History of Stereotactic Neurosurgery in the Nordic Countries

Abstract

In the sixth volume of the classical and comprehensive textbook of neurosurgery by Olivecrona and Tönnis (1957), Lars Leksell contributed a chapter on ``Targeted Brain Operations'' (Gezielte Hirnoperationen). In the introduction he refers to the development of his stereotactic instrument -- he always preferred to describe his stereotactic frame as a surgical instrument -- that followed the pioneering work by Spiegel and Wycis in 1947--1948. The first presentation of Leksell's sterotactic apparatus dates from 1949 and already in the early 1950s he had gained experience in targeted lesional surgery using electrical current and different types of X-ray beams -- radiosurgery. There is no doubt that this makes Leksell, together with a few others, one of the founders of stereotactic surgery. It should also be noted that the principal mode of function and general features of his original instrument have survived in the modern version that is still one of the most commonly used stereotactic systems in the world. That is why the advancement of stereotactic neurosurgery in the Nordic countries is so intimately associated with the name of Lars Leksell and his contributions.