Dr. Fernando Hakim Daccach (left), neurosurgery – Santa Fe de Bogota

As you can imagine, millions of pairs of eyes are turned towards Santa Fe de Bogota – and the department of Neurosurgery after the mayor of Bogotá, Gustavo Petro was admitted with a subdural hematoma, and subsequently underwent surgery.

Many people don’t know that Bogotá is actually the home to modern neurosurgery.  Dr. Salomon Hakim, one of the founders of modern neurosurgery and inventor of the Hakim shunt for hydrocephalus called Bogota home.  (Sadly, he died just last year.)

But neurosurgery in Colombia doesn’t begin or end with Dr. Salomon Hakim.  With five neurosurgery residency programs and over 150 practicing neurosurgeons in Bogotá – new innovations and treatments are being developed here everyday.

Many of these fine surgeons practice at Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota such as Dr. Aristizabal – Chief of the Neurosurgery residency program, or Dr. Carlos Cure, Dr. Enrique Jimenez and Dr. Fernando Hakim .

Others such as Dr. Pedro Penagos or Dr. Juan Fernando Ramon are scattered throughout the city – treating brain cancers at the National Cancer Institute, or caring for the families of policemen at the Hospital de la Policia – and innovating in the field of neuronavigation.

While my heart goes out to the Mayor of Bogotá, and his family – hopefully the international media stories on his health will give some well-deserved attention to these fine (and humble) neurosurgeons.

References and additional information: Updated 17 June 2012

Gustavo Petro webpage

According to their website, they anticipate the mayor will be discharged home soon (in a statement dated today, June 17th.)  We are glad to hear he is making such a speedy recovery.