title: The War of Independence: a surgical algorithm for the treatment of head injury in the continental army.
abstract: The American Revolution was a gruesome war that resulted in the independence of the United States of America from the British crown and countless casualties to both belligerents. However, from these desperate times, the treatment of traumatic head injury was elucidated, as were the origins of American neurosurgery in the 18th century. During the war, the surgical manual used by military field surgeons was titled Plain Concise Practical Remarks on the Treatment of Wounds and Fractures, by Dr. John Jones. This manual explains the different types of cranial injuries understood at that time as well as the relevant surgical treatment. This article seeks to review the surgical treatment of head injury in the Revolutionary War as outlined by Dr. Jones's manual.
authors.affiliation: Departments of 1 Neurological Surgery.
authors.forename: Victor M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Sabourin
authors.affiliation: Departments of 1 Neurological Surgery.
authors.forename: Manan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Departments of 1 Neurological Surgery.
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yick
authors.affiliation: Departments of 1 Neurological Surgery.|Neurology and Neuroscience, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Chirag D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Gandhi
authors.affiliation: Departments of 1 Neurological Surgery.|Neurology and Neuroscience, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Charles J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Prestigiacomo
mesh_terms: D047788:American Revolution; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000601:surgery; D049671:History, 18th Century; D006801:Humans; D008370:Manuals as Topic; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000266:history; D008889:Military Personnel; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000266:history* / Q000295:instrumentation; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000266:history* / Q000295:instrumentation; D014481:United States
keywords: American Revolution; John Jones; Joseph Warren; head injury; neurosurgical history; trephining