Elsevier author, James Goodrich, MD, PhD,  Director of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery and Professor of Clinical Neurological Surgery, Pediatrics, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York died last Monday, 30 March, at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. He was 73. The cause was complications of the coronavirus, according to Montefiore. Dr Goodrich served in the Marines during the Vietnam War, then studied neurosurgery and psychobiology at the University of California, Irvine; Columbia University; and the Neurological Institute of New York before starting at Montefiore, where spent 30 years of his career.

Dr. Goodrich is famously known for conducting a series of four operations over nearly a year on Clarence and Carl Aguirre, twins from the Philippines who were joined at the tops of their heads and shared major veins in their brains. Dr Goodrich led a team of surgeons at Montefiore’s Children’s Hospital, and in 2004 the twins’ story generated headlines and was the subject of television specials across the world, Carl and Clarence, who were successfully separated turn 18 later this month and live with their mother in Scarsdale, N.Y.

His contribution as a chapter author and pediatric section editor on Youmans and Winn Neurological Surgery began in 2003 with his initial contribution to the 5^th edition, and he has been a longstanding Pediatric Section Editor ever since.  Youmans and Winn Neurological Surgery 8e, is now currently in Development and Dr Goodrich is co-author of the very first chapter of the book on the History of Neurosurgery, as well as having his own chapter on his vast experience in separating conjoined twins. He had recently submitted his updated content to our team here and “in his usual former US Marine approach to life”, he never hinted that he was ill…. He has played an important role in the field of Neurosurgery and educating the generations of practicing and trainee neurosurgeons. He will be greatly missed.