The Turkish Neurosurgical Society
Founded in 1985, the Turkish Neurosurgical Society (TNS) is a scientific and educational association with over 1,300 members worldwide. The main objects of the Society are the study and advancement of the art and science of neurosurgery and research into the cause, prevention and cure of disease in human beings in the field of neurosurgery. By promoting the advancement and dissemination of neurosurgery through the publication of the theory and application of neurosurgery, the exchange of knowledge, and both cooperation between the members and with related academic societies in Turkey and worldwide, TNS gained strong leadership and high professionalism.
TNS is one of the best-organized national societies in Turkey, and held 24 national congresses, as well as many symposia, courses and hands-on workshops annually. TNS held not only annual scientific meetings, but also held many international congresses successfully, such as 6th Black Sea Neurosurgical Congress and 1st Middle East Neurosurgical Symposia.
To implement, improve and promote the standards of neurosurgical care and training, Turkish Neurosurgery Society created many sections for different subspecialties as follows;
Spine and Peripheral Nerve Surgery Section, Pediatric Neurosurgery Section, Neuro-oncologic Surgery Section (incl. Skull base Surgery Section), Neurotrauma and Intensive Care Section
Neurovascular Surgery Section, Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery Section (incl. Pain and Epilepsy surgery), Surgical Neuro-anatomy Section.
Much of the important work of the TNS has been the job of its different committees. Currently, there are 24 active TNS committees.
History of Neurosurgery in Turkey
As the land of Turkey (Asia Minor) which lies like a "bridge" between Europe and Asia hosted many significant civilizations since prehistoric times such as Hittite, Urartian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman, it is understandable that this territory also preserves treasures of medical history. These civilizations, which determined the world history for thousands of years left marks that are very important for the history of neuroscience. During a visit to Turkey, it is possible to trace back these civilizations and become a part of this history.
Besides of tens of craniectomy samples excavated in archeological researches in Turkey, the first sample of osteoplastic craniotomy which belongs to Urartians (8th century BC) in Neolithic period, possibly performed to evacuate epidural hematoma is also particularly important in history of neurosurgery (Figure 1). It is still possible to explore the site of Trojan War and imagine scenes from the war as told by Homer in Iliad, the oldest extant work of literature, in which the cases of neurotrauma described in detail.
Despite their undeniable value in the history of medicine and neuroscience, the fact that Herophilus, the father of the anatomy, the first to systematically perform scientific dissections of human cadavers was born in Chalcedon, Istanbul (3rd cent. BC); Asclepiades (124-70 BC) who was a pioneer in the humane treatment of patients with
mental disorders and first to describe the technique of tracheotomy was from Bursa (Prusa, Bithynia); Rufus (AD 2nd cent.) who described that the nerves originates from the brain and some associated with movement where others with senses, was from Ephesus, Izmir is probably known by only a few people. Theophrastos of Ephesus (370-280 BC), Dioscorides of Anazarbus (AD 40-90), Aretaeus of Cappadocia (AD 81-138), Soranus of Ephesus (AD 81-138) and many others can be added to these names.
May Galen (AD 131-201), about whom there are many researches today and is accepted as the most outstanding physician after Hippocrates be also from the land of Turkey? If we tell you that his real name is Galen of Pergamum (Izmir) than this historical profile who did detailed researches on brain, cranial nerves and spinal cord and named many structures, will mean a lot more to you and you will be further enlightened about history of both medicine and neurosurgery by visiting his homeland.
In the period of Byzantine Empire which dominated in Istanbul more than one thousand years, Oribasius of Constantinople (AD 325-403), Aetius of Amida (AD 502-575): Alexander of Tralles (AD 525-605), Theophrastos of Ephesus (370-280 BC) and many others made very significant contributions to Neuroscience.
In the period of Ottoman Empire Serafeddin Sabuncuoglu (1386-1470) created historically valuable surgical atlas Cerrahiyyetül - Haniyye in which he described many of the neurosurgical procedures. This atlas is one of the first to illustrate surgical techniques in unique miniatures (Figure 2).
First modern surgical procedures could be performed in Turkey in the late 19th centuy, many years after the foundation of the first modern school of medicine in 1827, on the 14th of March by sultan Mahmud the Second.
The number and quality of surgical procedures increased and improved with the time, particularly after returning of Cemil Pasha (1866-1958) from France. Cemil Pasha was the pioneer of modern surgery in Turkey and performed the first laminectomies and craniotomies in the early years of the modern surgery age. There were many general surgeons in this era conducting interesting neurosurgical operations for brain tumors, congenital anomalies and traumas.
After the foundation of the modern Republic of Turkey, neuroscience has excelled with the work of Dr. Mazhar Osman. He sent many of the young doctors he was working with at the time abroad for education. Dr. Abdülkadir Cahit Tuner (1892-1980) was one of these young doctors. He was sent to Germany. Dr. Abdülkadir Cahit has worked for a year with Dr. Foerster, and returned to Turkey. He started to work in Zeynep Kamil Hospital. He has renovated the operating room left from Cemil Pasha, and started to perform neurosurgical operations for spinal meningioma and fibroma, Gasser ganglion injections for trigeminal neuralgia and trepanations for brain tumors.
The 1930's were a new period in which many neurosurgeons started to work in Turkey. Dr. Hami Dilek, Dr. Cemil Serif Baydur, Dr. Cafer Tayyar Kankat were among the important neurosurgeons of this period. Dr. Dilek started to work as a neurosurgeon in the mid 1930's and established the department of neurosurgery in different hospitals.
One of the interesting aspects of early age neurosurgery was the foundation of the first Turkish neurosurgical journal. Dr.Cafer Tayyar Kankat published a periodical called "Modern Cerrahi ve Nörosirürji Mecmuas " / "Journal of Modern Surgery and Neurosurgery" between 1936 and 1948, which was one of the first neurosurgery journals in the world.
