Wilhelm Fabricius von Hilden (Guilhelmus Fabricius Hildanus) 1560-1634: pioneer of early neurosurgery.

INTRODUCTION: Wilhelm Fabricius von Hilden, also known as Guilhelmus Fabricius Hildanus, became known as the father of German surgery. Hildanus had a strong interest in surgery of the adult and pediatric nervous systems and attempted to better understand the brain and its morphology. Moreover, as a surgeon, Hildanus performed many procedures that would be classified today as neurosurgery. These included treatment of empyema and depressed skull fractures. We highlight the life of Hildanus and his contributions to what would become the discipline of neurosurgery. CONCLUSIONS: In a broad view, Hildanus should be considered an early pioneer of this field of surgery.