Historical Perspective on Surgery and Survival with Glioblastoma: How Far Have We Come?

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma multiforme remains a therapeutic challenge. We offer a historical review of the outcomes of patients with glioblastoma from the earliest report of surgery for this lesion through the introduction of modern chemotherapeutics and aggressive approaches to tumor resection. METHODS: We reviewed all major surgical series of patients with glioblastoma from the introduction of craniotomy for glioma (1884) to 2020. RESULTS: The earliest reported craniotomy for glioblastoma resulted in the patient's death less than a month after surgery. Improved intracranial pressure management resulted in improved outcomes, reducing early postoperative mortality from 50% to 6% in Harvey Cushing's series. In the first major surgical series (1912), the mean survival was 10.1 months. This figure did not improve until the introduction of radiotherapy in the 1950s, which doubled survival relative to those who had surgery alone. The most recent significant advance, chemotherapy with the alkylating agent temozolomide, extended survival by 2.5 months compared with surgery and radiotherapy alone (14.6 and 12.1 months, respectively). This protocol remains the standard regimen for newly diagnosed glioblastoma. The innovative treatments being investigated have yet to show a survival benefit. CONCLUSIONS: With advancements in localization, imaging, anesthesia, surgical technique, control of cerebral edema, and adjuvant therapies, outcomes in glioblastoma improved incrementally from Cushing's time until the introduction of magnetic resonance imaging enabled better degrees of resection in the 1990s. Modest improvements came with the advent of biomarker-driven targeted chemotherapy in the first decade of the current century.

Autopsy or anatomical dissection: evidence of a craniotomy in a 17th-eighteenth century burial site (Ravenna, Italy).

Surgical procedures undergone in life, autopsies and anatomical preparations can all leave clearly identifiable traces on human skeletal remains. Several studies on skeletons from archeological contexts have identified traces of these practices. However, the distinction between medical/forensic autopsy and anatomical dissections for scientific research can be challenging. We report the case of a middle-aged female skeleton from the cemetery of the church of San Biagio (Ravenna, Italy), dating back to the 17th-19th centuries, that shows signs of a complete craniotomy. In an attempt to clarify the reason for this practice, we analyzed all pathological and non-pathological markers on the skeleton. We carried out anthropological analyses and osteometric measurements to determine the biological profile and the cranial capacity of the individual. Paleopathological investigation and analyses of traumatic injury patterns were carried out using both a morphological and a microscopic approach. While we observed that the craniotomy was performed with a rip saw, we identified perimortem blunt force trauma to the frontal bone and an osteolytic lesion on the inner surface of the frontal bone. No other pathology was recognizable on the skeleton. Our differential diagnosis confidently proved that the craniotomy was due to an autoptsy procedure and was not the result of an anatomical dissection. We believe that, among other possible reasons, failed surgery could likely be the motive behind the ordering of the autopsy.

Zeus' pain: did he experience a thunderclap headache? / A dor de Zeus: fora ele acometido por uma cefaleia em trovoada?

Zeus is known as the king of the gods and god of the sky. His attributes are lightning and thunder and he is often depicted about to hurl them. According to Greek mythology, Zeus molested the titan Metis and decided to swallow her when she was pregnant, which resulted in an excruciating headache, only relieved after a craniotomy performed using Hephaestus' axe. The result of this procedure was the birth of Athena, Zeus' daughter. We conducted a combined analysis of some writings such as the classical mythological poem Theogony by Hesiod, and some other books that examine and retell myths and legends of ancient Greece, with medical papers on this topic, trying to characterize Zeus' headache. Would it be possible to fit Zeus' headache into the group of thunderclap headaches?

Zeus é conhecido como rei dos deuses e deus dos céus. Tem como atributos os raios e os trovões e é frequentemente representado prestes a lançá-los. De acordo com a mitologia grega, Zeus molestou a titã Métis e resolveu engoli-la grávida, o que resultou em uma cefaleia excruciante, apenas aliviada após uma craniotomia realizada por meio do machado de Hefesto. O fruto deste procedimento foi Atena, filha de Zeus. Realizamos uma análise combinada utilizando escritos mitológicos clássicos como o poema Teogonia de Hesíodo, além de outros livros sobre mitologia e artigos médicos que tratam deste tema, para tentar caracterizar a cefaleia de Zeus. Seria possível enquadrar a cefaleia de Zeus no grupo das cefaleias em trovoada?

Ambroise Paré: His Contribution to the Future Advancement of Neurosurgery and the Hardships of His Times Affecting His Life and Brilliant Career.

Ambroise Paré was celebrated surgeon of the 16th century whose practical accomplishments, books, and ideas transformed surgery and was a precursor for the later development of neurosurgery. He developed many surgical innovations related to wound management, arterial ligation for the prevention of hemorrhage during limb amputations, and the treatment of war-related head and spine injuries. He maintained that a surgeon should operate gently to reduce pain and improve outcome, and he dedicated his career to the wounded, sick, and poor. He also served 4 consecutive French monarchs-Henri II and his 3 sons François II, Charles IX, and Henri III. As a Huguenot (a Reformed Protestant) by faith, he lived in an environment dominated by Catholicism. Hence, his practice and life were sometimes hindered by political circumstances and religious prejudice. In this historical vignette, we will discuss the professional accomplishments of Ambroise Paré that influenced the future development of neurosurgery, including his descriptions of phantom-limb pain and peripheral nerve injury, his innovations in neurotraumatology, and the saws he invented for use in skull surgery. We will also highlight Paré's broad neurosurgical contributions to the field. Finally, we will discuss his personal life during the difficult and dangerous political circumstances of 16th century France.

Francesco Durante and the First Intracranial Tumor Successfully Operated on with Long Survival (1884).

Francesco Durante was born in Sicily, precisely Letojanni Gallodoro. He contributed to the history of neurosurgery in not only Italy but the whole world. In June 1884, he removed a left frontal meningioma, describing a personal technique of craniotomy with a discontinuous osteotangential section flap. It was the first such operation to be performed in any country after which the patient had a long survival. The important and pioneering contribution made by Durante to the history of neurosurgery is testified by his Treaty on Pathology and Surgical Therapy. Durante's procedure for craniotomy remained the best for several years. His contributions are still valid in medicine today, within not only the neurosurgical community but also other surgical disciplines, because he also developed innovative practices in the fields of oncology, general surgery, and orthopedics in addition to designing special surgical instruments.

Harvey Cushing's Influence on Norman Dott's Work on Acromegaly: Pituitary Research, Treatment Modalities, and Research Dissemination c.1900-c.1960.

OBJECTIVE: To review Dr. Harvey Cushing's influence on Mr. Norman Dott's work on acromegaly and other subjects surrounding the pituitary gland such as pituitary research, treatment modalities, and research dissemination. Dott was the first Professor of Neurosurgery in Scotland during 1947 and was considered a pioneer of the understanding and treatment modalities for pituitary disorders such as acromegaly. During 1923, he published an article regarding pituitary physiology that won him the award for the Rockefeller Fellowship Trust, to travel to Boston Massachusetts, giving him the opportunity to train under Cushing's supervision for the years of 1923-1924. However, similarities can be seen between Dott's physiology project that was completed before he ever met Cushing, as well as his treatment suggestions for acromegaly, after he had finished his training under Cushing's supervision. METHODS: This was a historical perspective based on literature review. We reviewed Norman Dott's archives held by University of Edinburgh Library or online sources and we compared these with the work Cushing had previously performed in a chronological fashion. Cushing's work on the pituitary gland and acromegaly can be largely found online, in biographical books, and in other secondary sources. The search included words such as "transsphenoidal surgery," "x-ray," "Harvey Cushing," "Norman Dott," "Acromegaly," "Annual Meetings," and "Pituitary physiology." We excluded any primary sources that were not published between 1900 and 1960 regarding either pituitary physiology or the treatments for acromegaly. CONCLUSIONS: Sir Norman Dott was the first Professor of Neurosurgery in Scotland during 1947 and is well known for his pioneering work on intracranial aneurysms. Although less well known for his contribution to pituitary pathologies, we would like to share his contribution in this regard and correlate it with Cushing's influence.

The fault in his seeds: Lost notes to the case of bias in Samuel George Morton's cranial race science.

The discovery of nearly 180-year-old cranial measurements in the archives of 19th century American physician and naturalist Samuel George Morton can address a lingering debate, begun in the late 20th century by paleontologist and historian of science Stephen Jay Gould, about the unconscious bias alleged in Morton's comparative data of brain size in human racial groups. Analysis of Morton's lost data and the records of his studies does not support Gould's arguments about Morton's biased data collection. However, historical contextualization of Morton with his scientific peers, especially German anatomist Friedrich Tiedemann, suggests that, while Morton's data may have been unbiased, his cranial race science was not. Tiedemann and Morton independently produced similar data about human brain size in different racial groups but analyzed and interpreted their nearly equivalent results in dramatically different ways: Tiedemann using them to argue for equality and the abolition of slavery, and Morton using them to entrench racial divisions and hierarchy. These differences draw attention to the epistemic limitations of data and the pervasive role of bias within the broader historical, social, and cultural context of science.

Analyzing of dark past and bright present of neurosurgical history with a picture of musicians.

AIM: Currently, neurosurgery has gone through moments of great renewal, however, in the first half of the 20th century, unwanted outcome after surgical approach had occurred. The aim of this historical overview of a picture of the musicians is to show the development of Neurosurgery in 20 century. METHODS: History of neurosurgery in the first half of the 20th century and the current was investigated through PubMed. A brief tour of some of the major landmarks of contemporary neurosurgery was also made. RESULTS: A musician picture was found which taken in 1928. Two of the musicians suffered neurosurgical disorder, and operated in 1937, both immediately died without gaining conscious at early postoperative period. CONCLUSION: We described the role of neurosurgery in the lives of two famous musicians, George Gershwin and Maurice Ravel. A picture taken 1928, shows the developing of Neurosurgery from first half of 20th century to current.

Collin S. MacCarty (1915-2003): Inventor of the "MacCarty Keyhole" as the Starting Burr Hole for Orbitozygomatic Craniotomy.

INTRODUCTION: Dr. Collin S. MacCarty (1915-2003) invented the MacCarty keyhole, which is now widely used as the starting burr hole for orbitozygomatic craniotomy. We present a historical vignette on MacCarty's life and chronicle his contributions to neurosurgery. METHODS: A detailed search for articles relating to the biography and professional career of Dr. MacCarty was conducted on PubMed and Google Scholar by using the key words "Collin MacCarty" and "MacCarty keyhole." References found in those articles were also reviewed. RESULTS: On September 20, 1915, Collin MacCarty was born in Rochester, Minnesota. MacCarty was exposed to the medical field at an early age. He witnessed legendary surgeons like Alfred Adson perform brain and spine operations. Expectedly, MacCarty pursued a career in neurosurgery. He was influenced by Walter Dandy as a house office at Johns Hopkins and completed his neurosurgical training at the Mayo Clinic under Adson. In a distinguished career in neurosurgery at the Mayo Clinic, MacCarty served many important roles, including Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery from 1963 to 1975 and President of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. He was world-renowned for his vast experience with meningiomas. In 1961, MacCarty described a burr hole to expose the periorbita and frontal dura while approaching intraorbital meningiomas. This burr hole became immortalized as the "MacCarty keyhole" and is used widely today in frontotemporal orbitozygomatic approaches. CONCLUSIONS: Collin S. MacCarty was an influential neurosurgeon. Among a multitude of contributions, he is most well-known for inventing the "MacCarty keyhole" which is widely implemented nowadays as the starting point for orbitozygomatic approaches.

First Report of Awake Craniotomy of a Famous Musician: Suprasellar Tumor Surgery of Pianist Clara Haskil in 1942.

Clara Haskil (January 7, 1895-December 7, 1960) was one of the most famous female pianists of the 20th century. In her life and work she set new standards in piano playing. However, her career was beset by poor health and the adversities of two world wars. In her lifetime Haskil had three major disorders: juvenile scoliosis requiring treatment in her adolescence, a tumor of the sellar region requiring surgery at age 47 years, and a traumatic brain injury causing her death at the age of 65. Her medical history illustrates the development of surgical methods and rehabilitation in medicine before and after World War II. At an early age, she spent a year in a nursing home for orthopedic diseases due to scoliosis. In 1942, when she was 47 years old, she displayed the first symptoms of a suprasellar brain tumor: headache and hemianopsia. The famous surgeon Marcel David performed surgery on her without general anesthesia while Haskil mentally played a Mozart piano concerto as a neuronal representation to control her memory and mental abilities. Only 3 months after that operation she played a Mozart piano concerto at a concert that began her career as a great interpreter of Mozart. Her neurologic rehabilitation was remarkable and highlighted new methods in the field. In 1960, she traveled to Brussels for a concert. In the train station she stumbled on the stairs and hit her head on one of the steps. Skull fracture and intracranial hematoma were diagnosed. Doctors tried to operate on her but she lost consciousness and died. Haskil created new styles in piano playing, and her medical history offers indications of new concepts in neurosurgery.

The Unforgettable Neurosurgical Operations of Musicians in the Last Century.

BACKGROUND: There has been no study of craniotomies of famous musicians throughout history. This subject was investigated. METHODS: The key search words were "neurosurgery and music" and the names of composers. We used digital catalogs such as PubMed as well as university libraries. RESULTS: We found 4 musicians from the twentieth century with different neurosurgical diseases: Maurice Ravel, George Gershwin, Clara Haskil, and Pat Martino. CONCLUSIONS: Neurosurgical operations affected the musical careers and lives of mentioned musicians and two of them died. Neurosurgeons can understand the effect of limited diagnostic tools such as magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography at the time on the poor outcome of 2 musicians.

Trepanation in Ancient China.

Trepanation, the process of making a burr hole in the skull to access the brain, is an ancient form of a primitive craniotomy. There is widespread evidence of contributions made to this practice by ancient civilizations in Europe, Africa, and South America, where archaeologists have unearthed thousands of trepanned skulls dating back to the Neolithic period. Little is known about trepanation in China, and it is commonly believed that the Chinese used only traditional Chinese medicine and nonsurgical methods for treating brain injuries. However, a thorough analysis of the available archeological and literary evidence reveals that trepanation was widely practiced throughout China thousands of years ago. A significant number of trepanned Chinese skulls have been unearthed showing signs of healing and suggesting that patients survived after surgery. Trepanation was likely performed for therapeutic and spiritual reasons. Medical and historical works from Chinese literature contain descriptions of primitive neurosurgical procedures, including stories of surgeons, such as the legendary Hua Tuo, and surgical techniques used for the treatment of brain pathologies. The lack of translation of Chinese reports into the English language and the lack of publications on this topic in the English language may have contributed to the misconception that ancient China was devoid of trepanation. This article summarizes the available evidence attesting to the performance of successful primitive cranial surgery in ancient China.

From Mystics to Modern Times: A History of Craniotomy & Religion.

Neurosurgical treatment of diseases dates back to prehistoric times and the trephination of skulls for various maladies. Throughout the evolution of trephination, surgery and religion have been intertwined to varying degrees, a relationship that has caused both stagnation and progress. From its mystical origins in prehistoric times to its scientific progress in ancient Egypt and its resurgence as a well-validated surgical technique in modern times, trephination has been a reflection of the cultural and religious times. Herein we present a brief history of trephination as it relates religion, culture, and the evolution of neurosurgery.

[History of the craniotomy]. / Historia de la craneotomía.

Craniotomy can be defined as the neurosurgical procedure aimed at achieving a wide cranial opening with the final purpose of performing a surgical therapeutic manoeuvre within the intracranial space. The current surgical technique for craniotomy is the final result of the development of the procedure since its introduction at the end of the 19th century. The very first wide cranial approach was introduced in 1889 by Wagner, and described as a 'temporary cranial resection'. This procedure could be named today as 'osteoplastic craniotomy with pedicle bone flap'. The final result of the procedural development of the craniotomy is the 'osteoplastic craniotomy with free bone flap', used widely around the world. In this paper, we review the historic evolution of craniotomy from a technical perspective.

[Evolution of surgical approaches to the anterior and middle cranial fossa: from extended craniotomy to the supraorbital keyhole approach]. / Évoliutsiia khirurgicheskikh dostupov k perednei i srednei cherepnym iamkam: ot rasshirennoi kraniotomii k supraorbital'nomu keyhole-dostupu.

At early history of neurosurgery, the use of extended craniotomy was dictated by poor illumination, inadequate visualization, and the lack of accurate diagnosis. The technological progress development and the emergence of highly informative neuroimaging, microscopy, and neuroendoscopy minimized neurosurgical approaches and, accordingly, approach-associated complications. At present, the fundamental philosophy of minimally invasive surgery is of particular topicality because this surgery contributes to rapid recovery of patients and reduces the period of hospital treatment. The aim of the article is to provide a brief historical overview of the evolution of surgical approaches to the skull base, ranging from extended craniotomy to minimally invasive interventions.

An Account of the Inaugural Tessier Skull Exhibition at the University of Paris Descartes.

Paul Tessier is widely regarded as the father of modern craniofacial surgery. Upon his passing in 2008, his private collection of human skulls was purchased by the French Association of Facial Surgeons to ensure the collection would remain in France. The first public exhibition of the skulls was held in the medical museum of the University of Paris Descartes in April 2014. From this collection of skulls and the imagination of Tessier an entirely new specialty was created. Modern craniofacial surgery, now is an integral part of any pediatric plastic surgery department. Cranial and facial osteotomies have also become commonplace in both traumatic and aesthetic surgery. The goals for craniofacial deformity are now a return to completely normal appearance and function, as Tessier always believed they should be.

From Pergamon to Army Base Hospital No. 5: the history and significance of the galea aponeurotica in the evolution of neurosurgery.

The authors trace the etymology and historical significance of galea or epicranial aponeurosis. In ancient Greece, galea referred to a helmet worn by soldiers, typically made of animal hide or leather. Throughout antiquity, physicians referred to all soft tissue between the skin and the skull as panniculus, a standard established by Galen of Pergamon. A manual of surgery in the Middle Ages referred to the entire scalp as a "great panicle that is called pericranium." During the early Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci famously and stylistically analogized the dissection of the cranium with the peeling of an onion. Not until 1724 would the tendinous sheath connecting the frontalis and occipitalis muscles be defined as "Galea tendinosa cranii." By 1741, the convention of referring to the galea as an aponeurosis was well established. Harvey Cushing's wartime experiences at Army Base Hospital No. 5 reinforced the surgical significance of the galea. Operative mortality was significantly diminished due to "closure of the wounds with buried sutures in the galea." This operative nuance was then passed from teacher to pupil and has now become one of the tenets of modern neurosurgical practice.

The history of neurosurgery and its relation to the development and refinement of the frontotemporal craniotomy.

The history of neurosurgery is filled with descriptions of brave surgeons performing surgery against great odds in an attempt to improve outcomes in their patients. In the distant past, most neurosurgical procedures were limited to trephination, and this was sometimes performed for unclear reasons. Beginning in the Renaissance and accelerating through the middle and late 19th century, a greater understanding of cerebral localization, antisepsis, anesthesia, and hemostasis led to an era of great expansion in neurosurgical approaches and techniques. During this process, frontotemporal approaches were also developed and refined over time. Progress often depended on the technical advances of scientists coupled with the innovative ideas and courage of pioneering surgeons. A better understanding of this history provides insight into where we originated as a specialty and in what directions we may go in the future. This review considers the historical events enabling the development of neurosurgery as a specialty, and how this relates to the development of frontotemporal approaches.

Craniotomy for anterior cranial fossa meningiomas: historical overview.

The surgical treatment of meningiomas located at the base of the anterior cranial fossa is often challenging, and the evolution of the surgical strategy to resect these tumors parallels the development of craniotomy, and neurosurgery in general, over the past century. Early successful operations to treat these tumors were pioneered by prominent figures such as Sir William Macewen and Francesco Durante. Following these early reports, Harvey Cushing made significant contributions, allowing a better understanding and treatment of meningiomas in general, but particularly those involving the anterior cranial base. Initially, large-sized unilateral or bilateral craniotomies were necessary to approach these deep-seated lesions. Technical advances such as the introduction of electrosurgery, the operating microscope, and refined microsurgical instruments allowed neurosurgeons to perform less invasive surgical procedures with better results. Today, a wide variety of surgical strategies, including endoscopic surgery and radiosurgery, are used to treat these tumors. In this review, the authors trace the evolution of craniotomy for anterior cranial fossa meningiomas.

Odilon Marc Lannelongue (1840-1911) and strip craniectomy for craniosynostosis.

In the 19th century, Dr. Odilon Marc Lannelongue was a pioneering French surgeon who introduced a surgical technique for the treatment of craniosynostosis. In 1890, Dr. Lannelongue performed correction of sagittal synostosis by strip craniectomy. From his procedure, multiple techniques have been developed and endorsed for this condition, ranging from simple suturectomies to extensive calvarial vault remodeling. In addition, even today, endoscopically aided strip craniectomy is performed as a surgical treatment of craniosynostosis. This article describes the life and works of the surgeon who revolutionized the management of craniosynostosis.