Because of specialist procedures, hospitals and clinics need medical personnel trained in all kinds of operations and procedures. If any procedure can’t be done, a patient could be left suffering. This may be a concern in the future for you or others who suffer from a chronic subdural hemorrhage or other brain injuries. This common brain condition requires intervention through brain surgery, and it’s expected to be the most common condition needing surgical help by 2030.
That may not seem very important until you realize that there is a limited number of neurosurgeons, and there may be fewer than required by 2030. The shortage of neurosurgeons could mean that some patients won’t get the diagnosis or treatment required.
A subdural hemorrhage is one where there is bleeding on the surface of the brain. This can happen any time you hit your head. Typically, this kind of bleeding occurs after trauma, like hitting a window in a car crash or falling and hitting your head, like if you slip on a patch of ice. Though many subdural hemorrhage issues come from those situations, the injury that causes one can also be so minor that you may not remember hitting your head at all.
Because of the potential drop in the number of neurosurgeons expected by 2030, some believe it’s time to start funding the training of new neurosurgeons who can help those suffering from this condition. This is particularly important for the elderly, who are at an increased risk of suffering a hemorrhage and needing this kind of operation.
Source: Forbes, “Shortfall Of Neurosurgeons Predicted To Treat Common Brain Injury, Study Says,” Robert Glatter, March. 20, 2015