting his choice despite knowing medicine’s hardships. 

The Crucible of Medical School

    Reality hit hard. While friends at other universities enjoyed flexible schedules, Li faced back-to-back lectures and labs stretching past midnight. “Brutal? Absolutely,” he admits. What sustained him? “Seeing patients’ relieved smiles in my mind – that’s what made molecular biology at 2 AM worth it.” 

    After five years burning the midnight oil, he earned top honors and entered Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s medical program. His father’s steadfast support became legendary: “Dozens of handwritten letters – full of clipped newspaper study tips for my exams – arrived weekly even when phones existed. His mantra echoed every time: ‘Focus fiercely. Dare greatly. Become your best self.’” 

Beyond Textbooks

    Medical mentors revealed medicine’s true essence: “Books teach diseases; patients teach humanity,” Li learned. His teachers sculpted not just his medical expertise but his capacity to hold hope amidst crisis. “They showed me how to steady my hands when life trembles – to listen beyond symptoms.” 

    This wisdom – this quiet marriage of science and soul – ultimately anchored his calling. Not in a celestial gear-turn, but in the profound clarity that comes when chance and purpose finally align.

    The journey through medicine never truly ends. Dr. Li Yi began in pediatrics, but his operating room rotation ignited a revelation: “Under those bright surgical lights, I watched attending physicians perform near-miracles – hands moving with purpose to relieve suffering. That’s when I knew: This is where I belong.”

   To reach higher, he pursued advanced training. Fate opened its next door: acceptance into Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s prestigious neurosurgery program – a field renowned as medicine’s final frontier.

The Crucible Years
    His initiation into neurosurgery? Li sums it up bluntly: “Exhaustion. Pure, relentless exhaustion.” Brutal hours became his new normal: patient consults, overnight shifts, charting till dawn – the universal rite of passage for young surgeons.

   While peers surged ahead, Li’s body began sounding alarms. Stress-triggered intermittent hearing loss struck during his tenure at Xinhua Hospital. “Anxiety colored everything,” he admits. “I felt stuck in fog.”

The Pivot Point
    In 2013, he chose radical renewal: relocating to the United States. This wasn’t escape – it was a deliberate quest for perspective. There, a breakthrough procedure electrified him: thrombectomy for acute stroke patients. “It hit me like a lightning bolt of purpose,” he recalls. “This was my calling.”

Pioneering Against Resistance
    Returning to Shanghai, Li carved his niche within neurosurgery’s rigid framework. Skepticism met him at every turn: ER colleagues doubted the new technique; patients feared the unknown. Securing his first thrombectomy case required six months of relentless advocacy.

October 2014: The Milestone
    When that first successful procedure unfolded, triumph was tempered by higher stakes. “The real work began after that surgery,” Li reflects. “How do I scale this? How many more can we save?”

    Mountains of pressure followed. “Those years tested every fiber of my being,” he concedes. “But turning back was never an option. When you’ve seen how breakthrough care transforms lives, you dig deeper.”

    When Dr. Li Yi transitioned from Xinhua Hospital to Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, colleagues dubbed him “Dr. Iron Will”—a testament to his relentless patient advocacy and pursuit of medical excellence. This fierce dedication fuels his mission to revolutionize stroke treatment.

Breaking New Ground
    Rather than resting on past achievements, Dr. Li sought a larger platform to scale his innovations. “My goal was simple,” he states. “Elevate stroke care to its highest potential.” His work at Xinhua revealed a critical gap: the need for integrated stroke systems. At Ninth Hospital, he found the canvas for his vision.

The ‘Stroke One-Stop’ Revolution
    Dr. Li immediately spearheaded a Comprehensive Stroke Care Program. “Fragmented care costs lives,” he emphasizes. His model rests on two pillars:

      1.Immediate Intervention Capability: Technology and expertise to treat all stroke      types within the critical first hours.

      2.Full-Cycle Care: Seamless coordination from prevention to emergency response,      treatment, and rehabilitation.

    To transform theory into practice, his team executed a three-phase strategy:

      1. Set  the Standard: Establish gold-standard stroke protocols

      2. Diagnose Gaps: Identify bottlenecks—incomplete skillsets, inefficient workflows, team silos

      3. Targeted Solutions: Systematically resolve each challenge

Forging a Hybrid Team
    Recognizing that stroke care requires dual expertise in both surgical and medical approaches, Dr. Li engineered a cultural shift. “You’re not just surgeons,” he told his team. “You’re stroke specialists. Master every technique our patients need.” He invested in cross-training, sending staff to national workshops—transforming specialists into versatile stroke warriors.

Protocols That Save Minutes, Lives That Gain Years
    Through dozens of iterations, Dr. Li’s rapid-response protocol achieved unprecedented efficiency. One key innovation: Reversing the waiting dynamic. “Now,” he explains, “our surgical team mobilizes before the patient arrives—even if it means occasional false alarms. We race against the clock so patients never wait for care.”

From Hoops to Hope: An Unlikely Journey

    The path from basketball courts to operating theaters seems improbable—yet every pivot reveals the same driving force: a healer’s unwavering resolve. What began as a young athlete’s passion transformed into a legacy redefining stroke care.

ShanghaiDoctor: Dr. Li, how do you see the role of Chinese doctors in the global medical community in the future?

Dr. Li Yi: Chinese doctors will undoubtedly make their mark on the world stage—I firmly believe that. Our technical expertise, clinical experience, and research capabilities are advancing rapidly. In stroke care, for example, China is already leading globally. Take thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke: we started from scratch but have now achieved international excellence. We’ve not only mastered the techniques but also optimized workflows and built robust teams. As long as we continue to innovate and invest in talent, Chinese doctors will play a pivotal role globally. Centers like Changhai, Xuanwu, Tiantan, and Huashan are already sharing our expertise with the world.

ShanghaiDoctor: You’ve mentioned two cases of young stroke patients who were avid gamers. Could you elaborate?

Dr. Li Yi: Yes, both cases involved teenagers who spent hours gaming, leading to sedentary lifestyles and poor diets—culminating in strokes. One was just 16; he arrived with hemiplegia. We performed emergency surgery, saving his life but leaving him with lasting deficits. The rising incidence of stroke among young people is alarming and closely tied to unhealthy habits. Stroke is no longer an “older adult’s disease.” I constantly stress to patients and families: prevention starts with lifestyle changes—exercise, balanced diets, adequate sleep. It’s a message we, as doctors and society, must amplify.

ShanghaiDoctor: You’re known as the “Iron Will Surgeon,” but doctors also need strong health. What’s your take?

Dr. Li Yi: That’s a core paradox in medicine. The “iron will” stems from a profound respect for life. I’ve been called to emergency surgeries in the dead of night, and the instinct to save lives pushes past physical limits. Once, I performed surgery while battling a week-long fever. It wasn’t about ignoring my body but recognizing that my fatigue paled against a patient’s risk of permanent paralysis. This “drive” isn’t about heroism or rewards—it’s about reverence for life. But I also know medicine is a marathon. To truly serve patients, we must stay in peak condition. That’s why I exercise at least twice weekly—not just for myself but to ensure I’m always ready to deliver the best care.

ShanghaiDoctor: You often emphasize stroke prevention. Why?

Dr. Li Yi: Once a stroke occurs, even with prompt treatment, many patients face severe consequences. Prevention is far more effective. By managing risk factors like hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes—and adopting healthier lifestyles—we can drastically reduce stroke incidence. Our department not only treats but also educates, conducting community outreach to teach prevention. I hope more people prioritize prevention, addressing risk factors before it’s too late. As the saying goes, “The best treatment is prevention.”

ShanghaiDoctor: With such a demanding schedule, do you have any regrets?

Dr. Li Yi: My biggest regret is the limited time with my family. Emergency surgeries often call me away at night, and weekends are filled with academic conferences to stay updated. But rather than regret, I feel gratitude. Gratitude for healing patients and saving families. Gratitude for my family’s understanding—especially my children, who will one day appreciate the unique demands of this profession. Their support is their way of saying, “I love you.”

Editor: Chen Qing @ ShanghaiDoctor.cn