Training, Manpower, and Research

Abstract

In 1952 Sugar opined (24),“…one of the most important things is that one’s results improve with experience….It is clear to me that the more aneurysms one treats, the better one gets at it. Perhaps it is because one learns on which to operate and which to leave alone.” Eighteen years later Hamby concluded (12), “I can think of little justification now for operating upon an intracranial aneurysm in a community hospital which provides a nurse or other routine anesthetist, inadequate assistance, and personnel inexperienced in postoperative management.” In cardiac surgery there always has been emphasis on the team approach with nurse and technician specialists, sufficient case load, experience, training, equipment, and back-up personnel (23). Several neurosurgeons have noted that similar referral patterns, specialization, and team approach (whether private or academic practice) should be used for intracranial aneurysm surgery (3,7,10–12,15,19,24–26).