History of the Peripheral and Cranial Nerves

This chapter reviews developments in the practice of treating injuries and tumors of the peripheral and cranial nerves. Starting with the Edwin Smith Papyrus, we explore the treatment of nerve damage from antiquity to the mid-twentieth century. Up until the post-Renaissance era, distinguishing a nerve from a tendon or ligament was not easily done, and the concept of repairing an injured or severed nerve only came into fashion in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Although attempts were made to remove tumors and perform surgical repairs of the nerves, the outcomes were often not favorable, and in many cases, the surgeries left patients with even more painful outcomes. In this chapter we discuss the surgical concepts surrounding various historical nervous system repairs, highlighting the techniques that succeeded and failed. We also introduce key personalities in the field and their contributions, including a number of historical illustrations, many of which may be new to students of this subject.