Concept and treatment of hydrocephalus in the Greco-Roman and early Arabic medicine

• Published in: Minimally invasive neurosurgery Vol. 50; no. 5; p. 253
• Main Authors: Grunert, P, Charalampaki, P, Ayyad, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.10.2007
• Subjects: Arab World - history; Greek World - history; History, 15th Century; History, Ancient; History, Medieval; Humans; Hydrocephalus - history; Hydrocephalus - physiopathology; Hydrocephalus - surgery; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Intracranial Hemorrhage, Traumatic - history; Intracranial Hemorrhage, Traumatic - physiopathology; Intracranial Hemorrhage, Traumatic - surgery; Neurology - history; Neurology - methods; Neurosurgery - history; Neurosurgery - methods; Neurosurgical Procedures - history; Neurosurgical Procedures - methods; Roman World - history; Textbooks as Topic - history

In the ancient medical literature hydrocephalus was not often described although its existence and symptomatology were well known. Most detailed descriptions of hydrocephalus including the surgical treatment are extant in the encyclopaedic works on medicine of the physicians Oreibasios and Aetios fr...