Neurosurgery is the surgical speciality entrusted with surgical and non surgical management (including prevention,diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, intensive care and rehabilitation) of certain pathologies of the nervous system:central, peripheral and vegetative, including their vascular structures. It also handles the evaluation and treatment of pathological processes that modify the function or activity of the nervous system, including the hypophysis. Finally, neurosurgery is also involved in treating pain.

Cranial trepanation has a history of over 10,000 years. Since several ancient skulls show neoformed bones on the edges of the trepanation, the patients did survive. In those days a simple trepanation had a therapeutic character and could relieve depressed skull fracture or allow evil spirits causing cephalea or epilepsy to escape.