Trepanation

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Trepanation (also known as trepanning, trephination, trephining or burr hole) is a form of surgeryin which a hole is drilled or scraped into the skull, thus exposing the dura mater. Allegedly, it addresses health problems related to intracranial diseases, like epiduraland subdural hematomas.

Trepanation has been carried out for both medical reasons and mysticalpractices for a long time: Evidence of trepanation has been found in pre-historic human remains from Neolithictimes onwards, per cave paintings indicating that people believed the practice would cure epileptic seizures, migranes, and mental disorders. Furthermore, Hippocratesgave specific directions on the procedure from its evolution through the Greek age. Trepanation has been practiced for a long time. Drawings have been found of medieval doctors trepanning skulls of patients.

See also

• Trephinning in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica
• Mütter Museum

External links

• WHO surgical instructions on burr holes
• Skeptic's Dictionary entry about Trepanation
• International Trepanation Advocacy Group
• Diary of a trepannee, circa 2000
• A humorous essay that deals with Trepanation
• Morbid Fixation on Trepanning

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trepanation Wikipedia article Trepanation.