[Neurosurgery in Rome: 1880-1970].

Among many factors contributing to the birth of Neurosurgery, the "awareness of feasibility" of neurosurgical procedures is especially significant. June 1st, 1885 is the arbitrary birthdate of Neurosurgery in Rome: Francesco Durante, Professor of Surgery at the Royal University, successfully resects an olfactory groove meningioma, arising admiration worldwide. Roberto Alessandri succeeds Durante in 1919. In roman hospitals outstanding surgeons perform from time to time neurosurgical procedures, sometimes with satisfactory results: Paolo Postempski, Cesare Antonucci, Guido Egidi and Raffaele Bastianelli, first director of the "Regina Elena" Cancer Institute (IRE) (April 1933) and friend of Harvey Cushing. Angelo Chiasserini sr. is however the first roman surgeon constantly committed to Neurosurgery and founder of the first neurosurgical unit in Italy, in 1937; also, from 1941 to 1944 he directs a neurosurgical service at the "Celio" military hospital of Rome, to which patients from the various battle theatres are referred. While Mario Margottini and Piero Frugoni follow Bastianelli's steps at the IRE, the roman neurosurgeons Felice Visalli and Libero Ugelli serve in the Army, during the greek-albanian conflict and in Russia, respectively. In May 1955 Beniamino Guidetti, an Olivecrona pupil, is called at "La Sapienza" University of Rome and elevates the neurosurgical clinic at the highest standards. The other main neurosurgical pole is founded in 1958 at the San Camillo Hospital: within both institutions modern neurosurgical teams are formed along with neuroradiological and neuroanesthesiological staffs.