Staged Cranial Surgery for Intracranial Lesions: A Historical Perspective

We follow the development of staged resection from its first description by Walter E. Dandy, one of the founding fathers of neurosurgery, in 1925 in which he removed a large vestibular schwannoma. This historical vignette cites neurosurgical case reports and literature to demonstrate the evolution of staged resection of intracranial lesions, from Dandy’s initial use to its becoming a more viable and safe option for the treatment of meningiomas, vestibular schwannomas, and skull base lesions (among numerous other intracranial pathologies). We also discuss the current advancements and future perspectives of staged resection that may show promise in effectively treating a wide range of pathologies while simultaneously reducing morbidity rates—a warrant for further exploration of staged cranial surgery as an important tool in neurosurgery