The Historic Tales of Brain Surgery

Brain surgery is one of the oldest types of medical procedures that was ever performed. Scholars and surgeons back as far as 7000 BC practiced this medical art. This procedure was practiced all over the world before the "civilized" world ever existed.

Brain surgery begins it's historic tale in France 7000 BC. Archaeologists have found tools used specifically for brain operations dating back to this time. More fascinating, however, was the use of brain operation procedures during 2000 BC. In Peru, researchers found evidence that this medical procedure was used frequently. They even had notes to indicate success rates in patients as they were nursed to health. During this time, operations were used for things such as epilepsy, headaches, mental illness, and head injuries.

People in Africa also used the procedure as far back as 3000 BC. The word "Brain" was actually found on ancient Egyptian papyrus writings. This was the first time the word "brain" was used. Ancient Egyptians were not known for their knowledge of anatomy, but they did have great knowledge about the nervous system and brain surgery.

A few thousand years later, in 470 BC, Hippocrates wrote many texts about the brain and brain operations. As a matter of fact, those writings are still fairly accurate today. He was able to describe seizures with great accuracy and was able to classify different head fractures, contusions, and depressions. Hippocrates was a brain expert and genius of his time.

In the first century, Romans also had a star brain surgeon, Aulus Cornelius Celsus. One of the main things Celsus did that Hippocrates did not, was performing brain operations on depressed skull fractures. He was able to describe brain injury symptoms with complete accuracy and detail. His writings are astounding to the medical practitioner community.

During the Middle Ages there was a ban on the study of anatomy. Strangely, however, brain procedures still went on and were performed by clerics. The famous Leonardo Davinci was very interested in brain medical procedures and has many sketches of the human anatomy and brain.

Today it is no question how important the brain is to our body. Brain operations are done each and every day by skilled professionals. If it weren't for the founders of of this procedure so many years ago, we would not be as skilled as we are today. Historic brain research has led us to the amazing procedures we are able to perform today.