Hugues Duffau

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Total Citations

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About

Hugues Duffau is a pioneering neurosurgeon and neuroscientist whose work has fundamentally reshaped the surgical management of brain tumors, particularly gliomas. His key research areas include awake craniotomy, brain plasticity, and the concept of "connectome-based" neurosurgery. Duffau’s major contribution is the development of a surgical philosophy that prioritizes maximal tumor resection while preserving cognitive function through real-time intraoperative mapping. By using direct electrical stimulation during awake surgeries, he has demonstrated that the brain is highly plastic, allowing for the safe removal of tumors from eloquent areas once considered inoperable. His impact is profound: his most-cited papers, such as those on awake surgery for low-grade gliomas (over 1,500 citations) and the concept of "diffuse low-grade glioma" as a chronic disease (over 800 citations), have guided thousands of neurosurgeons worldwide. Notably, his 2008 paper on "Brain plasticity and tumors" (over 600 citations) and his 2013 work on "The challenge to remove diffuse low-grade gliomas" (over 400 citations) are seminal. Duffau’s achievements include founding the European Low-Grade Glioma Network and authoring over 400 peer-reviewed articles, making him a leading authority in functional neuro-oncology.