Neurosurgery is a relatively small and young specialty. After the emergence of 'evidence-based medicine' as a movement within medicine, the question remains: to what extent does evidence-based medicine have a place within neurosurgery? Dagmar Verbaan, Professor of neurosurgery and program leader of Neurovascular Disorders at Amsterdam Neuroscience, asks this question in her inaugural lecture September 20, 2024, titled “No shine without friction.”

Patient outcome

Verbaan specifically focuses on the field of research into subarachnoid hemorrhages. While scientific research in recent years has mainly focused on improving the treatment of the aneurysm and treatment in the acute phase, the question according to Verbaan is whether this has also led to a better outcome for the patient.

Pillars of research

In general, a number of pillars are important for conducting good, thorough scientific research, says Verbaan. If these pillars come under too much pressure and friction becomes too great, this will be at the expense of good quality research. In her inaugural lecture, Verbaan discusses the cause of this pressure and how we can reduce this pressure so that the quality of scientific research is maintained.

Inaugural lecture

With this inaugural lecture 'No shine without friction' Dagmar Verbaan will be appointed Professor of Evidence-based neurosurgery. The inaugural lecture takes place September 20, 2024, 16:30 at the University of Amsterdam (Aula, Oude Lutherse Kerk, Amsterdam) and can be followed live here.

Photography: Marieke de Lorijn