- Email: [email protected]
Neurosurgeon of the Year
COLLEGIAL COMMENTARIES
Yong-Gu Chung, M.D., Ph.D. President-Elect of Korean Neurosurgical Society, Korea University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
I
met Professor Liangfu Zhou for the first time during an endoscopic symposium in Germany during February of 1998. At that time, it was very rare to meet Chinese neurosurgeons in an international meeting seemingly because of the political and economic situation in their country. At first glance, he seemed like a young neurosurgeon who was eager to learn new things in the field of neurosurgery. Afterward, we had so many conversations not only regarding the academic field of neurosurgery but also cultural understandings. I really appreciate the wonderful job he has done to start and continue communication with neurosurgeons in other Asian countries, including Korea. I respect him for his contribution to growing the field of the neurosurgery in China during the modernization period in 1990s. His hard work and achievements earned him academic scholarships during the 2000s. We must applaud his accomplishments not only in the development of neurosurgery in China but also in bridging relationships between neurosurgeons in China and other countries. He is the sort of man who really likes to ride his bicycle to the hospital and enjoys sipping Chinese tea every day. He respects the Chinese culture of ancestor worship and a strong family tradition. Everybody believes that the Department of Neurosurgery at Huashan hospital has played a vital role in the development of neurosurgery in China under Professor Zhou during the last two decades, and when I look at their clinical activities, person power, and investment, I firmly expect that they are going to be one of the hubs of neurosurgery in the world. Congratulations to Professor Zhou!
1878-8750/$ - see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2011.11.029
Takanori Fukushima, M.D. Carolina Neuroscience Institute, RaleighDurham, North Carolina, USA
I
have known Professor Liangfu Zhou for the past 10 years.
Professor Zhou is one of the top experts in microneurosurgery in China. He is a well known pioneer of cranial base surgery. I have been collaborating with him on his annual skull base dissection courses in Shanghai. Professor Zhou became Professor and Chairman at the Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai, in 1984. Professor Zhou specializes in cerebrovascular surgery, skull base surgery and minimally invasive neurosurgery. He has taken many honorable positions in the Chinese medical societies and international neurosurgery societies. He is a member Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He has received a number of awards and much recognition. There are 102 faculty members in his department, and
WORLD NEUROSURGERY 77 [2]: 226-232, FEBRUARY 2012
they perform nearly 10,000 operations a year with 19 residents. At Huashan Hospital in 2010, there were 288 cases of aneurysm clipping, 1124 meningioma resections, and 271 acoustic neuroma operations. Professor Zhou is a strong leader of neurosurgery in Shanghai and works very hard both during the week and on weekends. He is a man of science and an excellent clinician. I admire his talent and enthusiasm in pursuing progress in microneurosurgery and clinical education.
1878-8750/$ - see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2012.01.042
Juha Hernesniemi, M.D., Ph.D. Professor and Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
A
fter the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the development of neurosurgery started in Shanghai and Beijing. A frontal lobe glioma was removed successfully for the first time in 1950 in the Chung-Shan Hospital in China. A few years later, in 1953, the neurosurgical department of the Chung-Shan Hospital moved to the First Red Cross Hospital, which was the predecessor of Huashan Hospital. Similarly, our own Töölö Hospital in Helsinki was originally the First Red Cross hospital in Finland. Since 1950s, the Department of Neurosurgery in the Shanghai Huashan Hospital has grown to become one of the continent’s leading and busiest neurosurgical units. In addition to high-level clinical competence, the Department of Neurosurgery at the Huashan Hospital has shown commitment to basic and clinical research, which is a prerequisite for constant progress and development. In 2010, the number of neurosurgeons in the Department of Neurosurgery at Huashan Hospital was 102, and there were 600 beds for neurosurgery. Surgeons in the department treat nearly 15,000 patients a year (14,717 patients in 2010; 9,932 of whom underwent surgery). These operations included approximately 1100 meningiomas, 1000 pituitary tumors, 300 aneurysm clippings, and 180 bypass procedures per year. These numbers are more than impressive. After my return from the first and very memorable visit to Huashan in 2007, my colleagues and fellows in Helsinki were frightened for a week or two by the astonishment on my face. After I broke the silence, they had difficulties in believing what I had been witnessing in the modern operation rooms in Huashan Hospital. At this point, I finally realized that most of the western neurosurgeons are not aware of the eastern art of neurosurgery. This is the reason why many western high-level neurosurgeons are far behind the level of skillful neurosurgeons in Eastern Asia. Luckily, I have had the opportunity to become good friends with Professor Liangfu Zhou, and our established collaboration offers remarkable possibilities to me, to my “young and hungry” neurosurgeons, and hopefully to the professor himself. Much of the success of the Huashan Hospital can be attributed to Professor Liangfu Zhou, whose understanding of the impor-
www.WORLDNEUROSURGERY.org
227
Yong-Gu Chung, M.D., Ph.D. President-Elect of Korean Neurosurgical Society, Korea University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
I
met Professor Liangfu Zhou for the first time during an endoscopic symposium in Germany during February of 1998. At that time, it was very rare to meet Chinese neurosurgeons in an international meeting seemingly because of the political and economic situation in their country. At first glance, he seemed like a young neurosurgeon who was eager to learn new things in the field of neurosurgery. Afterward, we had so many conversations not only regarding the academic field of neurosurgery but also cultural understandings. I really appreciate the wonderful job he has done to start and continue communication with neurosurgeons in other Asian countries, including Korea. I respect him for his contribution to growing the field of the neurosurgery in China during the modernization period in 1990s. His hard work and achievements earned him academic scholarships during the 2000s. We must applaud his accomplishments not only in the development of neurosurgery in China but also in bridging relationships between neurosurgeons in China and other countries. He is the sort of man who really likes to ride his bicycle to the hospital and enjoys sipping Chinese tea every day. He respects the Chinese culture of ancestor worship and a strong family tradition. Everybody believes that the Department of Neurosurgery at Huashan hospital has played a vital role in the development of neurosurgery in China under Professor Zhou during the last two decades, and when I look at their clinical activities, person power, and investment, I firmly expect that they are going to be one of the hubs of neurosurgery in the world. Congratulations to Professor Zhou!
1878-8750/$ - see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2011.11.029
Takanori Fukushima, M.D. Carolina Neuroscience Institute, RaleighDurham, North Carolina, USA
I
have known Professor Liangfu Zhou for the past 10 years.
Professor Zhou is one of the top experts in microneurosurgery in China. He is a well known pioneer of cranial base surgery. I have been collaborating with him on his annual skull base dissection courses in Shanghai. Professor Zhou became Professor and Chairman at the Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai, in 1984. Professor Zhou specializes in cerebrovascular surgery, skull base surgery and minimally invasive neurosurgery. He has taken many honorable positions in the Chinese medical societies and international neurosurgery societies. He is a member Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He has received a number of awards and much recognition. There are 102 faculty members in his department, and
WORLD NEUROSURGERY 77 [2]: 226-232, FEBRUARY 2012
they perform nearly 10,000 operations a year with 19 residents. At Huashan Hospital in 2010, there were 288 cases of aneurysm clipping, 1124 meningioma resections, and 271 acoustic neuroma operations. Professor Zhou is a strong leader of neurosurgery in Shanghai and works very hard both during the week and on weekends. He is a man of science and an excellent clinician. I admire his talent and enthusiasm in pursuing progress in microneurosurgery and clinical education.
1878-8750/$ - see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2012.01.042
Juha Hernesniemi, M.D., Ph.D. Professor and Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
A
fter the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the development of neurosurgery started in Shanghai and Beijing. A frontal lobe glioma was removed successfully for the first time in 1950 in the Chung-Shan Hospital in China. A few years later, in 1953, the neurosurgical department of the Chung-Shan Hospital moved to the First Red Cross Hospital, which was the predecessor of Huashan Hospital. Similarly, our own Töölö Hospital in Helsinki was originally the First Red Cross hospital in Finland. Since 1950s, the Department of Neurosurgery in the Shanghai Huashan Hospital has grown to become one of the continent’s leading and busiest neurosurgical units. In addition to high-level clinical competence, the Department of Neurosurgery at the Huashan Hospital has shown commitment to basic and clinical research, which is a prerequisite for constant progress and development. In 2010, the number of neurosurgeons in the Department of Neurosurgery at Huashan Hospital was 102, and there were 600 beds for neurosurgery. Surgeons in the department treat nearly 15,000 patients a year (14,717 patients in 2010; 9,932 of whom underwent surgery). These operations included approximately 1100 meningiomas, 1000 pituitary tumors, 300 aneurysm clippings, and 180 bypass procedures per year. These numbers are more than impressive. After my return from the first and very memorable visit to Huashan in 2007, my colleagues and fellows in Helsinki were frightened for a week or two by the astonishment on my face. After I broke the silence, they had difficulties in believing what I had been witnessing in the modern operation rooms in Huashan Hospital. At this point, I finally realized that most of the western neurosurgeons are not aware of the eastern art of neurosurgery. This is the reason why many western high-level neurosurgeons are far behind the level of skillful neurosurgeons in Eastern Asia. Luckily, I have had the opportunity to become good friends with Professor Liangfu Zhou, and our established collaboration offers remarkable possibilities to me, to my “young and hungry” neurosurgeons, and hopefully to the professor himself. Much of the success of the Huashan Hospital can be attributed to Professor Liangfu Zhou, whose understanding of the impor-
www.WORLDNEUROSURGERY.org
227