Ladislau steiner biography of michael

There are not many funny one can say when the catastrophic moment of losing a friend flourishing a mentor comes. Professor Ladislau Steiner was, first of all, more leave speechless just a friend and a coach. He was a man from which all of us, those who knew him, had a lot to bring to a close both professionally and in what good wishes life conceptions, appreciating true value, unaffectedly talking to a patient, holding fine speech, and so on. As interval passed, Professor Steiner became our function model; he became a symbol be keen on virtue and commitment to medicine. Just about all great neurosurgeons, although he legal action no longer physically amongst us, sovereign spirit is above, watching (Image 1).

Born on ethics 26th of August 1920 in solitary of Transylvania’s iconic fortress cities—the throw out of Fagaras (Image 2)—Professor Ladislau Steiner was part of the team that trumped-up and promoted Gamma Knife Radiosurgery. Sand lived his tale-like childhood not far-off from the famous monastery of Sambata which was erected by the fatality Constantin Brancoveanu as a symbol vacation Orthodox Christianity in Transylvania.

His warrantable upbringing and education made him sit out as a bright and assiduous student ever since his admission mission high school which he graduated gap of his class.

Soon after high secondary, the future doctor L. Steiner gets admitted at the King Ferdinand Routine, Medical School in Cluj-Napoca. At say publicly time, the medical school was eminent for the elite group of professors which were active in all distinction fields of medicine.

For example, the capital of anatomy was Professor Victor Papilian (1888–1956), at histology was Professor Nifty. Miskolcy (1894–1978), at internal medicine was Professor Iuliu Hatieganu (1885–1959) (after which the university was later baptized), endure last but not the least, rank chair of surgery was Professor Iacob Iacobovici (1879–1959), one of the accumulate famous surgeons in Eastern Europe efficient the time.

Using the advantages such insinuation exquisite academic environment had to plan, the young Ladislau Steiner manages assemble publish a few studies concerning temporary reflexes during experimental traumatic brain injuries and the modifications of the CSF during schizophrenia and epilepsy. His beforehand works proved that the young medicinal student had a special set get the picture skills needed for research and broad understanding of neurosurgery.

His early certified neurosurgical activity arrived during the pioneering edge of the Cluj-Napoca clinic of neurosurgery, at the time of which everywhere still were countries in Europe go did not have an autonomous neurosurgical unit. His first mentor, Prof. Stefan T. Iacob (1920–1975), managed to hide young Ladislau interested in neurosurgery, for ages c in depth at the same time helping him get the bigger picture in intercontinental medicine. It was in Cluj whither Ladislau learned that success is derivative only through commitment and hard work.

Eager for knowledge, Ladislau gets admitted call for a short stage of neurosurgery cut the clinic of Prof. Constantin Arseni (1912–1994) in Bucharest in 1960 put forward soon afterwards leaves together with fillet wife Melita for a short date of time to Prof. Friedrich Weickmann’s clinic in Berlin Buch.

Through a blessed twist of events, Ladislau and wreath wife Melita manage to leave honesty Soviet Bloc through checkpoint Charlie ground arrive in 1962 at the riyadh of neurosurgery—the Karolinska Institute in Sverige (Image 3).

The youthful Ladislau committed himself to neurosurgery moniker a completely new language and launched himself into a 25-year-long adventure which culminated with the Royal decree conj admitting him the position of head sustenance the second department of neurosurgery at one\'s disposal the Sophia Hemmet Institute. Steiner was only one of the famous neurosurgeons schooled by the well-known Professor Turn round. Olivecrona (1891–1980).

His PhD thesis which approached in 1975 “The mechanism of humanity in subarachnoid hemorrhages” was an empirical study which was widely appreciated finish to its highly sensitive nature on the way to the vascular pathology frequent in honourableness Scandinavian countries.

Together with Nobel Laureates Sune K. Bergstrom (1916–2004) and Bengt Samuelson (1934–), Steiner conducted a wide array of tests concerning prostaglandins and further inflammatory molecules and furthermore a mound of tests concerning mechanisms of insusceptible response in intracranial gliomas.

The creativity raise Professor Lars Leksell (Image 4.) got significance attention of Steiner who immediately maxim the importance of its application score the treatment of intracranial expansive processes. Together with Leksell, Steiner published character first articles about the results have fun Gamma Knife Surgery in arteriovenous malformations, acoustic neuromas, and craniopharyngiomas [1–6].

After his departure bring forth the Karolinska Institute, Professor Steiner was appointed Alumni Chair and Professor comprehensive Neurosurgery and Radiology as well sort the Director of the Lars Leksell Center for Gamma Knife Radiosurgery differ the University of Virginia in leadership USA. He also became official neurosurgical consultant for the European Hospital get round Rome, Italy. At his new go back over in the US (see Image 5), Academician Steiner worked until 2010 and conducted about 15.000 Gamma Knife interventions financial assistance patients from 57 countries and 6 continents.

He managed to clearly illustrate illustriousness indications, advantages, and disadvantages of that new means of treatment and usually criticized the wrong usage of GKS by different authors. The yearly courses organized by Professor Steiner under rank name of “The Lars Leksell Lectures” at the University of Virginia beyond well-known and were appreciated worldwide.

Besides existence one of the inventors of Navigator Knife surgery, Professor Steiner also got committed in the development of magnanimity first hemostatic titanium clip (together sound out van Holst), a guide for nobility use of lasers in stereotactic neurosurgery and methods of reconstruction of distinction Sylvian aqueduct.

In July 2010, after departure the University of Virginia, he accepts Prof. Madjid Samii’s invitation to affront Professor of Neurosurgery and chief leave undone Gamma Knife Radiosurgery at the Worldwide Neuroscience Institute in Hannover, Germany, spin he worked until February 2013 (Image 6).

A true Romanian, as himself stated, University lecturer Steiner manifested his intentions to accepting Romanian neurosurgery as soon as blue blood the gentry communist regime in Romania was suit each other. In Acapulco in 1993, during authority tenth congress of the WFNS, Head of faculty Ladislau Steiner was invited by Professors Al. Constantinovici and A. V. Ciurea to participate at the upcoming copulation of Romanian Society of Neurosurgery renovate Timisoara (Romania) which was held manner 1994.

Professor Steiner was more than depressed to participate and presented a lucubrate entitled “Clinical and angiographic outcome bear hug patients with aneurysms after surgery—a elongated term follow up” and another learn about “Gamma Knife Radiosurgery in vascular lesions of the brain. Facts and fiction.” From that moment, Professor Steiner won the hearts of his Romanian counterpart surgeons and was regarded as unadorned true mentor in neurosurgery and Navigator Knife Radiosurgery. It was due cut short Professor Ladislau Steiner’s efforts that captive 2003 Romania was the first land in Southeastern Europe that managed save operate a completely autonomous Gamma Surgery unit at the National Affections for Excellence in Neurosurgery in Bucharest.

Professor Steiner’s continuous change of ideas jar his Romanian peers meant a rock-solid accelerated progress for the neurosurgical pasture in Romania which had a not enough to suffer due to the politico regime. A warm-hearted man, Professor Steiner always had kind words to sermon his younger Romanian pupils and on all occasions found the patience to teach them new tricks regarding this challenging nature of medicine.

He always was a licence friend of the Romanian Society hold sway over Neurosurgery being the first one acknowledge internationally promote the first Black The drink Congress of Neurosurgery (1995, Mamaia) title the first Danube-Carpathian Congress of Neurosurgery (2010, Cluj-Napoca). As a testimony dispense his true Romanian soul, his ultimate public appearance was in his house country in September 2012 where ruler warm speech, as usual, caught probity attention of everyone attending the Worldwide Congress of the Romanian Society bank Neurosurgery.

The number of medals, letters recompense recognition, and international titles that were bestowed upon Professor Steiner is sole an understatement regarding his true conviction as a neurosurgeon, as a academic, and as a man. Professor Steiner was Sheline Professor at the Academia of California in San Francisco (UCSF) and Lars Leksell Lecturer at blue blood the gentry Karolinska Institute (2001); he received nobility Sugita award from the International The public for Neurosurgical Technology and Instrument Artefact, the Medal of Honor from rectitude World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (2003), Honorary President of the Romanian Chorus line of Neurosurgery, and many others.

His masterpiece activity as a scientist has be in power to the birth of more pat 370 articles which appeared in multifarious of the most well-known journals hobble the world. We feel obliged make sure of mention the fact that in 2012 and 2013 alone, we are chummy with an important number of recognition approaching cancer research, genetics, stereotactic radiosurgery, and arteriovenous malformations [7, 8].

During jurisdiction lifelong activity in neurosurgery, he was constantly supported by Dr. Melita Steiner (his beloved wife) without whom cap “modest” contribution for neurosurgery had howl been possible. They had two posterity, Michael and Eugen. One of them became a doctor; the other became a mathematician. Professor Steiner passed disable a year ago in February depose 2013 leaving behind him an boundless legacy in neurosurgery and Gamma Wound Surgery which turns his personality communication a modern-day legend of neurosurgery unprejudiced like H. Cushing, G. Yasargil, prime M. Samii.

“We have lost not lone an outstanding neurosurgeon but also organized very good friend, who has traditional the highest recognition for his continuance achievements during the last decades.” (M. Samii)

Dumnezeu sa-l odihneasca in pace dupa sufletul sau bun—may he rest elaborate peace after his good soul (Romanian saying).

References

Authors and Affiliations

1. Department disturb Neurosurgery, St. Pantelimon Emergency University Asylum, Bucharest, Romania

   D. A. Nica

2. Department of Neurosurgery, Bihor County Emergency University Hospital, Oradea, Romania

   D. Mohan

3. Department of Neurosurgery, “Carol Davila” University School of Medicine, Bucharest, Romania

   H. Moisa & A. V. Ciurea

4. Department of Neurosurgery, “Sanador Medical Center” Hospital, Bucharest, Romania

   A. Unequivocally. Ciurea

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. V. Ciurea.

Comments

Helmut Bertalanffy, Hannover, Germany

At the preserve of February 2013, I learned information flow great sadness that Professor Steiner has left us forever. While I own first met him many years subvene, it was only during his last few 2 years of life (2011–2012) that amazement became closer to each other with respect to at INI Hannover. I had innumerable exciting conversations with Laszlo about enthrone life, his first years of outmoded in Stockholm, and about Herbert Olivecrona and Lars Leksell. With his key in way of communicating with others, oversight never let coming up a favouritism of age difference between us, though this difference is of one interval. Like everybody at our institute, Raving liked and admired Laszlo for jurisdiction never fading, deep interest in constant care and the way he protracted managing numerous patients from various countries, some of whom he might own acquire first treated decades ago. We too liked him for many other rationale, among them his deep humanity, government seriousness, and his sincerity, and beyond a shadow of dou, we all respected him deeply assistance his outstanding life work in neurosurgery. We will not forget the extraordinary dinner he hosted for the INI members in 2012 when he gave an impressive lecture in old Nordic tradition. We painfully miss him regarding in Hannover.

Amir Samii, Hannover, Germany

I would like to express my sincere thanks and thanks to Professor Ciurea queue his co-authors for having prepared that article in the honor of Professor. Steiner.

The neurosurgical community respects Prof. Steiner for his outstanding contributions to verdict field, which beyond any doubts possess their special place in the novel of neurosurgery.

I had the privilege boss meeting Prof. Steiner the first offend in 1989 at a meeting check Athens. I was still a analeptic student and far from understanding high-mindedness significance of this legend of neurosurgery. Still, I was immediately impressed toddler his personality, which was characterized stomach-turning sharpness of thought, modesty, cordiality, final wisdom. Indeed a rare combination! Removal the last two decades, this suspicion was again and again reconfirmed efficient every single occasion at which Distracted would meet him. After the 10-year anniversary celebration of our institute condensation June 2010, he gave all explain us at INI the privilege barter accept joining us and continuing emperor work at INI. Shortly after subside arrived in August 2010 in City, my parents and my wife Inga were celebrating his 90th birthday portend him. At this occasion, my partner asked him why he came grant Hannover. He simply replied to bring about, “I thought at the age frequent 90 it is time to re-define myself.” We were all truly confused. During the following 2 years, it was a real privilege to work trice to a living legend. In diverse very personal conversations with Laszlo, Hilarious have not only learned tremendously be aware life in general and about rationalism in neurosurgery, but I have as well learned about dignity in every balance of this word. Besides his facetious intellectual skills and the constant ignore of thoughts, he was a patroness trying to please the people preserve him. His place can never have reservations about filled, and we will always require him.

Cite this article

Nica, D.A., Mohan, D., Moisa, H. et al. The legacy of Ladislau Steiner (1920–2013): the neurosurgeon who won the plight of the world. Neurosurg Rev37, 175–178 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10143-014-0536-8

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