title: History of randomized clinical trials in neurosurgery.
abstract: The randomized clinical trial is a treatment evaluation technique that has been available in clinical research since 1946. Its first application in neurosurgery seems to have occurred in 1960 by McKissock and colleagues. Neurosurgery has been slow to adopt the technique, particularly in the evaluation of surgical therapy, but its use has increased in recent years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Haines
mesh_terms: D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000266:history*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000266:history / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000266:history* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data