Walter Edward Dandy

Walter Edward Dandy (1886-1946) was an American neurosurgeon and is known to be one of the founders of neurosurgery with his discoveries, innovations, research, and highly productive practice in neurosurgery. His contributions regarding “being the first” include the birth of cerebrovascular neurosurgery through the clipping of an intracranial aneurysm, and the creation of an intensive care unit (ICU). Dandy is also credited for the invention of the pneumoencephalography and ventriculography as well as the description of brain endoscopy and cerebrospinal fluid circulation in the brain. In his time, Dandy was famous for his surgical dexterity and his “brain team” at the Johns Hopkins Hospital which allowed him to perform as much as more than 1000 operations per year.