As a nationally recognized leader in orthopedic surgery, Professor Cai Xu serves as the Chief Specialist at the Beijing Medera Orthopedic Doctor Group and the Director of the Joint Center at Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital. He is also the Founding Chairman of the Orthopedic Committee of the China Medical Education Association (COAME). Prior to his current leadership roles, Prof. Cai built a distinguished academic and clinical career as a Professor, Chief Physician, and Doctoral Supervisor at the prestigious Chinese PLA General Hospital (301 Hospital).
With over 30 years of clinical excellence, Prof. Cai specializes in the comprehensive management of joint disorders and sports injuries. His core surgical expertise encompasses Corrective Osteotomy, Total and Revision Joint Arthroplasty, and Minimally Invasive Arthroscopic Surgery.
Clinical Appointments
- Chief Specialist, Beijing Medera Orthopedic Doctor Group
- Director of the Joint Center & Chief Physician, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital
- Former Professor & Chief Physician of Joint Surgery, Department of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital (301 Hospital)
Memberships & Affiliations
- Founding & Honorary Chairman, Orthopedic Committee of the China Medical Education Association (COAME)
- Vice Chairman, Osteoarthropathy Committee of Beijing Translational Medicine Society
- Executive Committee Member, Orthopaedic Committee of China Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics
- Executive Committee Member, Digital Health Committee of China Medicine Education Association
- Executive Committee Member, Joint Surgery Committee of Chinese Research Hospital Association
- Executive Committee Member, Chinese Knee Surgery Society (CKS)
- Committee Member, Joint Surgery Committee of Chinese Association of Orthopedic Surgeon (CAOS)
- Committee Member, Infection Group of Orthopedic Committee of Beijing Medical Association
- Committee Member, Shoulder and Elbow Joint Surgery Committee of Beijing Medical Association
- Committee Member, Joint Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Committee of Chinese Rehabilitation Medical Association
- Vice President, Orthopedic Branch of Bethune Spirit Research Association
- Adjunct Professor & Honorary Director of the Institute of Orthopedics, Henan Polytechnic University
- Editorial Board Member, Journal of Practical Orthopaedics
- Editorial Board Member, Chinese Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery
Education
- Ph.D. in Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital (301 Hospital), 1994 – 1997
- M.M. (Master of Medicine) in Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital (301 Hospital), 1992 – 1994
- M.D. (Bachelor of Medicine), First Military Medical University, 1984 – 1989
Global Fellowships & Advanced Clinical Training To further advance his expertise in joint arthroplasty and minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery, Prof. Cai has completed prestigious international fellowships and advanced surgical training at world-renowned medical centers, including:
- Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), New York, USA
- ENDO-Klinik, Hamburg, Germany
- Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Tampa General Hospital, Florida, USA
- Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan
- Additional specialized clinical training across premier institutions in France (Clinique du Cèdre, Rouen; Cabinet Goethe, Paris) and Germany (Diakonie Hospital Bad Kreuznach).
Clinical Experience
Since 2002, Prof. Cai has focused his clinical practice and research on Joint Conditions & Sports Medicine, specializing in Total and Revision Joint Arthroplasty and Minimally Invasive Arthroscopic Surgery.
During his tenure at the Chinese PLA General Hospital (301 Hospital), he conducted approximately 60 outpatient clinic sessions annually, evaluating around 2,000 patients per year. He performed over 600 procedures annually as the primary surgeon, with joint replacements accounting for approximately two-thirds of his surgical volume.
In 2016, Prof. Cai joined Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital to direct the Joint Center. Under his leadership, the center’s annual volume of joint replacement surgeries increased from approximately 10 cases to over 400 cases.
Clinical Expertise
Prof. Cai specializes in the surgical management of complex joint disorders and sports injuries. His clinical practice covers a comprehensive range of advanced orthopedic procedures, including primary Total Hip Arthroplasty and Total Knee Arthroplasty for severe deformities. He is highly experienced in managing complicated cases requiring Revision Hip Arthroplasty and Revision Knee Arthroplasty. Furthermore, he performs Corrective Osteotomy (rotational osteotomy) for Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH), and utilizes autologous and allograft techniques for complex Bone Defect Repair & Reconstruction. Notably, he holds a national patent for a proprietary hollow femoral stem prosthesis used in joint replacements.
In the field of sports medicine, Prof. Cai routinely performs Minimally Invasive Arthroscopic Surgery. His technical proficiencies include remnant-preserving reconstruction for ACL / PCL Injury, multi-Ligament Repair & Reconstruction using allograft tendons, and the arthroscopic management of patellar maltracking and Recurrent Patellar Dislocation. He also performs arthroscopic arthrolysis for knee stiffness, internal fixation for intra-articular fractures, and cartilage transplantation for cartilage damage.
Additionally, since 2018, he has served as the Principal Investigator (PI) for the orthopedic division of the National Drug Clinical Trial Facility at Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, overseeing multiple clinical trials for novel medications.
Research & Awards
Prof. Cai has conducted extensive clinical and basic research focusing on joint disorders and artificial joint implants. In 1999, he was awarded a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) to investigate the underlying causes of artificial joint loosening, and subsequently secured a second NSFC grant in 2005 for further foundational R&D on his proprietary, nationally patented artificial hip prosthesis. Over the course of his career, he has led four major research projects, including grants from the NSFC and National Key R&D Programs from the Ministry of Science and Technology.
His scholarly output includes over 96 peer-reviewed publications—with more than 40 articles published in SCI-indexed journals—alongside six edited or translated medical monographs and textbooks. His academic and clinical contributions have been recognized with three national and military science and technology progress awards. To date, he has successfully mentored 15 master’s and doctoral graduates, and has provided advanced clinical training to over 520 visiting surgeons nationwide.