Trepanation
18th century French illustration of trepanation
18th century French illustration of trepanation
(Larger Version)
Trepanation
, also known as
trephinning
or
trepanning
, is a form of
surgery
where a hole is drilled or scraped into the
skull
, leaving the membrane around the
brain
intact. It addresses health problems that relate to abnormal
intracranial pressure
. However, there are advocates who suggest trepanation even for healthy people, claiming that after an operation
capillaries
in the brain should operate on a higher metabolism resulting in a higher state of
consciousness
. Some claim spiritual benefits. Trepanation has been carried out for both medical reasons and
mystical
practices for a long time: Evidence of trepanation has been found in pre-historic human remains from
Neolithic
times onwards, per cave paintings indicating that people believed the practice would cure epileptic seizures and mental disorders. Furthermore,
Hippocrates
gave specific directions on the procedure from its evolution through the Greek age. Trepanation is generally not practiced by doctors without a medical indication. Illegal in the
United States
and
Europe
due to the risk of blood clots, brain injuries and infections, trepanation procedures can lead to
meningitis
or
death
.
Trepanation in popular culture
The movie
From Hell
contains a scene where trepanation is performed in a psychiatric hospital.
See also
Trephinning in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica
External links
Skeptic's Dictionary entry about Trepanation
International Trepanation Advocacy Group
Diary of a trepannee, circa 2000
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