Breaking boundaries in neurosurgery through art and technology: A historical perspective

Introduction: Since the past, art has been used as a tool to elaborate anatomical knowledge and guide surgeons to perform surgeries. Through the eras, art has taken role by conveying the knowledge to people in forms of illustrations and models, including neuroanatomy knowledge for neurosurgical purposes. With the advancement of technology, neurosurgical trainings and care evolve more than before. Research question: How do art and technology play role in tbe education and development of neurosurgery? Materials and methods: A literature search was conducted to find the role of art and technology in forms of illustrations, models, or others in neurosurgery. Results: Illustration was known as one of the tools to understand it in the past. Now, in the modern era, neurosurgical learning, training, and teaching process have integrated both art and technology throughout the process. Not only as two-dimenional drawings, art and technology have gone as far as being developed into three-dimensional models and create specific models for surgical plannings and simulations. Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality have also been used to achieve accurate and efficient learning process and neurosurgical care. Discussion and conclusion: Art does take significant role in the progression of neurosurgery. When combined with technology, art give greater utility and impact through the learning, teaching process, and delivery of care in neurosurgical world.