So who's the greatest neurosurgeon? Do your research and let's talk!!

[bennybrak]

Wow! My fav section of SDN is getting quite boring. I thought we could refresh ourselves with some talk about the greats(Past and Present). For those practicing neurosurgery now, I'd like to know who's contribution has made all that difference in how you see things today. Can anybody give us some insight about what made our dear Uncle Harvey Cushing, Walter Dandy, Earl Walker, Yasargil, etc so special, and what their breaking points and moments of truths were? What is it that we can emulate today and where should the thinking in neurosurgery be focused now, besides the money, now that it's gotten so complicated with time - from hemispherectomies to microneurosurgeries and all that? In your view who is the greatest weighing all positive and negative attributes?

Let's keep this as informative and interesting as possible. Thanks!

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[Gfunk6]

Mitch Berger, chair of Neurosurgery at UCSF.

I submit the following as evidence.

 

[bennybrak]

Very interesting personality and great people skills...reminds me of Benjamin Carson. I like the brain mapping stuff too. Well, he deserves to be celebrated but would you say he's the greatest just because of that?

 

[Gfunk6]

I wound not say he's the greatest, but you did ask for some present "greats" and he definitely fits the bill for that. In the same vein, I would add the following neurosurgeons for developing the Gamma Knife and CyberKnife systems, respectively:

Lars Leksell (Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden) - Inventor of Radiosurgery
John Adler (Stanford)

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

what about Dr. Robert F. Spetzler at BNI considering his cerebrovascular surgical skills.

http://www.bnaneuro.net/Pages/Docs/DrSpetzler.html

 

[bennybrak]

I knew one will definitely come from Barrow. I like Dr. Speltzer's profile. Wow, the guy really has a predilection for aneurysms!! And what is it about neurosurgeons and biomedics? It appears most of the most revered neurosurgeons invented some instrument of some sort. Are they taught somewhere along the line or what? The 3-D microscope is also something really big in neurosurgery. And..he has a life after all...Inspiring

 

[bennybrak]

Hmm, I'm learning a lot! John Adler and Lars Leksell involved in the invention the gamma knife? That's even bigger i guess! Once again, what is it about NS and biomedics? Can somebody in the business please answer that? I've heard the word nano knife being thrown about somewhere on one of the forums...Is it something that is extant and which hospitals use it currently? And also any ideas where most of the action in microneurosurgery or radiosurgery are happening today(not necessarily in the US)? And who's the champ(more experienced - i guess skillful is quite relative) when it comes to gamma knife presently?

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

I knew one will definitely come from Barrow. I like Dr. Speltzer's profile. Wow, the guy really has a predilection for aneurysms!! And what is it about neurosurgeons and biomedics? It appears most of the most revered neurosurgeons invented some instrument of some sort. Are they taught somewhere along the line or what? The 3-D microscope is also something really big in neurosurgery. And..he has a life after all...Inspiring

Apparently he logs about 600 cases a year

 

[Toennis]

and what an incredible story he has!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/13/science/13conv.html?scp=2&sq=alfredo+quinones&st=nyt

 

[YouNeverKnow22]

.

 

[Enkidu]

Hmm, I'm learning a lot! John Adler and Lars Leksell involved in the invention the gamma knife? That's even bigger i guess! Once again, what is it about NS and biomedics? Can somebody in the business please answer that? I've heard the word nano knife being thrown about somewhere on one of the forums...Is it something that is extant and which hospitals use it currently? And also any ideas where most of the action in microneurosurgery or radiosurgery are happening today(not necessarily in the US)? And who's the champ(more experienced - i guess skillful is quite relative) when it comes to gamma knife presently?

Isn't Gamma knife run by radiation oncology? I don't think that "radiosurgery" is really run by surgeons, I think it's just named that way by analogy.

 

[1r1d1um]

CNS radiosurgery is generally a collaborative effort between Neurosurg and radonc. The radoncs run the show, but the NS definitely have input. Interestingly in other countries, radio surgeries are usually done by NS with very minimal radonc/physics support. go figure.

I'm interested in NS with specific interest in neuronic and radio surgery, but am trying to figure out if i want to do NS vs radonc. both are appealing to me for different reasons.

to keep this thread relevant, I'd say Ben Carson, although i hear he should stop operating now...

 

[roinom]

In Sweden, the Gamma knife is used solely by the NS, they are called (directly translated) ray-knife surgeons. In addition to this, we don't have rad onc's, instead it is the oncologists who handels those kind of treatments. Sometimes with guidances from the radiologists.

/Swedish soon-to-be medicine student

 

[Lipoma]

Nobody mentioned Harvey Cushing yet?! Now that should be first

Wow! My fav section of SDN is getting quite boring. I thought we could refresh ourselves with some talk about the greats(Past and Present). For those practicing neurosurgery now, I'd like to know who's contribution has made all that difference in how you see things today. Can anybody give us some insight about what made our dear Uncle Harvey Cushing, Walter Dandy, Earl Walker, Yasargil, etc so special, and what their breaking points and moments of truths were? What is it that we can emulate today and where should the thinking in neurosurgery be focused now, besides the money, now that it's gotten so complicated with time - from hemispherectomies to microneurosurgeries and all that? In your view who is the greatest weighing all positive and negative attributes?

Let's keep this as informative and interesting as possible. Thanks!

 

[jacobus]

Wow! My fav section of SDN is getting quite boring. I thought we could refresh ourselves with some talk about the greats(Past and Present). For those practicing neurosurgery now, I'd like to know who's contribution has made all that difference in how you see things today. Can anybody give us some insight about what made our dear Uncle Harvey Cushing, Walter Dandy, Earl Walker, Yasargil, etc so special, and what their breaking points and moments of truths were? What is it that we can emulate today and where should the thinking in neurosurgery be focused now, besides the money, now that it's gotten so complicated with time - from hemispherectomies to microneurosurgeries and all that? In your view who is the greatest weighing all positive and negative attributes?

Let's keep this as informative and interesting as possible. Thanks!

Walter E. Dandy I don't even need to explain why

 

[DoctwoB]

Hmm, I'm learning a lot! John Adler and Lars Leksell involved in the invention the gamma knife? That's even bigger i guess! Once again, what is it about NS and biomedics? Can somebody in the business please answer that? I've heard the word nano knife being thrown about somewhere on one of the forums...Is it something that is extant and which hospitals use it currently? And also any ideas where most of the action in microneurosurgery or radiosurgery are happening today(not necessarily in the US)? And who's the champ(more experienced - i guess skillful is quite relative) when it comes to gamma knife presently?

The gammaknife is made by Elekta, which was founded by Leksell. Cyberknife is made by Accuray, which was founded by Adler.

At Pitt, Lunsford (trained by Leksell), and then Kondziolka pioneered most of the indications that GK is used for now.

It's interesting to see the dynamics of how these things work out, and it largely explains why Stanford is a huge cyberknife center, while Pitt heavily slants towards the gammaknife.

 

[surglover]

What about John Jane - The Chairmen producer ?

 

[Core Dome Ahhh]

CNS radiosurgery is generally a collaborative effort between Neurosurg and radonc. The radoncs run the show, but the NS definitely have input. Interestingly in other countries, radio surgeries are usually done by NS with very minimal radonc/physics support. go figure.

I'm interested in NS with specific interest in neuronic and radio surgery, but am trying to figure out if i want to do NS vs radonc. both are appealing to me for different reasons.

to keep this thread relevant, I'd say Ben Carson, although i hear he should stop operating now...

I think it is actually highly dependent on the specific program. I know at Pitt Lunsford and Kondziolka are actually more predominantly in charge of the Gamma Knife than RadOnc. They also use it for indications other than tumors-- avms's, lesions for Parkinsons and spasticity, ect.

 

[johnbl]

jeez louize...really amazing!!

 

[wannabeneurosx]

Sorry losers, the greatest neurosurgeon of all time comes from over the pond. I give you the great Sir Victor Horsley:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Horsley

Achievements include:

First use of a laminectomy to remove a spinal tumour
First intradural division procedure for trigeminal neuralgia
First carotid artery ligation to treat a circle of Willis aneurysm
First use of electrical stimulation to identify an epileptogenic focus
Father of stereotaxis
First person to provide a rationale for replacement therapy in thyroid disease
Founder of the Journal of `Pathology
Most kickass moustache of the 19th Century

 

[kitsunepixie]

One of my attendings has a facebook fan page started by a bunch of his patients with silly quotes on it...I don't think he even knows what the Internet is. His catch phrase is, "That's cool" for everything. We residents always joke that if we dropped him off at the local homeless shelter, he'd blend right in and probably not want to leave because he'd have free food and a blanket and that's all he needs to be happy.

 

[dwdrums2112]

Dr. Q from Johns Hopkins inspires me and is also a great neurosurgeon.

 

[bennybrak]

Sorry losers, the greatest neurosurgeon of all time comes from over the pond. I give you the great Sir Victor Horsley:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Horsley

Achievements include:

First use of a laminectomy to remove a spinal tumour
First intradural division procedure for trigeminal neuralgia
First carotid artery ligation to treat a circle of Willis aneurysm
First use of electrical stimulation to identify an epileptogenic focus
Father of stereotaxis
First person to provide a rationale for replacement therapy in thyroid disease
Founder of the Journal of `Pathology
Most kickass moustache of the 19th Century

Wow!! Victor Horsely us really impressive! How did just one person get to be so talented? Very inspiring!

 

[pre med 2014]

I read this in a book once...

"It is difficult to know who is the best neurosurgeon because every neurosurgeon thinks they are the best neurosurgeon"

 

[bennybrak]

Mitch Berger, chair of Neurosurgery at UCSF.

I submit the following as evidence.

I met Dr. Berger at MGH after he gave a presentation on brain mapping. I really like him. He made me love tumors and i'm considering it as a subspecialty. Cerebrovascular looks cool too, but i'll love to meet Spetzler and see if he'll inspire me to think otherwise.

 

[altruistss]

I totally agree. He has the highest H Index among all the academic neurosurgeons within the united states. His paperwork has recently been sent for the Full Professorship just after 6 years of working in Johns Hopkins

 

[stronghold]

Up!

 

[The Buff OP]

I'm surprise nobody has mention Dr. Benjamin Carson. First ever to successfully separate conjoined twins.

 

[Umyo]

Profiled for later reading