Neurosurgery is surgery of the nervous system. A neurological surgeon, or neurosurgeon, is a specialist who is trained in surgery of the nervous system, and can perform surgery on the brain, spinal cord, or other parts of the nervous system. This specialist is sometimes called a brain surgeon. The neurosurgeon also works with patients to diagnose, evaluate, and treat diseases or disorders of the nervous system, and aids in critical care of patients before, during and after surgery.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are Spondylolisthesis, Spinal Stenosis, Spinal Injury, Herniated Disc, brain tumors, stroke, Spinal Cord Tumors, Scoliosis, epilepsy, Spinal Infection, Spinal Discectomy, Spinal Deformity, brain tumor, coma, seizure, Alzheimer's disease, cerebral palsy, meningitis, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including Disc Disease / Surgery, Back / Spine Surgery , Invasive Disc Surgery, Kyphosis Surgery, Laminectomy, Deep Brain Stimulation, endoscopic surgery, craniotomy, stereotactic radiosurgery, microsurgery, Endoscopic management, Cordotomy, transphenoidal surgery, and radiation implants.

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including MRI Scan of the Brain, MRI Scan of the Spine, CAT Scan of the Brain, CT Scan of the Brain, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Axial Tomography (CT or CAT Scan), Myelogram, Spinal Tap, Lumbar Puncture (LP), Electromyography (EMG), Cerebral Angiogram, Electroencephalography, Electronystagmography (ENG), Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV), Spinal Puncture, Positron Emission Tomography (PET Scan), Myelography, Ocular Pressures, Evoked Potentials Studies, and Myogram.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Iowa has 77 practicing neurosurgeons. Broken out by city, neurosurgery doctor density in Ames is 2, in Ankeny is 1, in Atlantic is 1, in Bettendorf is 3, in Boone is 2, in Cedar Rapids is 5, in Clarion is 1, in Clive is 1, in Council Bluffs is 4, in Davenport is 6, in Des Moines is 10, in Dubuque is 2, in Durant is 1, in Fort Dodge is 3, in Harlan is 2, in Iowa City is 35, in Lone Tree is 1, in Manning is 1, in Mason City is 2, in Moville is 1, in Muscatine is 1, in Newton is 1, in Sioux City is 2, in Spencer is 1, in Storm Lake is 1, in Waterloo is 4, in Webster City is 1, and in West Burlington is 1.

Iowa’s capital is Des Moines, home to Drake University. Iowa achieved Statehood 1846, and the state’s population is now 2,996,334. The Mississippi river borders the state on the east, and a majority of the state’s economic output is agricultural. Many cultural and entertainment opportunities exist for visitors to the “quad cities” of Davenport and Bettendorf, IA, and Rock Island and Moline, IL. Numerous museums, arts, music and sports events are available in Iowa, including the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, the Amana Colonies, and the Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead. Famous people born in Iowa: Buffalo Bill, entertainers Johnny Carson and John Wayne, and former president Herbert Hoover.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Iowa has a population of 2,966,334. Of this population, 656,031 are under the age of 18 and 434,196 are at or above the age of 65.