Trepanning, or trepanation A surgeon performs a trepanning procedure on a patient by drilling into his skull. Another patient sits while his skull is prepared for the same operation. (more) trepanning medical procedure Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/trepanning Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: trepanation, trephining Written by Kara Rogers Kara Rogers is the senior editor of biomedical sciences at Encyclopædia Britannica, where she oversees a range of content from medicine and genetics to microorganisms. She joined Britannica in 2006 and... Kara Rogers Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Aug 12, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Also called: trepanation (Show more) { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is trepanning? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Trepanning, also called trepanation, is one of the oldest known surgical procedures. It involves the deliberate drilling or scraping of a hole into the human skull." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What were the historical uses of trepanning? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Historically, trepanning was used for ritualistic and spiritual purposes and as a treatment for head injuries and mental health conditions." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What evidence exists of ancient trepanning practices? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Evidence of trepanning has been found in prehistoric and ancient cultures, dating back to the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. Recovered remains of some individuals show signs of bone healing around the opening made in the skull." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How did trepanning evolve into modern medical procedures? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "In the 20th century, trepanning evolved into craniotomy, a controlled surgical operation performed by neurosurgeons. Modern trephines, cylindrical blades for cutting out pieces of bone, have undergone numerous refinements. They are used in bone biopsy procedures." } } ] } Top Questions What is trepanning? Trepanning, also called trepanation, is one of the oldest known surgical procedures. It involves the deliberate drilling or scraping of a hole into the human skull.

　　What were the historical uses of trepanning? Historically, trepanning was used for ritualistic and spiritual purposes and as a treatment for head injuries and mental health conditions.

　　What evidence exists of ancient trepanning practices? Evidence of trepanning has been found in prehistoric and ancient cultures, dating back to the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. Recovered remains of some individuals show signs of bone healing around the opening made in the skull.

　　How did trepanning evolve into modern medical procedures? In the 20th century, trepanning evolved into craniotomy, a controlled surgical operation performed by neurosurgeons. Modern trephines, cylindrical blades for cutting out pieces of bone, have undergone numerous refinements. They are used in bone biopsy procedures.

　　trepanning, one of the oldest known surgical procedures, involving the deliberate drilling or scraping of a hole into the human skull. Practiced as early as 7,000 years ago, trepanning, historically, is thought to have been used for various reasons, including for ritualistic and spiritual purposes and as a treatment for head injuries and mental health conditions. The procedure ultimately laid the groundwork for modern craniotomy, in which a section of the skull is removed to gain access to the brain for often highly technical neurosurgical procedures, such as the removal of a tumor. Evidence of trepanning has been found across ...(100 of 428 words)

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