History of SRHSB
The Society for Research into Hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida
(SRHSB) was founded in 1957 by a group of physicians and surgeons
interested in developing treatments for the conditions. At the
time, spina bifida, a spinal condition which develops early in
pregnancy resulting in various degrees of paralysis and disability,
occurred in over 15 per 10,000 live births, making it one of the
most common serious birth defects. In most cases it was accompanied
by hydrocephalus - an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the
brain which can cause progressive brain damage leading to serious
disability and death if left untreated.
Until the mid 1950s there was no effective treatment for
hydrocephalus, with efforts to alleviate the effects of spina
bifida proving frustrating. However, an American engineer, John
Holter, seeking a treatment for his son, Casey, who had
hydrocephalus, experimented with valved devices and developed the
Holter valve, a silicone valve which could be sterilized and mass
produced.
The introduction of the Holter valve was a vital boost to
research into the treatment of hydrocephalus and spina bifida,
raising prospects of reducing the major life-limiting element of
the conditions. Hydrocephalus was the life - limiting condition
associated with spina bifida, and a practical treatment for
hydrocephalus meant that active treatment for spinal, orthopaedic,
bowel and urological problems of spina bifida was now worth
considering. In recognition of his invention, John Holter was made
a member and later Honorary Member of SRHSB. He went on to be
awarded DSc by the University of Sheffield, UK and Hon CBE by the
UK Government.
The Society was then founded by a small group of clinicians with Mr
George MacNab, chief paediatric surgeon at Great Ormond Street
Children's Hospital, London as first President. From then on the
Society grew rapidly into the high - profile international body
that it is today, including both scientific and clinical
communities. Scientific meetings are held annually, and the
52nd has just been held Brown University, Providence.
Though the Society is UK - based, over 20 of the 52 meetings have
been held in centres outside UK. Members are drawn for
approximately 30 different countries.
Since the early days of the Society, John Holter was a member
and friend, and his generous donation established the Casey Holter
Memorial Essay Prize and Lectureship. Recent winning topics have
included chiari malformation, basic research into causation of
spina bifida, neuronal migration, tethered cord, intracranial
pressure / volume relationships, social impact of childhood
disablement and many more. This year the Casey Holter Lecturer was
Professor Andy Copp of London whose topic was the developmental
biology and genetics of neural tube defects, and the role of folate
and inositol in their prevention.
The Society works with ASBAH, the UK organisation for people
with spina bifida and / or hydrocephalus, to promote adoption of
best practice throughout. We are currently lobbying government
departments regarding flour fortification with folic acid.
Click here to view an
archive devoted to 50 years of SRHSB
