Neurosurgery
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Biography Historical Article
Francesco Durante: the history of intracranial meningiomas and beyond.
FRANCESCO DURANTE FROM Letojanni, Sicily, was the first surgeon in the history of neurosurgery to successfully remove a cranial base meningioma. Durante was Chairman of Clinical Surgery at the Royal University of Rome (now University "La Sapienza") for 45 years, participating in the birth of the "Policlinic Umberto I," and was one of the most famous surgeons in the country. ⋯ His contributions are still applicable to medicine today, not only to the neurosurgical community, but also other surgical disciplines, because he developed innovative practices in the fields of oncology, general surgery, and orthopedics in addition to designing special surgical instruments. In commemoration of his legacy, the International Francesco Durante Award is bestowed upon world-renowned surgeons.
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The vulnerability of the brain is considered to be increased after trauma. The present study was undertaken to determine whether intracranial volume insults in the posttraumatic period led to increased metabolic disturbances if intracranial compliance was decreased. ⋯ These results support the hypothesis that decreased intracranial compliance increases the vulnerability of the brain for secondary volume insults even with intracranial pressure at low levels between the insults. This finding has important clinical implications in that it stresses the need to identify patients with low intracranial compliance so that their treatment can be optimized.
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Biography Historical Article
Ulysses and the Sirens by Herbert James Draper (1863-1920).