Who was the first person to perform brain surgery?

Trephination is one of the oldest surgical procedures in history,[1][2] and archaeological evidence suggests that it has been practiced for thousands of years.[1][3][4] The earliest known evidence of trephination dates back to the Neolithic period (c. 10,000 BCE), when it was practiced in France.[5] In ancient Egypt, trephination was practiced as early as the Old Kingdom period (c. 2600–2150 BCE), with the earliest evidence coming from the tomb of Queen Merneith.[6][7] In ancient India, the Susruta Samhita, an ancient Sanskrit text on surgery, describes the procedure of trephination in great detail.[8] In ancient Greece, Hippocrates described the use of trephination to treat head injuries and skull fractures.[9]

The first documented successful removal of a brain tumor was performed in 1885 by Sir Victor Horsley, a renowned British neurosurgeon.[1][3] Horsley's patient was a 14-year-old boy who suffered from a brain tumor that had caused hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body).[10] Using a surgical saw, Horsley carefully removed the tumor and the patient made a full recovery.[1][10] Horsley's successful surgery marked the beginning of modern neurosurgery and paved the way for the development of more advanced surgical techniques and treatments for brain disorders.[3]

However, it is important to note that trephination was not always successful and could have serious complications due to the lack of knowledge about anatomy and the absence of sterile techniques in ancient times.[3][11]