Founder of modern hydrocephalus diagnosis and therapy: Walter Dandy at the Johns Hopkins Hospital

Abstract

Because of his exceptional and pioneering contributions to the understanding and treatment of neurosurgical conditions, Walter Dandy is considered to be one of the founders of both neurosurgery and neuroradiology. In the field of hydrocephalus, Dandy developed revolutionary research models, imaging modalities, and operative procedures. His laboratory and clinical experiences at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, including the surgical treatment of hydrocephalus, are well illustrated in the publications he authored. Archival materials housed at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine provide a window into Dandy’s clinical experience and supplement the work published during his lifetime. His operative experience with hydrocephalus spanned 1915–1946 and comprised 381 surgeries. From this clinical experience, Dandy created much of the framework for modern diagnostic imaging and treatment of hydrocephalus.