trepan
Circular cutting tool
A trepan is a surgical instrument with a cylindrical blade used to cut circular holes, especially in the skull.
The procedure itself—drilling into the skull to relieve pressure or access the brain—is also called trepanning or trephining.
The verb means to bore into with such a tool: Surgeons trepanned his skull to drain the hematoma.
Archeological evidence shows trepanning was practiced in prehistoric times.
Hole-boring device
- boreTiresome individual or drill
- augerSpiral hole-maker
- bitSmall amount or portion
- cutterOne who severs
cylindrical · perforator · brace · gimlet · boring · chuck · shank · flute
Surgical skull perforation
- skullHead's bone casing
- NeolithicFinal prehistoric stone-tool era
- cranialOf the skull
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
ritual · drilling · shaman · ancestors · burial · archaeology · artifact · excavation
drill
Hole-boring device
cutter · cylindrical · perforator · brace · gimlet · boring · chuck · shank · flute · helix
trephination
Surgical skull perforation
prehistoric · ritual · drilling · shaman · ancestors · burial · archaeology · artifact · excavation · ceremony
craniotomy
Surgical skull removal procedure
- neurosurgeryMedical field treating brain surgically
- skullHead's bone casing
- burrClinging seed case
drill · surgeon · incision · anesthesia · sterile · hemostat · forceps · suture · operating · scrubs
entrap
Catch by cunning
deceive · dupe · swindle · con · trap · snare · gull · hoax · bamboozle · hoodwink
- medical toolsstethoscope, otoscope, ophthalmoscope, catheter, reflex hammer
- medical instrumentsscalpel, forceps, needle, catheter, retractor
- piercingpierce, piercing, puncture, puncturing, stab