trepanation
Ancient brain surgery
Trepanation is the surgical practice of drilling or scraping a hole into the skull.
Ancient practitioners performed it to treat head injuries, relieve pressure, or release evil spirits.
Modern medicine uses controlled versions to access the brain or drain fluid.
Some fringe advocates have undergone voluntary trepanation claiming it produces euphoria or expanded consciousness.
Head's bone casing
- drillHole-boring device
- burrClinging seed case
- holeAbsence in matter
- craniotomySurgical skull removal procedure
neurosurgery · incision · bone · dura · scalpel · saw · craniectomy · anesthesia
Head's bone casing
- NeolithicFinal prehistoric stone-tool era
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
- PeruPacific coast republic
- IncaAncient Peruvian civilization member
survival rate · excavation · burial · specimen · evidence · ancient · cranial · remains
Indigenous spiritual healer
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- ancestorsThose from whom one descends
- tribalOf a clan
- spiritualRelating to the soul
rites · incantation · exorcism · divination · healing · possession · evil spirits · Inca
Seat of cognition
- cortexOrgan's external tissue
- hemisphereHalf of a ball
- intracranialWithin the skull
- pressureForce upon contact
hematoma · subdural · cerebral · membrane · meninges · swelling · fluid · drainage
Bogus methodology posing as factual
- quackeryFraudulent medical practice
- unprovenNot yet established
- alternativeAnother available choice
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
criticism · risk · consciousness expansion · third eye · enlightenment · fringe · dangerous · unregulated
skull
Head's bone casing
craniotomy · neurosurgery · incision · bone · dura · scalpel · saw · craniectomy · anesthesia · scalp
skull
Head's bone casing
- NeolithicFinal prehistoric stone-tool era
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
- PeruPacific coast republic
Inca · survival rate · excavation · burial · specimen · evidence · ancient · cranial · remains · anthropology
shaman
Indigenous spiritual healer
spiritual · rites · incantation · exorcism · divination · healing · possession · evil spirits · Inca · Neolithic
brain
Seat of cognition
- cortexOrgan's external tissue
- hemisphereHalf of a ball
- intracranialWithin the skull
pressure · hematoma · subdural · cerebral · membrane · meninges · swelling · fluid · drainage · decompression
pseudoscience
Bogus methodology posing as factual
- quackeryFraudulent medical practice
- unprovenNot yet established
- alternativeAnother available choice
skepticism · criticism · risk · consciousness expansion · third eye · enlightenment · fringe · dangerous · unregulated · medical ethics
- surgerysurgery, surgeon, surgeons, operation, incision
- ancient AmericasMachu Picchu, Chichen Itza, Teotihuacan, Tenochtitlan, Tikal
- ancient medicinephysicians, healers, Hippocratic Oath, Hippocratic oath, four humors
- ancient practicesalchemy, astrology, bloodletting, mummification, ritual sacrifice
- body modificationtattoo, body modification, tattoos, piercing, tattooing
- medical historyHippocrates, germ theory, bloodletting, Galen, four humors
trepanationnon-invasive treatment
Care without penetrating body
conservative treatment · wound closure · cranioplasty · medical management · watchful waiting