The Department of Neurosurgery, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, was established in 1966 by the legendary Dr. Sambasivan. It was the first medical college in Kerala to establish a dedicated Department of Neurosurgery. In 1979, the first Neurosurgery postgraduate training programme in the state was initiated at Government Medical College, Trivandrum. Dr. Sanal Kumar was the first M.Ch. Neurosurgery trainee of the department. Initially, the programme offered two M.Ch. seats. In 2013, the intake was expanded to six seats. To date, approximately 110 neurosurgeons have graduated from this institution and are serving in various parts of India and abroad. The Department of Neurosurgery is the largest referral centre for neurotrauma and complex neurosurgical cases in South Kerala and southern Tamil Nadu. The department provides high-quality neurosurgical care to all patients. The neurosurgical team possesses extensive expertise in neurotrauma, neurovascular surgery, neuro-oncology, advanced skull base surgery, complex spine procedures, and minimally invasive as well as endoscopic neurosurgery. The department is also supported by a specialised neurophysiotherapy and rehabilitation team.The department functions in the Super Speciality Block, Old Hospital Block, and SAT Hospital, which caters exclusively to paediatric neurosurgery patients. The Super Speciality Block houses a six-bedded Intensive Care Unit and a four-bedded High Dependency Unit. The Multi Speciality Block contains an 18-bedded Intensive Care Unit dedicated to neurotrauma patients. All intensive care units are equipped with an adequate number of ventilators and advanced monitoring systems.
The department offers advanced care in neurotrauma, neurovascular surgery, skull base surgery, neuro-oncosurgery, complex spine surgery, minimally invasive and endoscopic neurosurgery, interventional neurology, and neurorehabilitation. The department is equipped with state-of-the-art neurosurgical infrastructure, including new-generation operating microscopes, high-speed surgical drills, advanced endoscopic systems, ultrasonic surgical aspirators, the latest neuronavigation systems, sophisticated microsurgical instruments, ventilators, and neuromonitoring devices. These facilities significantly contribute to improved surgical precision and better clinical outcomes for neurosurgery patients.