The evolution of military neurosurgery in the Turkish army

The history of neurosurgery in the Turkish army is not long and complex. Neurosurgery was first practiced in the Ottoman army by Cemil Pasha, who was a general surgeon. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Republic of Turkey was established and modern neurosurgical procedures were applied at the Gulhane Military Medical Academy (GMMA). Maj. Zinnur Rollas, M.D., was the founder of the Department of Neurosurgery at GMMA in 1957. A modern neurosurgical program and school was established in 1965 by Col. Hamit Ziya Gokalp, M.D., who completed his residency training in the US. Today, 26 military neurosurgeons are on active duty in 11 military hospitals in Turkey. All of these neurosurgeons work in modern clinics and operating theaters. In this paper, military neurosurgery in the Turkish army is reported in 3 parts: 1) the history of neurosurgery in the Turkish military, 2) the Department of Neurosurgery at the GMMA, and 3) the duties of a military neurosurgeon in the Turkish army.