Transcript Neurosurgery in Syria - Neurological Surgery Research ListServ

Neurosurgery in Syria
Hani Meniawi,MD
Consultant Neurosurgeon
Spine Surgeon
Vice President Syrian Society of Neurological Surgery
December 14th ,2009
Palestine
Early History
 Medicine
was quite advanced in the
golden days of the Islamic Caliphate which
was based mainly in Syria.
 Arab
physicians recognized mental
diseases, epilepsy, sciatica & neural
injuries.
Early History 2
 Even
more interesting they treated
progressive headache accompanied with
visual loss with cutting of bone at the sides
of the skull.
Perspectives in international Neurosurgery: Neurosurgery in
Syria, Neurosurgery, Vol.5,No.6, 1979 Hisham Bakdash, M.D.
Early History 3
the time of Crusades by the 11th century
Arabic doctors were particularly
knowledgeable about the management of
head injuries.
 At
 Saladin
had his own medical team, this
team treated King Richard from the
opposite camp.
Early History 4

More surgical skills were developed and focused on pain
treatment,

Branding of certain points at the course of nerve roots,
nerves and around joints was practiced

Hospitals were built for inpatient , some of them are still
in existence.
Perspectives in international Neurosurgery: Neurosurgery in Syria, Neurosurgery,
Vol.5,No.6, 1979 Hisham Bakdash, M.D.
Modern Era
 After
the first world war and the defeat of
Ottoman Empire and French occupation of
Syria, Professors of the Syrian University
which was 2-decades old, managed to
preserve the identity of the Medical
Collage by maintaining the Arabic
language in teaching and transferring the
heritage of their ancestors to the present.
Recent development of
Neurosurgery
 1969
first fully trained neurosurgeon in the
country ,Prof. Hisham Bakdash , returned
to Damascus after completing his training
at the University of California ( UCLA ) and
after obtaining the American Board of
Neurosurgery.
Recent development of
Neurosurgery

Prof. Bakdash established the department of
Neurosurgery at the College of Medicine in
Damascus University.
 Neurosurgery was placed in the curriculum for
medical undergraduates.
 Prof. Bakdash wrote a textbook of neurosurgery,
in Arabic language 1975.
 1972 a 4 years postgraduate training in surgery
was initiated and included 6 months rotation in
Neurosurgery.
Ministry of health ( MOH )

Dr. Hasan Katramiz returned to Syria 1982 from
west Germany after specialization in
neurosurgery , he was chief neurosurgeon in the
main teaching hospital in Damascus.

He established a residency-training programme
for trainees from remote areas of the country
and made the basic services of neurosurgery
available all over the country.
Ministry of health ( MOH ) 2
 All
neurosurgeons who do not have
American, Canadian or western
qualification must have interview and
written exam before having permission to
practice in Syria.
Other contributors
 The
first generation of neurosurgeons
contributed to develop Neurosurgery in
other facilities and cities includes among
others Dr. Farouk Nahhas, Dr. Fawwaz
Asaad, Dr. Marwan Zahra.
Syrian Society of Neurological
Surgery
 The
first society was elected on January
14th, 1994 and was for was for all doctors
working in neuroscience, the society was
member of the WFNS.
 2003
The neurosurgeon established their
own society with around 120 practicing
neurosurgeons.
Scientific activities
 The
society holds bianual scientific
meetings with monthly case presentation
in every major city for the practicing
surgeons and residents.
Services in public hospitals
 Major
hospitals are equipped with modern
surgical microscopes, navigation systems
and stereotactic facilities.
 The services of neurosurgical
consultations and treatments are free of
charge in most public hospitals, recently
some major public centers charge about
30% of the costs from the patients.
Services in private hospitals
 The
fees are regulated by health
authorities .
 All
kinds of cerebral, vascular and spinal
surgical procedures are offered for our
patients in private sector including
stereotactic and interventional vascular
procedures.