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Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Simulator Training for Endovascular Neurosurgery
Published on: May 6, 2020
History of Hemostasis in Neurosurgery
Danika Paulo1, Alexa Semonche1, Osamah Choudhry2
1Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Department of Neurosurgery, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.
Abstract:
Control of bleeding in the confined area of the skull is imperative for successful neurosurgery and the prevention of devastating complications such as postoperative hemorrhage. This paper reviews the historical evolution of methods to achieve successful hemostasis in neurosurgery from the early 1800s to today. The major categories of hemostatic agents (mechanical, chemical, and thermal) are delineated and discussed in chronologic order. The significance of this article is in its detailed history of the kinds of hemostatic methods that have evolved with our accumulating medical and surgical knowledge, which may inform future innovations and improvements.
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