Definition

A medical procedure where a hole is made in the skull to remove a circular piece of bone, often done to relieve pressure or treat certain conditions.

Example

Trephination was historically used to treat head injuries and relieve pressure on the brain.

Conversation

I was reading about ancient medical practices, and I came across trephination.

Oh, I think I've heard of that! Isn't it where they drill a hole in the skull?

Yeah, it's fascinating how they believed it could help with headaches or even mental illness.

It's pretty wild to think about how far medicine has come since then.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Trephination is formed from "trephine" (from the Greek "trēpanon", meaning a boring tool or instrument) and the suffix "-ation" (meaning the action or process of). The word refers to the process of using a trephine to remove a circular section of bone from the skull.

Memory Tip

Imagine using a special tool ('trēpanon') to 'bore' into the skull, which helps you remember that 'trephination' is the process of removing a piece of bone.

Visually Confused Words