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History Of Brain Surgery

Neurosugery has come a long way...

Brain surgery is perhaps the oldest of the practiced medical arts. There is no hard evidence suggesting a beginning to the practice of other fields of medicine such as pharmacology — using drugs, chemical and natural ingredients to help a fellow human being. There is ample evidence, however, of brain surgery, dating back to the Neolithic (late Stone Age) period.

Unearthed remains of successful brain operations, as well as surgical implements, were found in France at one of Europe’s noted archeological digs. The success rate was remarkable, even circa 7,000 B.C.

However, pre-historic evidence of brain surgery was not limited to…

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Featured

 A Neurosurgeon Reflects On The 'Awe And Mystery' Of The Brain

Neurosurgeon Henry Marsh has opened heads, cut into brains and performed the most delicate and risky surgeries on the part of the body that controls everything — including breathing, movement, memory and consciousness. "What is, I think, peculiar about brain surgery is it's so dangerous," Marsh tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. "A very small area of damage to the brain can cause catastrophic disability for the patient."

 The Mind of a Neurosurgeon in Action: The Surgical Tech Perspective

As neurosurgeon, each of us walks into the operating room (OR), mind focused on the task and patient at hand. Though surgeons are typically referred to as “in charge” of the room, we depend on every single member of the OR team for a successful surgical outcome. I have often wondered what our team members imagine goes through our minds as we operate. Motivated by this focus on the “mind of a neurosurgeon,” I decided to ask.

 The Radical Compassion of Awake Brain Surgery

Hervey-Jumper specializes in awake brain surgery, in which patients are alert and engaged during parts of the procedure in order to prevent severe brain damage. His patient this morning, Gina, is 31 years old. It’s not her first time under Hervey-Jumper’s knife. Six years ago, after she had a seizure following a car accident, doctors discovered a mass the size of a plum in the top left lobe of her brain, near the areas that regulate movement and speech. The tumor had been spreading slowly, but there was no cure. Without surgery, she was told, she might still have several years left to live; an operation could double that time, or maybe more. Hervey-Jumper had removed the original mass, but like crabgrass, the cancer sprouted back around the hole.

 Why this neurosurgeon chose to stay in his beloved Gaza — and why he left

Abukhedeir did indeed become a doctor — with a specialty in neurosurgery. He went on to head the neurosurgery department at Al-Shifa, the largest hospital in Gaza, and began training other doctors in the field. Then came the war.

Articles of Interest

Brain surgeons and rocket scientists no brighter than the rest of us, study finds

Data from 329 aerospace engineers and 72 neurosurgeons suggests they are not necessarily cleverer than general population.

For this brain surgeon, the operating room is 'the ultimate in mindful meditation'

Neurosurgeon Theodore Schwartz still remembers the first time he witnessed brain surgery in person. He was in medical school, and the surgeon sat in a special chair that was designed to hold the arms up while they worked under a microscope. It reminded Schwartz of the way an astronaut looked in the cockpit of a spaceship — except, he says, "[The surgeons] were traveling into the microcosm of the brain instead of traveling into the macrocosm of another planet."

How We Got Concussions So Wrong

I got a concussion. I didn’t get better. It turned out even my doctors had bought into a powerful myth.

How Worried You Should Be If You Hit Your Head, According to a Neurosurgeon

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More quotes from a neurosurgeon

Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery by neurosurgeon Henry Marsh in which he describes cases and what it’s like to be a neurosurgeon has deservedly become a global best seller. It follows another book by a neurosurgeon that has also become a global best seller: Paul Kalanithi’s When Breath Becomes Air.

Neurosurgeons are simply wonderful

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The 8%: Hear What It’s Really Like for Female Neurosurgeons

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Over four decades, a neurosurgeon has learned that complacency is the worst of all surgical sins.

The Most Difficult Thing a Neurosurgeon Tells a Patient

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The Neurosurgeon Shortage: Are Subspecialties a Cause?

According to Physicians Thrive and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, two main reasons for the shortage of neurosurgeons in the U.S. are demographics and subspecialization.

What it’s like in neurological surgery: Shadowing Dr. Agarwal

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‘Gray Matters’ Review: A Brainy Vocation https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/gray-matters-review-a-brainy-vocation-93bae3f9 Stamina and focus are the true superpowers required of neurosurgeons. Their tools are less critical than the minds in control of them.

A neurosurgeon writes candidly about the moments that terrify him during surgery, and why he sometimes holds his breath.

Resources

Surgical Theater

...neurosurgeons at major medical centers and academic institutions across the U.S. and around the world are utilizing Surgical Theater’s transformative enterprise-wide virtual reality medical visualization platform and Precision VR™ long before a patient is prepped for surgery. This first-of-its-kind immersive environment allows for unparalleled patient education and engagement, while also delivering next-generation surgical planning and navigation capabilities.

3DNeuroanatomy

We feel pleased to introduce you our project based on the development of a huge 3DNeuroanatomy community. Our aim is to encourage every single neurosurgeon or neurosurgical resident to join us in order to create a group of people interested on the study and discussion of different neurosurgical cases, always assisted by the most important weapon we have, the NEUROANATOMY.

AANS Neurosurgeon

The official socioeconomic publication of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), AANS Neurosurgeon, features information and analysis for contemporary neurosurgical practice.

Neurosurgery Basics

Learning neurosurgery for medical students, PAs, NPs, and neuroscience nurses.

Neurosurgery Blog

At Neurosurgery Blog, we champion the vital role of health care in our lives. We acknowledge the profound influence of policymakers in Washington, DC, on this crucial aspect of society. Yet, the inner workings of health policy in our nation’s capital often remain hidden. Our mission is to actively investigate and report on how health care policy directly impacts patients, physicians and medical practice. We strive to showcase the expansive scope of neurosurgery, beyond the boundaries of brain surgery, emphasizing its diverse impact and significance.

Neurosurgery On-Call

Welcome to Neurosurgery://On-Call featuring neurosurgical information for patients and the health care professional. Neurosurgery://On-Call is presented by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

Operative Neurosurgery

At least three major trends in neurosurgical techniques have emerged: A move toward more minimally invasive (or non-invasive) approach to the surgical target. The development of high-precision treatment delivery techniques. Increasing role of multimodality intraoperative imaging.

The Neurosurgical Atlas

The Neurosurgical Atlas is the most comprehensive regularly updated atlas on the web, keeping neurosurgeons abreast of cutting edge technical nuances. We aim to teach techniques to improve patients' safety and surgical outcome.

Brain & Mind - A to Z

Dear viewer, you are looking at the definitive guide to the brain and mind for everyone. I hope it is useful and interesting to you.

Brain-Surgery.com

The purpose of this website is to provide clear, understandable, non-technical information about the medical conditions that usually require brain surgery, as well as information about the techniques and skills needed for successful surgery on the brain.

Glasgow Coma Scale

The GCS is scored between 3 and 15, 3 being the worst, and 15 the best. It is composed of three parameters : Best Eye Response, Best Verbal Response, Best Motor Response. Note that the phrase 'GCS of 11' is essentially meaningless, and it is important to break the figure down into its components, such as E3V3M5 = GCS 11. A Coma Score of 13 or higher correlates with a mild brain injury, 9 to 12 is a moderate injury and 8 or less a severe brain injury.

NeuroMind

The #1 app for neurosurgery in the world! NeuroMind offers interactive clinical decision support and clinical classification and grading systems. The app is officially supported by Surgical Neurology International and the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS).

Neurosurgery Blog

To provide neurosurgeons with the most timely comprehensive and relevant clinical information to improve patient care.

Neurosurgic.com

Neurosurgic.com is a professional networking site for neurosurgeons of all levels, neurosurgical trainees, and medical students interested in neurosurgery. Members of other medical professions - such as neurologists, neuroradiologists, neurointerventionists, neuroanesthesiologists, neurophysiologists and others with an interest in neurosurgery, are also invited to join.