Someone posted on Youtube footage from a craniotomy in 1932. From the British Medical Association Library, the video shows a “Prefrontal Tuberculoma: Removal with complete recovery by Prof. R. E. Kelly and Dr. Henry Cohen.”
The film is full of historical gems:
- A diagnositic pneumoencephalogram which demonstrates compression of the right lateral ventricle with midline shift.
- A hand-powered Souter’s craniotome. Even after watching it several times, I cannot completely understand how it worked.
- Manual dissection and excision of the tumor.
- Tumor histology with silver stains
- Post-operative follow-up evaluation of the patient. Although the patient had a significant hemiparesis, he looked remarkably good.
It really is incredible. Advance upon advance has dramatically changed the way modern neurosurgery is performed. Yet, there is an eerie similarity in the video as well. Maybe it’s because, like what Sir Isaac Newton said, if we see a little further, it is by standing on the shoulders of these giants.
(H/T Mindhacks)
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