Greats of Neurosurgery: The First Woman in Functional Neurosurgery: Dr. Sofia Ionescu, Bucharest, Romania, 1920-2008

This article is the first in a series of the Greats of Neurosurgery, with a particular focus on the greats of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. Given that March was Women’s History Month, we start this series with the first woman known to perform a neurosurgical procedure.

Neurosugery Intern Did What Was Needed

Romania was, at the beginning of the war, a fascist state, and aligned with the Axis powers of Germany and Italy. The U.S. and British Royal Air Forces started a bombing campaign against Bucharest, 81 years ago on April 4, 1944. As has been highlighted by recent world events, the casualties of bombings are never limited to combatants, but always include civilians. The Bombing of Bucharest was no different; a boy, injured in the bombing, was brought to Hospital Nr 9 with a declining neurological exam and expanding intracranial hematoma. The Chief of Neurosurgery was unable to operate due to infection and the other two neurosurgeons were similarly unavailable. So, in the inimitable fashion of a neurosurgery intern, Dr. Sofia Ionescu née Ogrezeanu, did what needed doing.

Saving a Young Life Changed Her Life

She performed a craniotomy, evacuated the hematoma, and saved a young life. Her craniotomy is the first recorded neurosurgery performed by a woman. Like many of us, she said of the experience, “This operation changed my life…” The Chief, Dr. Dumitru Bagdasar, recognized her natural talent and recruited her to join their new Neurosurgery Department, completing her training under his mentorship.

Leaving a Legacy in the Neurosurgery Field

After that initial craniotomy, she went on to a full career at Hospital Nr 9, retiring in 1990, after 47 years of diligent practice, including the use of stereotactic frames. She published more than 100 articles and was recognized for her contributions to the field of Neurosurgery in 2005 by Dr. Yoko Kato at the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies in Marrakech. She died in 2008, leaving a legacy of indomitability, humility, compassion, and ingenuity.

References
Caterina AC, Filipescu R, Ioan Stefan F, Iszlai L, Scalia G, Graziano F, Chaurasia B. Sofia Ionescu: Pioneering the Birth of Neurosurgery in Romania and Becoming the First Female Neurosurgeon in the World. World Neurosurg. 2024 Oct;190:14-19. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2024.06.132. Epub 2024 Jun 29. PMID: 38950653.

Idu, Andreea-Anamaria & Mohan, Aurel George & Saceleanu, Vicentiu & Ciurea, Alexandru. (2020). Historical vignette: The first brain surgery performed by the first woman neurosurgeon in Romania, Dr. Sofia Ionescu-Ogrezeanu. Romanian Neurosurgery. 34. 209-212. 10.33962/roneuro-2020-032.

Ciurea A-V, Moisa HA, Mohan D. Sofia Ionescu, the first woman neurosurgeon in the world. World Neurosurg. 2013;80(5):650-653. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2013.02.031


By Robert Bina, MD
Banner University Medical Center – Phoenix