This topic always devolves into a pissing contest between specialties. The truth about it is that in every specialty there are very technically challenging operations that require finesse, and trying to say which one is more technically difficult is a moot point, because it depends on what your level of training is. Sure neurosurgery is 7 years. Head and Neck Surgery with microvascular training is 7 years, pediatric surgery ends up being about 10 years (5 gen surg, 2-3 research, 2 fellowship), congenital cardiac surgery is around 10 years, etc etc. You also don't really know exactly how technically difficult a surgery is until you actually do it, and while there is a component of natural ability, much of it is sheer practice and repetition. As a med student you watch attendings who are graceful and make surgery look so easy, and the first time you pick up a scalpel as an intern you realize wait, this isn't so easy after all. And surgical skills often don't translate across specialties. Put a neurosurgeon in a laparoscopic case and watch him/her struggle with completely difficult skill set and anatomy. "Who has the best hands?!" is always the question, but the best surgeon has an unshakeable knowledge of anatomy, knows the steps of the procedure cold, and adapt to whatever special situation is presented to them while maintaining a calm demeanor as well as having good hands. And those surgeons exist in every specialty.
