The genesis of Academic Neurosurgery. Part I: The so-called “Gestational Period” and the contributions of Harvey Cushing

Abstract

This is the first of five papers describing the origin and evolution of the so-called Academic Neurosurgery which will appear consecutively in the journal Neurocirugía. The three firsts focuse on the emergence of the specialty in Europe and the United States and its development in the last country between the origins and the present moment, paying special attention to the foundation of the neurosurgical societies (SNS, AANS, CNS) with their respective journals and the configuration of the residency programs. The fourth analyzes the same issues in Europe and, most specifically in Spain, also from the beginnigs to the XXI century. The fifth describes the development of Academic Neurosurgery in a neurosurgical unit of one of hospitals created by the National Social Security System in the early 1970s.

The present paper describes the initiatives, difficulties and achievements of the pioneers at both sides of the Atlantic during the so called Gestational Period for creating the new and independent specialty of Neurosurgey conceived as a scientific and clínico-surgical activiy with an academic profil.