trephination
Boring through cranium
Trephination is the surgical practice of drilling or scraping a hole through the skull.
Ancient peoples performed trephination, possibly to release evil spirits or relieve pressure from head injuries—skulls showing healed bone prove some patients survived.
Modern neurosurgeons use refined versions to access the brain or drain fluid: The surgeon performed a trephination to relieve intracranial pressure.
Hole-boring device
- skullHead's bone casing
- dura materOutermost cerebral membrane
- neurosurgeryMedical field treating brain surgically
- hematomaBlood collected outside vessels
scalpel · bone flap · incision · anesthesia · sterile · suture · decompression · subdural
Final prehistoric stone-tool era
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
- shamanIndigenous spiritual healer
- medicine manTraditional indigenous healer
- flintSpark-producing sedimentary rock
obsidian · bone tools · tribal · primitive · antiquity · hunter-gatherer · spiritual healing · Inca
Indigenous spiritual healer
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- evil spiritsMalevolent supernatural beings
- exorcismRitual to expel demons
- spiritual healingNon-medical cure through belief
incantation · tribe · ancestors · divination · purification · demonic possession · headache remedy · religious rite
Act of unearthing
- skullsHead bones
- osteologyScientific study of bones
- burialsPlacing dead underground
- artifactsHuman-made historical objects
skeletal remains · dig site · carbon-dating · museum collection
Bogus methodology posing as factual
- quackeryFraudulent medical practice
- higher consciousnessTranscendent mental state
- third eyeMetaphysical perception organ
- blood flowMovement through vessels
informed consent · medical ethics · risk · complications · unproven · skepticism · malpractice · dangerous
drill
Hole-boring device
- skullHead's bone casing
- dura materOutermost cerebral membrane
- neurosurgeryMedical field treating brain surgically
hematoma · scalpel · bone flap · incision · anesthesia · sterile · suture · decompression · subdural · epidural
Neolithic
Final prehistoric stone-tool era
- prehistoricBefore documented civilization
- shamanIndigenous spiritual healer
- medicine manTraditional indigenous healer
flint · obsidian · bone tools · tribal · primitive · antiquity · hunter-gatherer · spiritual healing · Inca · Egyptian
shaman
Indigenous spiritual healer
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- evil spiritsMalevolent supernatural beings
- exorcismRitual to expel demons
spiritual healing · incantation · tribe · ancestors · divination · purification · demonic possession · headache remedy · religious rite · sacred
excavation
Act of unearthing
artifacts · skeletal remains · dig site · carbon-dating · museum collection
pseudoscience
Bogus methodology posing as factual
- quackeryFraudulent medical practice
- higher consciousnessTranscendent mental state
- third eyeMetaphysical perception organ
blood flow · informed consent · medical ethics · risk · complications · unproven · skepticism · malpractice · dangerous
trephinationnon-invasive treatment
Care without penetrating body
medication therapy · observation · watchful waiting · medical management · pharmacotherapy
cranial, trephine, craniotomy, trepanation, craniofacial, trepanning, trepan, trephining, trepanned