Open AccessA Brief History of Sir Hugh Cairns and His Helmet Creation
Author(s) -
Nícollas Nunes Rabelo,
Lara Mariana Rosa,
Carlos Umberto Pereira
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
jornal brasileiro de neurocirurgia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2446-6786
pISSN - 0103-5118
DOI - 10.22290/jbnc.v30i3.1841
Subject(s) - biography , neurosurgery , specialty , medicine , head injury , neurology , head (geology) , general surgery , history , surgery , family medicine , psychiatry , art history , biology , paleontology
Sir Hugh Cairns was an Austrian physician who contributed much to neurology and neurosurgical practices. He created the anti-impact helmet for motorcyclists, which led to a significant reduction in mortality due to head injury. Besides, he performed tests and antibiotic treatments on neurological infections. He has made many publications on neurosurgical techniques that are used to this day. Method: This article discusses his biography and its several discoveries and contribution to medicine and society. Conclusion: Hugh Cairns was the inventor of the anti-impact helmet responsible for reducing head injuries from motorcycle accidents. He was a founder of the neurosurgery specialty at Oxford University. His surgical techniques and studies are widely used in surgical and student practices nowadays.