Neurosurgery in Cambodia 1975 – 2025: birth and development of a specialty.

The Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979) destroyed the education, economic and health systems of Cambodia. Absent before 1975, Neurosurgery began to develop as a performative and structured specialty around 2010. Thanks to certain partnerships, among others French, the training sector for Cambodian interns is very active. In 15 years, the dynamic has made it possible to train the 30 neurosurgeons currently practicing in Cambodia in skull and spine activities, in the private or public sector. This figure compared to the overall population of Cambodia (ratio of neurosurgeons/population) is well below international standards. A large Neuroscience reference center has been built at Calmette hospital. The challenges to be met sometimes go beyond just the specialty and relate to the prevention of traffic accidents, opening the specialty to women and the development of neurosurgical structures in the territories.