Yi-Cheng Zhao: a founder of neurosurgery in China

Yi-Cheng Zhao was trained in neurosurgery at the Montreal Neurological Institute by Wilder Penfield in 1938. This article presents Zhao's great contributions to the development of neurosurgery in China. He set up the first independent neurosurgical departments in Tianjin (1952) and in Beijing (1954). A basic research unit for neurosurgery, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, was also established in 1960 under Zhao's insistent efforts. To raise the clinical level, he emphasized subspecialization of neurosurgery and divided the service into tumor, trauma, pediatrics, and miscellaneous groups. He was also enthusiastic about training neurosurgeons. More than 200 students have been trained by him, and most of them have set up centers in different cities in China. At present, the Beijing Neurosurgical Institute is the largest neurosurgical research unit. It plays an important role in the development of Chinese neurosurgery. Zhao devoted nearly 40 years to neurosurgery and died in 1974. The chinese Neurosurgical Association has honored Zhao as "a founder of neurosurgery in China."