What is Neurosurgery?

Simply defined as surgery of the nervous system, neurosurgery developed as a surgical specialty during the late 1800s. Dr. Victor Horsley in England, Sir William MacEwen in Scotland and Dr. Harvey Cushing in the United States are generally accepted as the founders of neurological surgery.

In 1905, the first description of the discipline appeared in a paper by Dr. Cushing titled "The Special Field of Neurological Surgery," which was published in The Bulletin of The Johns Hopkins Hospital. At that time, neurosurgery was largely limited to decompression, or opening of the skull to relieve pressure. Advances in imaging procedures, development of the operating microscope, application of computer technology to procedures such as stereotactic neurosurgery, improvements in monitoring techniques, and advances in pharmacology (such as the development of antibiotics) have all contributed to the development of modern neurosurgery.

Today, neurosurgeons are responsible for all types of surgery on the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. Removal of tumors in the brain and spinal cord, repair of damaged or abnormal blood vessels (such as aneurysms or arteriovenous malformations), treatment of herniated discs in the spine, spinal stabilization, surgery for movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, epilepsy surgery, and procedures to relieve chronic pain are among the many types of operations performed by modern neurosurgeons.