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Museum Guide - Quick Reference

Aneurysm and Microneurosurgery
An aneurysm is a localized, pathological, blood-filled dilatation of a blood vessel caused by a disease or weakening of the vessel's wall. Microneurosurgery is surgery on minute body structures or cells performed with the aid of a microscope and other specialized instruments. Before the advent of using surgical microscopes to perform brain surgery in the late 1950s, little could be done for a patient presenting with a brain aneurysm and many forms of brain tumor.

This exhibit, the brochure from the 1995 AANS Archives Exhibit in Orlando, Florida, features leaders in the development of microneurosurgery.


Archives Hall
Interest in medical history is strong in the neurosurgical community. This is witnessed in the many historical articles neurosurgeons have published in their premiere journals. The Archives Hall contains a bibliography of these historical articles. Future exhibits in Archives Hall will document the development of these journals.
Art Gallery
Neurosurgery requires fine motor skills. Many art forms require the same type of fine motor skills. This collection of galleries features these skills and preserves images of items of value to the development of neurosurgery.
Cushing Tumor Registry
Harvey Williams Cushing (1869-1939) -- American neurosurgeon noted for his study of the brain and the pituitary gland. This exhibit is the brochure provided at the 1996 AANS Archives Exhibit in Minneapolis. In it, Dr. Wahl documents an important facet of Dr. Cushing's work. In the future, this exhibit will be augmented by a video-taped walking tour narrated by Dr. Wahl of the materials exhibited in 1996.
History of Organized Neurosurgery
The first neurosurgical organization, The Society of Neurological Surgeons, was founded in 1919 by Harvey Cushing. Since that time, four additional national neurosurgical organizations have formed. This exhibit highlights articles about their formation. A future exhibit for this site includes an article about the history of FIENS, the Foundation for International Education in Neurological Surgery.
Leaders in Neuroscience
Due to the fact that neurosurgery is essentially a 20th century phenomenon, we have been fortunate that many of the inventors and procedure pioneers are available to interview. Leaders in Neuroscience is a unique video-taped oral history program featuring many of the individuals who were the inventors and pioneers and those who worked with and trained with leading neuroscientists from earlier this century. This exhibit is a compilation of the abstracts from each of the video-interviews. The videotapes are available for sale in the Gift Shop.
Portrait Hall
This gallery of photographs honors the Presidents of The American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. In the future, photographs of other eminent neuroscientists and short biographies will be added.
Pre-20th Century Neuroscience
This exhibit features a few of the interesting avenues taken by neuroscience prior to the 20th century - in Egypt, Peru, Europe, and North America. Future additions to this exhibit will include an article on Native North American trephination and a walking tour of the 1993 Archives Exhibit narrated by Dr. Roy Selby.
Stereotactic Neurosurgery
A method in neurosurgery and neurological research for locating points within the brain using an external, three-dimensional frame of reference usually based on the Cartesian coordinate system. These exhibits contain an account of the development of Stereotactic Neurosurgery and a collection of photographs taken at the 1992 AANS Archives Exhibit entitled The History of Stereotactic Neurosurgery which was held in San Francisco, California.

Pre-20th Century · Aneurysm and Micro-Neurosurgery · History of Organized Neurosurgery
Stereotactic Neurosurgery · The Cushing Tumor Registry · Portrait Hall · Leaders in Neuroscience
Archives Hall · Art Gallery · Donation Office · Featured Exhibit

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