Trephination

(noun)

This primitive surgery removed a piece of bone from the skull, while the person was still alive, to allow drainage after a head injury.

Related Terms

Examples of Trephination in the following topics:

  • Bone Marrow Examination

    • Bone marrow samples can be obtained by aspiration and trephine biopsy.
    • Frequently, a trephine biopsy is also obtained, which yields a narrow, solid piece of bone marrow.
    • Bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy are usually performed on the back of the hipbone or posterior iliac crest.
    • A trephine biopsy should never be performed on the sternum, due to the risk of injury to blood vessels, lungs, or the heart.
    • A different, larger trephine needle is inserted and anchored in the bony cortex.

  • The Nazca

    • Trephination was a primitive skull surgery used by the Nazca that relieved pressure on the brain from battle wounds or for ritual purposes.
    • Evidence of trephination has been seen through the analysis of excavated skulls.