It is well recognized that generalizations can be made about the personalities within the different areas of medicine; in a similar manner, the neurosurgical subspecialties tend to attract people with a similar mindset. Think about your colleagues – whether their practice focusses on vascular, spine, tumor or functional, each discipline is unique in terms of the operations performed, acuity of care delivered and the patient population.
Pediatric neurosurgery is the focus of the current issue of AANS Neurosurgeon; our colleagues in this field are faced with a difficult job of not only taking care of the patient but also their parents. In this regard, pediatric neurosurgeons must be compassionate and patient. Several our colleagues detail challenges they face daily, offering some pearls of wisdom they have learned. Each of the pediatric neurosurgeons who has contributed to this issue stresses the emotional strength required by physicians who are treating children, and by extension, their parents, with these devastating diseases. (Building Trust, Creating Open Communication with Guardians of Tiny Humans, Compassion and Connection: The Gifts of a Pediatric Neurosurgeon, Peds: The Good is Great; What About the Bad and the Ugly?)
While I have never been keen on history, I have always been fascinated by the history of neurological surgery for many reasons. At the very least, it is critical to understand history to advance forward; understanding the mistakes of the past allows us to avoid the mistake of repeating history. Thus, regarding spine surgery, the evolution of operations, instruments and theories have brought us to the present-day practice of spinal neurosurgery. The surgical innovations have always been informed by crucial analysis of our patients, operations and patient outcomes. As Dr. Dagi eloquently writes, “Neurosurgical history is an extraordinarily useful tool for research, writing, teaching, clinical care, medical systems development and innovation. It helps understand what matters and why, what we have tried, what has succeeded, and often, what we might want to pursue in the future. Most importantly, it provides context for what we do and offers a framework for moral purpose.” (Why the History of Neurosurgery?)
